Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1964)

PROBING THE CURRENTS AND UNDERCURRENTS OF BROADCAST ADVERTISING ABC-TV's $25 million regional pot Sellers of tv spot may not be fully aware of a competitive set-up at ABC-TV that's burgeoning into big business: the section specializing in regional hook-ups. Looking at the current season, the section has already gathered about $20 million in regional sales. The outlook before the season is over: at least another $5 million. Some of the dimensions of this ABC-TV operation: (1) 40 advertisers have already been committed to regional buys, and the anticipation is that the total will be up to 60 by the summer of 1965, (2) the sales are preponderantly in nighttime and these are spread over 25 to 30 program series, (3) other programing types on which the network's regional buyers place their chips are sports, news and specials, (4) the roster of regional users include such important national tv advertisers as P&G, General Foods, Bristol-Myers, General Mills, Miles, Chesebrough-Pond's, U.S. Tire, Pharmacraft, Pabst, Armour. In the past the networks, including ABC-TV, have been rather leery about concentrating in any fashion on regional sales. A notable restraining factor: fear of stirring up recriminations among affiliates — to the effect that the networks were overtly competing with them for spot business. ABC-TV seems convinced that, if a concerted effort were made to go after regional business, the revenue for the networks could tally over the $50 million mark. Expect same pro quid as B-M Tip to tv stations that have entered into bulk spot deals with Bristol-Myers: they'll be hearing from Benton & Bowles and Ted Bates. B&B will be speaking for P&G and General Foods, and Bates for American Home Products. The message the agencies will convey: it is expected that the same extra discount extended to BristolMyers will be available for all advertisers whose annual expenditures are comparable to BristolMyers'. The B-M deals, in essence, "guarantee" a specific expenditure over 52 weeks in quarterly segments, with the station, in turn, granting a 20 percent discount off the end rate. So far Bristol-Myers agencies have closed such deals in New York, Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles. Both B&B and Bates have no qualms about the B-M aligned stations in these and future markets being amenable to the request. Ted Shaker, head of ABC-TV's o&o stations, had previously told Sponsor Scope that his stations' arrangement with Bristol-Myers would automatically become part of the ratecard. Springtime spot radio for Gurlain Seems that Gurlain Perfumes (Gilbert) is turning into a gift-type account with ideas of using spot radio other than just before Christmas. Gurlain's due back in the spring with substantial schedules in 25 markets. Another toiletries company, Mennen (Grey), is buying 36-week schedules in the top 10 markets. More feelers on prime 30s Another station feeler on advertiser interest in 30-second spots in prime chainbreaks has come up. The sounding out in this instance was from KNXT Los Angeles. Ray Beindorf, the station's sales manager, did it in calls on several agencies heavy in spot tv accounts. Beindorf explained that it was being offered as a "new vehicle" and that it was intended to set up a specific rate for 30s, if enough interest became manifest. A couple stations in the Midwest have put a different variation on their feelers, namely, would the advertisers go for 30s, if they could get them at the 20-second rate on a more or less preemptible basis. NBC-TV poses query on Alka-Seltzer NBC-TV has a "little discussion" going on with the Jack Tinker agency about the copy in the latest Alka-Seltzer commercial. The network wants more laboratory support for statements about (1) the product's speed to the blood and (2) the relative effectiveness of Alka-Seltzer vs. other analgesics. Both CBS-TV and ABC-TV, Sponsor Scope learned upon inquiry, have accepted all the Alka-Seltzer commercials out of the Tinker shop to date. A statement in the Alka-Seltzer commercials that has caused some eye-brow raising in Madison Avenue circles: "If it weren't so [referring to the preceding claims], it wouldn't be on television." Sundry copywriters 26 SPONSOR