Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1963)

Record Details:

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MONDAY MEMO from GORDON GELFOND, David Olen Advertising A program of general appeal for specialized audience Since the Southern California plumbing industry promotion fund came into being on July 1, 1960, the Plumbing Industry Progress and Education fund (PIPE) campaigns have made effective use of broadcast communications media and one first-of-its-kind program has been created in the process. The selected agency determined that the initial phase objectives were: (a) establishment of a recognition symbol; (b) educating the public to the advantages of calling in a PIPE contractor, plumber or pipefitter for needed work. The agency staff created the now-familiar PIPE trademark emblem, to identify participating members as craftsmen of higher skills for performing quality work. The emblem was translated into journeymen's badges, decals for contractor vehicles, stationery and jobsite displays. TV to Start ■ Television, obviously, was the outstanding vehicle for establishing visual recognition of the PIPE trademark and promoting a coupling of the symbol with extra-quality craftsmanship in the public mind. Four television commercials were created in this first phase. The number one spot was devoted entirely to the emblem. The second put across the demanding training program for journeymen plumbers qualified to wear the PIPE badge. A third commercial showed specific examples of work performed by PIPE plumbers and pipefitters — from milliondollar research piping assemblies in missile plants to a simple leaky faucet repair. The fourth explained the formation of PIPE as a cooperative effort to improve quality standards in plumbing and by indirection established confidence in the PIPE craftsmen. The initial PIPE campaign used news programs on five Southern California television stations on a five-times weekly basis. Then Radio ■ When the PIPE emblem was "fixed" via the television programs in the first year, it was determined that the campaign could be supplemented by wide use of radio. Three radio spots were produced to sell home modernization jobs and industrial-commercial maintenance plans for the industry. These second-year radio spots expanded the PIPE "reach" and multiplied the effectiveness of the program. Throughout the first three years, television news programs were the foundation of the campaign, although billboards were keyed in to underline special themes. A bright and breezy singing commercial, created experimentally for the PIPE radio programs, proved so effec tive that a new animated commercial was developed for television to exploit this singing spot. In this period, the commercials moved into "item" selling of specific appliance fixtures and services— water heaters, garbage disposers, bathroom remodeling and the like. The nine counties of Southern California within the PIPE jurisdiction were blanketed by the purchase of time on five TV stations. Internal Selling Job ■ One of the ageold problems in the whole construction industry has been lack of standardized job specifications, which results in contract misunderstandings and losses estimated in the millions over the United States. As part of its industry promotion program, the PIPE technical division undertook the pioneering task of developing standard specifications for plumbing, heating, cooling and industrial process piping. It was obvious that one of the client's main needs at this point was gaining acceptance of these standard specifications by other segments of the industry. The agency developed an allout campaign of reaching the key elements in the building industry through personal contact by field representatives. Trade advertising was also used extensively. Radio, Again ■ But the need for a more effective job in creating industry acceptance of the standard specifications remained. The agency came up with the idea of a construction news program on radio, in such a format as to have general interest, but containing real "meat" news of bids, contract awards and similar information for the construction industry. No such program had ever been attempted, so far as could be determined, and the agency almost immediately ran into the "it can't be done" problem. But the idea survived. In Southern California, Daily Construction Reports, is a prime source of news for construction people. The agency entered into a contract with its publishers for exclusive broadcast rights to highlight portions of the voluminous building report. (The paper receives a daily plug on the program.) One of the agency writers checks in at the paper while the reporters are preparing next day's edition. From their carbons, he prepares the nightly broadcast, relayed by teletype to the stations. To increase local impact in specific areas, the agency created localized weekly construction news programs, broadcast on Saturday mornings in 11 cities outside the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Although based entirely on the day's building reports and aimed primarily at architects, contractors and executives in the trade, the program stresses the importance of the multi-million dollar construction industry to the general economy. Reports over the nine counties indicate it is having its hoped-for effect, in reaching the construction industry groups with PIPE's "intramural" messages such as standard specifications. The goodwill generated by the institutional character of the program among the general public is an unexpected public relations dividend. A New Broadcast Theory ■ PIPE is extending its use of media in view of the record of effectiveness to date. The radio programing has lately been augmented by spot announcements on 40 radio stations, a campaign that began in midsummer. That radio-television is invaluable in a program like PIPE is not news at this late date, but that a program of general appeal can be designed for a specific audience may open up some possibilties for future brainstorming. Gordon Gelfond, vice president of David Olen Advertising, Los Angeles, has been with the agency since April 1959. He has worked continuously on the PIPE account since its inception and has been responsible for most of the media buying. Prior to joining David Olen Advertising, he was with Nelson Advertising Agency and Gordon Gelfond Advertising, all of Los Angeles. Mr. Gelfond was graduated from UCLA in 1951. He is married and has two sons. 1 28 BROADCASTING, October 7, 1963