U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

LOCAL AD STORIES (Cont'd from p. 40) Hotel — The Hold Blackstone more than six months ago agieed to a test fm campaign on KQAL (FM) Omaha. It purchased 2 one-minute spot announcements a day for one month, a total of 60 spots. In one week, -150 applications for credit cards had been received. After this mail pull trial, the account switched to straight commercials. William Palmer, account executive on the Hotel Blackstone account at Bozcll &: Jacobs Inc., declares that because the hotel's managing director, Edward Schimmel, had doubts about fm's drawing power, special write-in copy was prepared. "Within the first two or three days," he continues, "several hundred applications for credit cards were sent to Mr. Schimmel. . . . Within a week, the Hotel Blackstone had more credit card applications than could be promptlv handled. Therefore, the KQAL copy was changed to promote other services. . . . The hotel has advertised continuously on the station since that time." Airline — Japan Airlines ran two commercials per week in its five 1hoin programs on KCBH (FM) Beverly Hills, Calif., offering a travel book for $1. The station states that on the basis of the results, Japan Airlines has signed a 52-week contract for its next fiscal year. KCBH says the new schedule will give it 78 percent of the airline's total Los -Angeles advertising biulget. Hosiery Sales — In a move to stimlUaic sales, Batterson's Department Store decided to try a special offer during its participating announcement on the 7 a.m. news over KAVPC-FM Muscatine, la. The store offered a free pair of hosiery with the first 200 pair sold. The station reports that the initial 200 sales were made the first day of the offer. Shoe Store — Two local Florsheim shoe stores in the area of Bakersfield, Calif., decided to test the effectiveness of fm by running commercials on KQXR (FM) promoting specific items. -After the results of the test, the district manager was convinced to the point that the station declares it was added to the annual advertising budget for four announcements per day. This has been running for almost two years and the store clerks report they are continually making sales to KQXR customers. Car Radios — A local distributor of the Blaupunkt am-fm car radio was able to trace reaction to a promotion on WMZK (F.M) Detroit. The dealer told the station: " I wish to offer my sincere congratulations on the tremendous results we have received from your promotion of Blaupunkt am-fm car radios. Within a few short weeks, we ha\e seen some 500 inquiries. This certainly indicates that the fm listener is also interested in fm in his car as well as in his home." Pianos and Organs — Ihe ^V'ilmington Piano Co. extensively promoted a three-day warehouse sale on all available radio stations in the area. Here's what the company had to say in commenting on the promotion in a letter to W JBR (F.\r) Wilmington, Del.: "(Our) sales personnel were instructed to record the source of the customer's knowledge of the sale. We are indeed happy to report that your station not only exceeded our expectations, but out-performed all of the area stations. It is also to be noted that the customers brought in through WJBR advertising were from the most far distant points and of such caliber that the percentage of closures was greater." Hi-Fi Equipment — A local dealer, EMCO High Fidelity, has found that its store traffic has increased between 15 and 20 percent since beginning a I4-spot per week schedule on WMAL-FM W^ishington, D. C, almost two years ago. The station states that the dealer has been on without interruption during this time and that it plans to increase the schedule. Cars — Bol) Wliiic, sales manager of Nelson Chevrolet Co., Chicago, does his own spots on WCLM (F.M) Chicago. He says that "because of this I probably have a better opportunity than most advertisers to know where our business comes from." Mr. White declares that with his spots on WCLM, "we sell at least three to five automobiles a week. ... I think fm audiences are the type we need to contact. They are adult audiences . . . people with a capacity and ability to buy." In his personal fm spots, Mr. White gets a chance to talk with listeners on the program and often tries to set up appointments in the showroom. Music and Hi Fi — \ local advertiser, Dans Music & Hi Fi Center, used a 17-week schedule of spots on ^VRBL-FM Columbus, Ga., promoting items advertised only on the station. The store reported good results with the campaign, with business coming in from as far away as Ozark, Ala. (78 air miles away), from where the store never before had customers. Department Store — Agreeing to test the medium lor a special sale, a local Sears 8c Roebuck store ran a notice over WSOM Salem, O. This v.as its only advertising for the event which took place on a rainy night at 7 p.m. when other stores in the downtown area were closed. The station reports that over 200 people were standing in the rain waiting for the store to open and that customers came in from towns 40 miles away during the course of the evening. Records — In cooperation with the Columl)ia Record Distributing Corp. of Philadelphia, WFIL-FM offered a free copy of the Bruno Walter rehearsal recording of nine Beethoven symphonies. The first announcement was made between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. and in the first mail the following morning, reports the station, 135 requests were received. In order to qualify, letters had to be postmarked no later than 1 1 p.m. The total response to the first program was 375 pieces of mail, states WFIL-FM. 42 {Supplement p. 20) U. S. RADIO July 1960