U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

"The market is a fast cliaiiging one. As soon as new data or research material is compiled, it is out ot date. The popidation is shitting. The whole way of life is changing tor the Negro. They have more leisiue time and more money. The best way we have toinid to <lctermine what the Negro market is really doing is to talk to the j)Cople in it. And that's why we use radio to talk to them all the time." The progranuning format used by Pet Milk was developed by the firm and the Gardner agency about three years ago. It is built around a 30minute transcribed featine that is broadcast Ijetween 10 a.m. and noon every Sunday. "In the more than a decade that Pet Milk has been using Negro radio," Mr. Hotze says, "spot announcements and 15-minute strips have been employed at various times. The decision to return to programming was made in order to help provide and control the environment that Pet felt necessary to most effectively promote and merchandise the product on a national basis." .\mplifying this statement, Mr. Morris states, "We believe in bringing the audience to the show, as well as the show to the audience. This is why we developed a gospel singing format on Simday morning. W^e like to get our program and its commercials in a block programmed segment because we find this brings more response, as well as receptivity. Negro stations today carry a great many commercials. By developing our own program, we are able to get greater separation and product identification." Program Features "The radio program," Mr. Vanase adds, "which is called Sunday Morning, Ijlends all of the featiues for which Pet is looking. These are quiet and dignity, with an atmosphere to which the audience is receptive. Within the framework of this atmosphere, we integrate our sales message with the progiam. In this manner, we have found it more effective to develop a commercial that is easy to listen to and has a high degree of ijelievability and acceptability." The entertainment aspect of the weekly program is primarily built around gospel music. However, modified jazz is also included "be WINNER of the Pet Millt gospel singing contest, Sadie Louise Reed (c), is seen with (I. to r.) Ray Morris, the firm's product advertising manager on evaporated millt; Miss Reed's accompanist, and Earl Hotze, Gardner Advertising account executive on evaporated milk. Miss Reed's prizes included, among others, a professional recording contract. GOSPEL singing competition was tested on KCOH Houston. Station reports that the promotion drew 15,000 pieces of mail, and 4,000 people turned out for the contest. cause jazz and gospel are basic parts of the Negro culture," Mr. Vanasse says. "It is part of the Negro's way of life, just as country music is to the southern or rural white." Pet likes to use four commercials in the half-hour format, Mr. Morris explains. But the program is so designed that three minutes are left open at the close of each show for the local use of churches in that particidar market's Negro community. Mr. Morris points out that "this welds us e\'en closer to local people and their interest." A popular Negro personality, Sid McCoy, a disc jockey in the Chicago U. S. RADIO November 1960 area, produces the Siniday Morning program for Pet Milk through the facilities of his own production firm. Mr. McCoy is also used to deliver the commercial messages. Mr. Morris says that the Negro personality "is used to talk directly to members of his own race. In preparing the commercials for the programs, we use regular copy and make no copy alterations because of this minority market." Various themes are used for commercials, with some of them employing an emotional appeal, and others taking the form of hints to the house\\ife. Here is an example of (Supplement p. 21) 37