Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1943)

JOHNNY ON THE SPOT News, reviews and tips on spot announcements in this column. SPOTS LIGHT BIRTHDAY CANDLES Neither the black sleeve guards nor the station agent's cap fooled anyone as to the youth of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad's representative at North Redwood, Minn., in 1883. The shoebrush mustache hadn't sprouted, but his name was Dick Sears and he was a youth of 19. That was long before the day of parcel post, and it was not an unusual occurrence for a shipment of huge gold watches to arrive at the station. The company which shipped the timepieces had apparently hoped to establish business relations with a local jeweler. Instead, it established a connection with Richard W. Sears. He took the lot at $12 each, distributed them among other agents along the line with the understanding that if they could sell them for $16 each, they might keep $2, remit $14 to Sears. Three years later he quit his agent-telegrapher's job, moved to Chicago to work his new-found commercial gold mine as the R. W. Sears Watch Co. Watchmaker in the organization was one A. C. Roebuck, and so well did the two men hit it off that in 1893 they formed the business organization of Sears, Roebuck & Co. It grew into the mammoth mail order business which the world now knows. Early in the company's history it began selling direct to customers on the strength of advertising. Today, advertis ing is still an important factor in its business and in many of the branch stores of Sears, Roebuck & Co., radio advertising goes hand-in-glove with mail order and retail activities. When plans were made for the annual Birthday Sale in its eight Los Angeles (Cal.) County stores, Sp:ars-Roebuck used a total of 115 station break announcements in a threeday campaign over 13 stations! ARE YOU THERE? Hot on the heels of the Readers Digest blast on radio's "plug-uglies" comes a new H. S. Goodman transcribed series of programmed 1 -minute station break announcements. Just as a 15-minute program has a limited commercial, so these 1 -minute Georgie Jessel spots entertain for 30 or 35 seconds, are followed by a short commercial. Spot innovation features Georgie Jessel telephone calls to his mother. In the series are 20 1 -minute spots with open ends to be sold on a syndicated basis to clients throughout the country. Also available are custom-built spots with Georgie Jessel doing the complete transcription, including sponsor's commercial. Sample wackie ting-a-ling patter: *'Hello . . . yes, this is Georgie Jessel . . . oh, hello Mamma . . . how do you feel? . . . Did you get your X-ray pictures from the doctor? . . . You did . . . how are they? . . . They don't look like you at all. ... I see. . . . Mamma, I'm glad you called. ... I was browsing around an art shop today and I picked up an original Whistler's Mother. I say I'm bringing you Whistler's Mother for the front room. She'll have to sleep with Anna. . . . Willie has the front room. ... I figured you'd say that. . . . Look, Mom, hold the line a minute ... a friend of mine wants to talk BREAD BIZ Six spot announcements weekly over a period of four years keep Asheville, N. C, bread eaters calling for Quality Bread. Three morning and three evening periods are used on WWNC. While the WWNC continuity department prepares the copy, the Quality Bread manager telephones a daily special to the station. 34 RADIO SHOWMANSH IP