Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1964)

Bill James (I), executive vice president of Tracy-Locke Co., goes over story boards in detail with Bob Jornayvaz, advertising director for the Pearl Brewing Co. and author of the "water story" campaign. Niagara Falls for slightly more than 30 seconds. Basically there are two types of Pearl commercials — strong product identification and educational. In the strong identification, the product is shown in closeups with the water as a background. The educational approach uses beautiful shots of flowing water and the typical wild animals found in the Edwards Plateau country. Not so much as a hand or a fence post shows in any of the footage to give the slightest hint of civilization. Music and low key audio messages tie the commercial together. Product identification is brought in at the close of the spot. Each spring, Jamieson crews have made between two and four location trips into the plateau country to capture water and animals on film. The flexible film equipment was easily set up in the rough, almost unaccessible country. Cameras have been set up in the stream beds, on hillsides, in the bush and under waterfalls. However, not many of the waterfalls, springs and streams are visible from the road. To search out the most attractive springs it was necessary to question area residents. "When we first started looking for the springs we were turned down a few times when people learned it was for beer commercials," recalls Bob Brown, TracyLocke account executive for Pearl, "and there were some who didn't want to be disturbed. But the big switch came when the commercials appeared on tv. We started getting offers of assistance in locating water sources after they saw our quality approach. Some of the small towns in the plateau area have been claiming a brisk tourist trade as a result of the commercials. "In a quality message," Brown adds, "where product prestige is the strong selling point, as in the case of Pearl, small details can make a big difference. Such a thing as an imperfection in one of the beer glasses used in extreme close-ups could nullify the whole quality approach. We use a lot of care just in selecting the glasses." Another example of the meticulous quality approach — beer drinkers can tell you that the beer bubbles stick to the sides of a glass when it is coated with a soap or grease film. So, a chemical bath is always used to keep the glassware sparkling. Bob Brown and other agency representatives accompany the film crews as technical supervisors and sometimes as algae scrapers and beer pourers. They estimate 100 cases of Pearl have been poured down the rivers, springs and streams while shooting was going on. Pearl introduced a "first" with beer pouring in 1962 television commercials. To help develop a "thirst effect" in the viewer. Pearl beer came up in the glass with a nice man-size head and then, instead of stopping just at the top of the glass, the beer foam spilled down the side of the glass. An overflow scene appeared in an industrial film produced by Jamieson Films for Pearl in 1961. Brewery and agency officials liked the idea. Foam pouring over the sides of the glass stimulated an extra thirst reaction — and it seemed natural. Pearl is after the man of the house. He is the heavy beer drinker. That puts Pearl commercials in the drama, adventure and sports segments on tv. But, at the same time, the beauty of the "water story" has general appeal. Waterfalls, rushing streams and clear springs appeal to men and women alike. Agency plans call for 100 percent television coverage of Pearl's distribution area — the whole state of Texas and parts of New Mexico, 44 SPONSOR