Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1964)

medium with a selective audience, combed subjects like these: ( 1 ) Why the most effective medium for reach in Los Angeles is television. (2) A station-by-station coverage study of Los Angeles tv. (3) The "three-market" aspect of reaching Santa Barbara, San Bernardino-Riverside, as vi'ell as Los Angeles. (4) Los Angeles' 12 AM, 17 FM radio stations. (5) Metropolitan newspapers vs. the many suburban dailies and how they tend to disperse reader impressions. (6) A quintile study of market penetration — i.e., how best to reach the better-educated, higherincome audience. (7) An audience study showing how a station, like a newspaper, has a specific image. (8) KNXT public affairs programing. (9) KNXT special events programing. (10) Video tapes of specific tv programs. What the presentation tried to do, in brief, was shoot down opposition, then establish KNXT claims to precedence. Since AmExCo has had extensive newspaper exposure and since its agency specifically requested "coverage facts" about Los Angeles newspapers, that print medium was, of course, a major target. In opposition, KNXT's proposal was a prestige package based on public affairs programing. Says Beindorf, as the station's general sales manager, "We came up with a package that was designed to fill a si>ecial need for a special kind of advertiser. And we proposed delivery of a specialized kind of audience. Fewer but more appropriate jjeople could be reached on the news-oriented package we offered." "The purpose of the package is two-fold," Bob Cole, account executive, national sales, CBS Television Stations Div., said at the time of the Since target audience, essentially the man in the gray flannel suit, may spend only limited time with tv, package includes four specials like this variety show featuring good talent. Director Aaronson works out restaurant credit demonstration with "waiter." Watching (from left) are Bob Cole, CBS account executive, Ray Beindorf and John Condon of KNXT. sale: "First, as an aid to greater acceptance by commercial establishments of the card" and, second, to increase the number of AmExCo card-users. The client's advertising manager affirms his statement that the primary goal is to increase card sales, then to increase card usage. The client, through its agency, gave the go-ahead and signed for six months (26 weeks) starting June 15. The prestige package includes a nightly 1 1 p.m. news program with locally produced commercials delivered by KNXT's John Condon as AmExCo's spokesman. Plans called for utilizing the same musical logo that has been adding impact to AmExCo's radio commercials in 25 markets. In addition, the package includes four half-hour "specials," also produced by KNXT. Two have already been given, another is scheduled for November and one for December — a profile of either George Murphy or Pierre Salinger, whichever wins the hotly disputed California senatorial race. This is a good example of the special interest kind of program that is designed to attract the tv attention of the potential AmExCo credit-card user — i.e., the young executive on his way up who may spend as little as one hour a week watching tv. Subject matter of the other three specials: a musical salute to composer Rudolph Friml, and two variety shows with new musical talent from the West Coast. Cautious about citing the exact cost of the prestige package (which is likely in the $60,000-70,000 category), ad manager O'Brien will say only that both radio and tv expenditures for the Credit Card Div. total "several hundred thousand dollars a year — mostly for radio." With correct reserve, he says it's still too early to evaluate the success of his division's first venture into television. From the responses of member establishments, however, "we know it's being well received." Even if the formal summing up won't occur until the 26-week stand has been completed in January, O'Brien adds a further clue to the probable outcome by noting that so far "television has worked out beautifully" and that "we're very happy with our card sales out there." ♦ 50 SPONSOR