U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

Farm men of WIBW Topelta, Kans. — Wilbur Levering (I.), farm director, and Charles Ross, associate farm director — get first-hand local report. Jimmy Dunaway (I.), farm director, WSB Atlanta, covers the presentation of the winning awards in the Georgia Hybrid Corn Growing program. As part of its farm service activity, KMA Shenandoah, la., promotes discussion groups and panel sessions on farm problems. It contributes the air time, the farm service department and this 700-seat auditorium. George Stephens (I.), farm director, KCMO Kansas City, Mo., chats with representatives of the Burns-Skiller Cattle Co. at the city's stockyards; KCMO's farm department, located in the nearby livestock exchange building, puts the station near the hub of the area's activity. Farm Radio Advertiser Case IHistories EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES International Harvester — Three IH implement dealers in the area of KMA Shenandoah, la., pooled their advertising money last September and October to sponsor five weeks of the 7 a.m. news three days a week. The 15-minute program put emphasis on the 34-HM-20 corn picker, selling for $1,295. At first, IH area salesman. Jack Niles, estimated that at least 40 pickers were sold. This led Cecil Hamilton, KMA sales manager, to make a spot check of eight IH dealers in the primary area. He found they had sold 127 new pickers (plus 148 used pickers) with a large percentage of the buyers mentioning the radio advertising. KMA conservatively estimates that this traffic represents over $250,000 in sales from these dealers in the primary area, not counting the many other dealers in the coverage pattern. Total cost to the sponsoring dealers was $780. In its own advertising, IH sponsors a five-minute segment of the KMA morning farm show five days a week between 6:45 and 6:50 a.m. throughout the year. International Harvester — A local IH dealer bought a three-week schedule of minutes on WIBW Topeka, Kan., at 5:59 a.m. for its "Charlie Ross Special," named for the station's associate farm director who did the spots. More than 18 announcements were used during the three weeks. WIB^V reports that the dealer sold 16 pieces of used farm machinery, three to farmers living more than 75 miles away. Total budget was $150, placed direct. Homelite, a Division of Textron Inc. — Homelite Chain Saws were first heard on WSB Atlanta in fall 1958. A campaign of five 1-minute early morning announcements for eight weeks was used to introduce the Zip chain saw. The pattern of the campaign was two weeks in, one week out, two weeks in, spread from September through November. Gene McClellan, Homelite district sales manager, reports that the results of the drive were successful to the point that radio was selected again to introduce the 1959 model, the Wiz. The length and pattern of the second campaign was identical with the first, except for the time of the year (March through May). This CASE HISTORIES (CONT'D ON P. 58) U. S. RADIO Fcbruarv 1960 27