Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1964)

COMlVfERCIAI CRITIQUE Commercial mysticiue By Hooper White Creative Production Manager Leo Burnett Co., Chicago ■ "Forty million people will see that commercial, so it better be better than good — it's got to be great!" Bad grammar only emphasizes the almost paralyzing concern when the predicted audience is equated with the selling idea. How large is a commercial audience of 40 million? Do the viewers know there are 40 million of them? If they did what effect would it have on their buying habits? All of this irrelevancy is a part of the commercial mystique, which says that a national commercial must be a million times better than a local commercial, because that's the audience ratio. The audience in front of that magic window has one pair of eyes and ears per customer. Most magic windows have only two or three customers. So how big is the audience? No matter how many millions of magic windows are lit with your commercial, you are a remnant of a dying race — the personal salesman. Let's consider a few things a good personal salesman used to do in order to sell. 1. He didn't dare insult his customer, or the customer would walk out never to return (and to urge his friends to do likewise). 2. If he demonstrated his product, he had to do it believably because the customer could ask questions which required answers. 3. He had to hold your interest. He didn't dare be tedious or boring. 4. His approach was directly to you, not to Yankee Stadium. His tone was personal without being patronizing — helpful rather than threatening. 5. His contact was eye to eye — November 2, 1964 his personality impact was man lo man. You could add many other attributes of a good personal salesman to that list. I submit that most of those attributes are applied to successful television advertising. The only barrier which separates our message from the one, two, three or four customers is a oneway mirror called a television set. The customer sees us, but we can't see the customer. It might help if we could. Maybe we couldn't use the tone of voice we do sometimes. Maybe we'd be more sure we believed what we were saying, rather than thinking, "I'm afraid it's not the best I can do, but maybe they'll be convinced anyway." We wouldn't dare if that mirror were reversed — or removed. Sure it's mass media, but it also represents one of the most intimate human experiences for the folks on the other side of that one-way mirror. Much of their lives is lived in that magic mirror. Since the advent of television, those millions are better informed, better entertained and, too often, completely bored by what pours out through the glass tube. Look at it this way: What are the things we wouldn't say and do faceto-face that we now say and do in our commercials? First, we would not shout. Second, we'd probably say things more simply. Third, we'd probably change our approach automatically if face-toface attention wandered. We wouldn't be boring if we could help it. Fourth, we would use our most persuasive, honest, direct and dramatic arguments to make our point. We'd like to be believed because we'd like to be back. We might, for instance, ask a question like: "Did you ever wonder how the man who drives the HOOPER WHITE, currently creative production manager for the Leo Burnett Co. in Chicago, brings an abundance of agency and broadcast experience to his analysis of what makes a television commercial tick. He began his career as a writerproducer-director for WBBM-AM-TV In Chicago. After an eight year stint at the CBS outlet, he moved to the Earle Ludgin Agency as a commercial producer. After serving in the same capacity for J. Walter Thompson, Leo Burnett's New York office beckoned. Several years and a promotion later he was transferred to Chicago in his present position. snowplow gets to the snowplow?" Then we'd show them, simply. I'H bet that sells Volkswagens. We might, for instance, show a father trying to instruct his twoyear-old daughter how to hold her spoon at the breakfast table. Warmly, honestly. I'll bet that sells Kellogg's Corn Flakes. We might, for instance, show a mother taking home movies of her baby's first steps — then show the mother looking at those movies years later, with the copy line: "My baby is mine once more." I'll bet that sells a memory device called Kodak. What about this commercial mystique which concerns itself with an audience in the millions? Is the selling power of a commercial in some direct ratio to the number of people watching it? Yes, only if it's based on a person-to-person idea. The answer must be no if it's written to a 40 million customer audience to begin with. Sheer selling suicide. And at these prices? ♦ «i