Sponsor (Nov 1946-Oct 1947)

Mr. Sponsor Asks... "Should an advertiser have a radio advertising manager of his own? ** .... Radio Director Don Paul Nathanson The Toni Company, St. Paul, Minn. The l»iek*»il I'sinel answers Mr. \alliaiison A man who J& ^^ knows radio thor ^^^^ V oughly, and is a member of the J 4f^ ^* sponsor's organi zation, is a distinct help in the ^_ promoting of that ^V advertiser's pro j/k ,. grams. He doesn't need to be a man who is assigned 100 per cent to handling the radio side of a campaign, as long as he is fully cognizant of the possibilities and characteristics of the broadcast medium. Networks, stations and agencies do everything possible to make a radio program effective. However, the job of turning commercial continuity into maxi' mum sales rests upon the sales, salespromotion, and advertising divisions of the advertiser. Ideal cases of how radio-minded advertising departments of sponsors deliver sales, to mention only two, are the S. C. Johnson Company and Rexall Drugs, both of whom use their radio programs in every facet of their selling. There are several others. It is virtually impossible for a network or a station to do a complete job of point-of-sale promotion. That is a vital part of the operations of the advertiser's own pi i inn a ion department. When a sponsor has someone whose every concern is to make broadcasting work for him, the results are almost certain to be better than when the job is handled by someone whose responsibilities also in 32 elude the promotion of all the various media used by his organization. Audience promotion is an important part T)f the operations of NBC's Advertising and Promotion Departmer.c. However, there is no doubt but that the effectiveness of these network activities is greatly increased when there is someone in the sponsor's organization who knows how to exploit radio consistently. No, it is not essential that an advertiser have a policy executive who devotes all of his time to handling broadcast advertising — but it does help. What is essential is that the sponsor have a man who knows how to use radio — how to work with his agency and network (or stations) to make radio a vital factor in his daily promotion and sales operations. Roy Porteous Audience Pro>notion Manager NBC, New York Since radio has emerged from the mumbo-jumbo of mystery that was the rule in the days of "blue sky" selling, and has become a respected, fullfledged advertising medium, it is natural that the man who pays the bills should wish to exercise the same supervision over radio that he does over other important media. It also follows that he will wish to get the most expert advice obtainable. Personally, I feel that the more attention radio can get in the "executive echelons" of the client's organization, the better it is for radio. Also, the advantage of having an experienced radio man in the client's own organization to interpret radio to the client in terms of his own problem helps the networks . the agencies . . . and the entire industry. I would therefore say, in answer to your question, "Yes, a client should have his own radio advertising director if at all practical." Warren Jennings Eastern Sales Manager Crosley Broadcasting Corp. New York The answer to your question depends largely on the advertiser since problems in advertising increase manyfold as radio expenditures increase. The advertising agency functions smoothly for average advertiser, but when an agency spends $2,000,000 or more for a client in radio it would seem advisable, from the advertiser's standpoint, to have a radio specialist to assist the advertising manager in the interpretation of the advertiser's problems to the agency. Many large advertisers have found a radio director particularly effective in the stimulation of promotion, and in tying in the merchandising of radio programs with dealers, jobbers, and their salesmen. Radio directors prove extremely effective for adveitisers in achieving better talent relations. A radio director is the connecting link between the sponsor and the performer, and brings greater understanding between them The advertising manager should by all means be the "officer-in-charge," but the radio specialist is more than an advisor. It would be unreasonable to expect an advertising manager to have accumulated the experience that a good radio specialist has. Many of our present suc SPONSOR