Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

Milling ADLUH MUSICAL MILLERS "The Adluh Musical Millers have been appearing over WIS, Columbia, S. C, 7:45 to 8:00 A.M. week days since April, 1940. This is a hillbilly program put on by five musicians. They have brought excellent results in the form of increased Adluh Flour sales. We are confident that this medium of advertising is as good as money can buy." R. L. Wingate Advertising Manager Allen Brothers Milling Co. Columbia, S. C. AIR FAX: Last October 15, Master Miller Sam Poplin told listeners they had a chance to win a bicycle. Method: Send in the longest list of words derived from the title, Adluh Musical Millers, plus two pictures of the Adluh Girl from any size sack of • ADLUH FLOUR. Four days before the contest closed, overwhelmed sponsor decided that one prize was not sufficient for 1,300 letters each bearing two proofs of purchase! Sum total prizes: 22. Showmanstunt: During the course of the contest Master Poplin and accordianist Red Bennett made a deal: If a boy won the bicycle, Sam would ride it to the winner's door, regardless of the distance from Columbia. If a girl won, Red would do the pedalling. Note: One sunny morning Poplin was seen on a shiny new bicycle on the road to St. Mathews (S. C. ), which is located some 35 miles from Columbia. First Broadcast: April 22, 1940. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Saturday, 7:458:00 A.M. Preceded By: News; Morning Melodies. Followed By: News (NBC). Sponsor: Allen Brothers Milling Co. Station: WIS, Columbia, S. C. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 71,704. SAMPLE SCRIPT AVAILABLE. COMMENT: Timeliness in commercials is effective! Adluh example: "Now then, for those send-off parties to see the boys off to camp. It seems to me that since the boys are in for some plain but honest fare for the next year, they ought to have a last fling at lots of things that are just plain good to eat. Plenty of cakes and pies . . . and I said plenty. Any man, anywhere, anytime, likes apple pie. So today sit right down and plan your party and menu. Order a big bag of ADLUH FLOUR for all the baking you're going to do . . . and get busy." Leatherette Binders for Radio Showmanship The compact way of keeping your issues in a permanent, chronological group. Holds 18 Issues One Dollar RADIO SHOWMANSHIP 11th at Glenwood MINNEAPOLIS SHOWMANSHIP IN ACTION Those extra promotions and merchandising stunts that lift a program out of the ordinary. Amusements ELGIN BIRTHDAY CLUB Unique headache of theater managers everywhere is having to sell a brand new product each week. Whereas butchers, bakers can benefit from a cumulative, week-to-week build-up of name, location, merchandise, theater men must sell the public on a completely new and different item each week, forget what they were plugging just a few days ago. Ideally adapted to this situation, but as yet very little exploited, is radio. Packing his theater to capacity, showman Lloyd Mills of Ottawa, Canada, is hacking a new path by applying to a new field an old idea — the birthday club. The Elgin Birthday Club goes on the air each Wednesday, when club members whose birthdays fall during the week are presented with pairs of guest tickets. Greetings are extended these members, they are informed they are to be guests of the theater on their birthday. To become members of the Elgin Birthday Club, listeners must sign the birthday register stationed in the theater lobby. AIR FAX: Broadcast Schedule: Wednesday, 5:45-6:00 P.M. Sponsor: Elgin Theater. Station: CKCO, Ottawa, Canada. Power: 100 watts. Population: 126,872. COMMENT: Manager Mill's popular Birthday Club is worth its cost in good will alone. Add to that its effectiveness as a merchandiser, and you have real returns. Many a U. S. picture house could profit by the example set by smart showman Lloyd Mills. Beverages THE WHOPPER CLUB Fish program which puts the weight on "whoppers," homespun fishin' yarns, gives back seat to practical MAY, 1 941 149