Sponsor (Nov 1946-Oct 1947)

siiii:. Print, l*osi . . . I hr i heme i 'ha iijjei h \oi The words and accent vary, but the survey indicates that the copy slant remains constant in this ever changing ad-world Tin difference is microscopic. The words that are aired and the phrases that come in life through printer's ink all come from tin same edition ol Webster's International in the offices ol the advertising agencies. I in ad-appeal that's sung with minor variations, is identical with the invitation to buy which rolls off high-speed pressi s. Maybe the superlatives sound different when Ben Orauer puts his business-like mikeing to work but the intent differs not a hairline from the same words set in art in the Saturday Evening Posl. And a recent survey underlines the fact that agencies play the same theme in all media. A typical mid-season fortnight of broadcasting was chosen foi the comparison test (January 6th to 20th). Commercial for commercial, the copy was matched against that appearing in national publications. Network and national spot copy was matched with advertising appearing in the Saturday Evening Post (January 26th), Collier's (February 2nd), Life (January 21st), Time (January 21st . Anurican Magazint (February), and Woman's Home Companion (February). Air commercials were selected for the survey from each day of the week, except Saturday. Fifteen sponsors using radio and magazines showed practically no difference in their copy. Ten out of the 15 used exactly the same superlatives Camel's slant in the magazines headlined "More Doctors Smoke Camels," and stressed "costlier tobaccos." On the Abbott and Costello broadcast (January 10th) the medicos' implied endorsement was punched far less than it was in print. The way it came out of the loudspeakers was: "Doctors, too, appreciate the rich full flavor of Camels." Abbott and Costello also gave fullsome praise to Camel's "costlier tobaccos." Chesterfield's printed ad-selling stressed its current A B C copy slant (Always milder. Better tasting, Cooler smoking and thej used the same bid for patronage on local disk-spinning sessions throughout tin nation as well as on the Supper Club network airings The supplementary invitation to buy body copy i also established the same note, "the right combination of the world' besl tobaccos, properly acid " While tlie survej indicated that air copsshowed verj little inventiveness, it also proved, as far as a pilot stud) can prove anything, that broadcast advertising, ii it ened at all, erred on the side of modify ing all-inclusive product claims. Firestone's magazine claim of "Always the leader in Extra Quality and Extra values . . . the only tires made that are safety and mileage proven on the speedway for your protection on the highway" was cut down, on the Voice of Firestone, to simply "extra quality," "extra value," "utmost safety in service." Sal Hepatica's printed "gentle, speedy" became on Mr. D. A. —"see how much faster you feel better when you drink a sparkling glass of speedy Sal Hepatica." That's not a great change but the "claims" are shaded despite the handling by the program's smooth announcer. The anti-commercial clique will find little solace in the Oxydol's air advertising when they contrast it with its far-reaching claims which run in magazines. The soap's printed appeal states that it produces the "whitest wash ever. Oxydol is far ahead of other type soaps in preventing 'dirty grayness." On the air. Ma Perkins carries the wordage, "a wash so clean it's white without bleaching." Continuity clearance departments at stations and networks watch carefully, and while in print Philip Morris is "America's Finest Cigarette," on the air that all inclusive "finest" is hedged with "popular price," BO that the announcer tells the world. or at least that part of k that's tuned in. that Philip Morris is ••America's Finest I opular Price Cigarette." While that Covers a great deal oi ground it's nothing like Philip Morris' claims in its magazine copy. Sixteen advertisers who are not using the air had their copy checked in the survey to uncover whether their use of superlative s was just as colorful as that of those who used both air time and Space. General opinion was that, without the restraining influence of that "clearance" department, the adjectives had the tendency to run a little wilder. Packard became "America's Number One Glamour Car." Simmons' Beautyrest is proclaimed "The World's Must Comfortable Mattress." Fleischman's Gin flourished itself as "making America's most delicious Martinis" while Park and Tilford was "the finest tasting whiskey of its type in America." Adjectively speaking, national network ad-copy as well as national spot-air copy was checked as being more restrained than its type sister. However, inventiveness was indicated at the same time as being just as good as the copy used on newsprint and in "slick" magazines ... no better. Typical of what's "off base." according to the men who know most about advertising copy at the networks and stations, is that "original copy" slants are seldom produced with the air in mind. Typically, they point to the reaction of the copy writer at a leading Four A agency, who. when asked if he wanted to see how the producer, who had sold a show to his agency, had integrated advertising into the program, stated. "You write the program, I'll write the advertising." "Yes. who is il?" 30 SPONSOR