U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

radio research Kinco Radio Monitors Keep Track of Competition One way to learn what your competition is doing is to find out how they are advertising. What new claims are they making for their product? How has their copy approach changed? Clients of Kinco Recordings, Elmhvust, N.Y., a division of Thunderbird Enterprises, Inc., can noAV keep up-to-date on their competitors' radio commercials through the firm's month-okl national radio monitoring service. "There is no reason why any firm should not know exactly what its competition is up to," says Helmut Schaefer, 30-year-old president of Kinco. "With competition as great as it is today, companies cannot afford not to know exactly what is happening in their field. And with the availabilitv of monitoring services, this is a practical and efficient undertaking. On National Basis "We are now equipped to offer a monitoring system on a national basis. Working through about 125 local firms, we expect to cover 200 areas across the country with the radio service. This will include monthly coverage of competitive accounts on a continuing basis throughout the year." Mr. Schaefer points out that the sound service is actually an extension of Kinco's television monitoring system. It came from a recognition of the need for national radio coverage on the same basis as that available for video. "Millions of dollars are invested in the sound medium every year. The medium is certainly big enough, and of enough import to advertisers, to require monitoring on a national basis." As an example of ^vhat Kinco is doing, Mr. Schaefer cites a comprehensive cross-country check of tea -A^ spots now underway. "Our client is one of the large tea companies. Through outlets across the country, we are able to monitor all the national competitors of the tea firm, in addition to some regional tea brands. "Our agents tape the commercials, which are then gathered and sent to our clients and their agencies. Any time a competitor makes a change in his copy line the client ^\•ill immediately be aware of it. One of the uses to whicli such information can be put, he says, "is to test copy. In that case, the tapes would go to the research department of the agency ivhich would then determine what claims the competitive brands are making. By running tests on a sample group of consumers, using both the company's and its competitor's claims, it can be determined ^\'hich claims are most effective." The Kinco company has now been in operation for almost three years. There are three types of products that seem to make tlie most extensive use of monitoring services, according to Mr. Schaefer. Drug and food companies are the most interested in monitoring, with the automobile indutry third on the list. They are all products dominated by national giants. "Monitoring, however, is not restricted to large firms," says Mr. Schaefer. "Small firms, too, can keep abreast of developments in their competitors' advertising. When a small company is just getting its product underway, it can learn how anyone else selling the same kind of product handles the advertising. And since that one product is probably more important to the small company than any one product is to the giant corporations, the small firm has certainly as much reason to be aware of what is happening among competing brands." • • • One of New York's most desirable locations MADISON AVENUE AT 52nd STREET A Bigger and Better HOTEL Just steps from anywhere . . . now with 500 individually decorated rooms and suites — and completely air conditioned. The magnificent new Barberry 17 E. 52 St. Your rendezvous for dining deliberately and well . . . open every day of the week for luncheon, cocktails, dinner, supper. U. S. RADIO July 1960 57