Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1949)

Realizing that to increase spot sales in the Huntsville area, local clients would have to be given something tangible, something they could not only hear but also feel, WHBS in Huntsville, Alabama, has inaugurated a new program called "The Magic Word." The idea is that somewhere inside each of the commercial messages a "magic word" is spoken. That word could be "price," it could be "money." Definite clues are given and the listener is challenged to identify the day's "magic word." Here is an ingenious way of getting the prospective customer to pay careful attention to just what the advertiser has to say. No switching off dials by bored listeners when the commercial message is given. Instead, it is at this point when they drop everything to listen alertly to the clue which may mean their getting a nice amount in money awards. AIR FAX: Local give-away program employs a unique feature to increase spot sales among retail accounts. First Broadcast: November 8, 1948 Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Fridav, 11:30 to 12:30 A. M. and 2:30 to 3:00 P. M. Station: WHBS Huntsville, Alabama Sponsor: Ten cooperating, non-competing firms Power: 250 watts Population: 45,000 In charging for the program, the onetime spot card rate is billed plus fifty cents. With ten firms acting as participating sponsors this fifty cents from each makes up the five dollars awarded the winning contestant each day. If there is no winning contestant, the prize is increased by five dollars the next day. Of course, the sponsors are still limited to their fifty cent outlay and need not make any further expenditures for the show. Every attempt is made to throw the credit for the program to the firms participating in it. Every participating company receives a placard^ to place in his window stating that he has entry blanks inside for those interested in the program. That feature is another outstanding Program advantage to the sponsors of the show. A supply of application blanks is left in each of the local stores. This form is labeled: "Register me for the Magic Word Program." It calls for the person's name, telephone number, date the application was filed and at which store the application blank was received. Another application blank was made up later when the station realized that the first form excluded those possible contestants who were without telephones. The second blank was similar to the original one but called for a direct attempt to name the "magic word." The applicant would fill in the line which said: "I believe the "magic word" is " That form would then be signed, dated, and sent to the station with a note at the bottom as to where the application blank was received. Radio listeners get their opportunity in a different way. Three phone calls are made at the half-hour morning period of the show and three phone calls are made during the half-hour afternoon period. Each listener called is asked if he or she can identify the "magic word." The first person doing so wins the money in the jackpot « Three times on the morning program which is broadcast from 1 1 :30 to 12:00 and three times on the afternoon program from 2:30 to 3:00, all 10 firms participating in sponsorship are identified. All listeners are encouraged to pick up their blanks from the sponsoring firms. Use of these blanks gives the sponsor a great amount of store traffic which is something he can see and feel is the result of his radio advertising. The fact that the "magic word" is contained in every sponsor's message assures the client that regardless of all else, he knows he is buying a spot announcement each day that will be listened to very closely. Sponsors, who are Fowler and Chaney Clothing, Twickenham Pharmacy, Uptain's Footwear, Mason Furniture, Giles 12 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP