Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1964)

1930 (when the brand's agency was Marschalk & Pratt) has just been retired by McCann-Erickson, Humble's agency. For all anybody knows, Peterson may — over the 34 years — have achieved this record: the man who (more than any other) spent the largest accumulative total for a single brand in air media. Peterson did much traveling among stations, and with reps he ranked tops in air media knowledgeability and tractability. Farm director's latest menace As if farm directors weren't having a tough enough time preventing their ranks from further decimation, along comes FC&B Chicago with a test on transcribed commercials for farm radio. The implication of the test, done with client International Harvester in mind: maybe the recorded voice of some stranger to farmers in the area may be as effective, if not more so, as the local station's long familiar farm director. To farm directors this "awareness" study can't help but suggest a form of "lese majesty." The farm director is identified as much with the delivery of his sponsors' messages as his daily recital of valuable information, news and tips for the farming and dairying brethren. The farm directors' association is down to between 200 and 250 members. One seller of farm radio last week suggested one way that the transcribed commercial for farm radio might be countered, if it shows signs of becoming a trend — the association could help farm directors brush up on their selling technique. What's to fear? Those recorded commercials might find themselves in spots outside the farm directors' ken. P&G Sets Dec. 12 blitz on CBS-TV P&G has another one of those one-night blitzes coming up Saturday, Dec. 12. This one is on CBS-TV. The Cincinnati giant prefers to have these occasions referred to as "special promotion," as it did several years ago when it unveiled the Crest endorsement by the American Dental Assn. Being kept under close wraps is the product to benefit from the Dec. 12 "special promotion." P&G on that night will have a total of 13 commercial minutes, out of network's entire allotment of 21 commercial min utes. P&G is a regular sponsor of Saturday's Gilligan's Island, Mr. Broadway and Gummoke. On an alternate week P&G is entitled to a total of eight minutes on these three shows. This is to accmmodate the blitz on the Jackie Gleason Show, on which it is not a regular sponsor SRA: maybe two timebuyer awards? This is around the time that a committee of the Station Representatives Assn. sits down to pick a Timebuyer of the Year. Well, some sellers of spot radio think that the SRA's annual ritual could stand a little expansion. Instead of one Timebuyer of the Year, there might be two Timebuyers of the Year. In other words, give separate recognitions to a tv buyer and a radio buyer. The point these radio sellers raise: supposing the buyer picked for the award has no connection with radio whatever. Couldn't that be considered a case of slighting the older medium? The same hypothesis could be put the other way. Hence to be fair all around, why not honor a craftsman, or craftswoman, in each medium? Sarnoff: back to personal commentary Tv editors and columnists across the land can be assured that NBC's Robert Sarnoff hasn't totally abandoned the practice of keeping in touch with them by circular letter. He hasn't got one out to them since Sept. 25, 1963. But this is another programing season, new issues and introspections are afloat, and, as Sponsor Scope learned upon inquiry, Sarnoff plans to resume his correspondence with the medium's chroniclers and critics shortly. Tv football: two rating facets Buyers of network tv football will likely focus much of their rating attention this season on the NTI reports showing what happens on the days when the AFL games are pitted against NFL doubleheaders. Another sidelight that'll tickle their interest: the ratings that the two Saturday afternoon (Dec. 5 and 12) NFL games will rack up compared to the top ratings achieved by this ^CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE October 12, 1964 27