American television directory (1946)

ADVERTISING AGENCIES Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc., 26 Broad¬ way, New York 4. Distributor of Mobiloil. In cooperation with Procter & Gamble, Socony-Vacuum sponsored a program seen first over WRGB, then over WARD. (See Compton Advertising under Agencies.) The Spool Cotton Co.. 745 Fifth Ave., New York. Winners of a sewing contest sponsored by Spool Cotton appeared on WARD in June 1944. Agency: Tom Fizdale. Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, 26 Broadway, New York 4. Distributor of Esso Extra and Esso Motor Oil. R. M. Gray, manager of advertising and sales promotion department, heads television activities. In 19.39, company sponsored a 15-minute weekly news program on WNBT, produced by McCann-Erickson agency. “Your Esso Reporter” combined live talent and film, was on the air for ten weeks. It was the first commercial series prepared exclusively for televi¬ sion. In June 1945, Esso Marketeers sponsored films of General Eisenhower’s welcome in Washington and New York, and of other important events. These films were presented over WNBT and relayed to WPTZ and WRGB. Esso also sponsored films of New York’s Navy Day ceremonies in October 1945. An in¬ creased use of television advertising is contemplated. Agency: Marschalk & Pratt. Arpad Stern, 689 Fifth Ave., New York. Arpad Stern accessories have been fea¬ tured on fashion shows produced by Young & Rubicam and by Glorianne Lehr over WABD. Street & Smith Publications, Inc., 122 E. 42nd St., New York. Frances Hughes, special projects editor, and Geri Trotta, copy editor, are collaborators in charge of television. In December 1943, Glori¬ anne Lehr produced a program over WABD based on Mademoiselle fashion hints. In March 1944, Mademoiselle pre¬ sented “What’s New”, also over WABD, as an experiment in dramatizing edi¬ torial and advertising copy. The maga¬ zine gave a series of monthly programs over WCBW, beginning in November 1944. Titled “Women in Wartime”, these dramatizations were planned as a public service to help direct womanpower into the channels where needs were urgent and to show young women how to lead useful and happy lives in wartime. New shows are planned for WCBW presentation. Sun Oil Co., 1608 Walnut, Philadelphia, Pa. (See WNBT under Stations.) Swift & Co., Union Stock Yards, Chi¬ cago, Ill. Sponsored a program in con¬ nection with the Seventh War Loan. ( See American Broadcasting Co. under Producers and J. Walter Thompson under Agencies.) Felix Tausend & Sons, 114 Franklin St., New York. Maker of Cel-O-Sheen table cloths. (See Norman I). Waters under Agencies.) Textron, Inc., 350 Fifth Ave., New York 1. Fabrics. (See J. Walter Thompson under Agencies.) United States Rubber Co., 1230 Sixth Ave., New York 20. Charles J. Durban, assistant director of advertising, is in charge of television operation. John Hewlett is television producer. In 1941, the company presented one program. On May 6, 1945, it began a weekly series over WABD which continued into the autumn. These 30-minute programs, titled “Magazine of the Air”, combined film with live talent to promote the idea of “serving through science”. Keds, a U.S. Rubber product, recently sponsored Lou Little, Columbia University foot¬ ball coach, as the “Television Quarter¬ back” in a weekly talk over WNBT. Agency : Campbell-Ewald, Inc. The U. S. Time Corp., 31 Cherry Ave., Waterbury 91, Conn. Maker of Ingersoll watches. Sponsored time signals over WRGB. (See Compton Advertisingunder Agencies.) Waift & Bond, Inc., 310 Sherman Ave., Newark, N. J. Maker of Blackstone cigars. (See Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn under Agencies and WRGB under Stations.) Waltham Watch Co., Crescent St., Wal¬ tham, Mass. Presented time signals over WABD on V-E Day program. (See American Broadcasting Co. under Pro¬ ducers, Waltham recently started a series of spot film commercials on WNBT. Agency: N. W. Ayer & Son. Weinreich Bros. Co., 383 Fifth Ave., New York. Maker of Marvella pearls. (See Abbott Kimball under Agencies.) Wildroot Co., Inc., 1490 Jefferson Ave., Buffalo 8, N. Y. Maker of Wildroot hair oil. (See Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn under Agencies and WRGB under Stations.) ADVERTISING AGENCIES Anderson, Davis & Platte, Inc., 50 Rocke¬ feller Plaza, New York. CO 5-4868. Karl Knipe, assistant to the president, heads television activities. Agency started in television on September 13, 1944, over WABD. For Alexander Smith & Sons Carpet Co., agency has presented a score of 30-minute bi-weekly travelog programs titled “The Magic Carpet,” which combine live talent with travel film. Producer: Bud Gamble. Agency plans further experiments with present show as well as new shows for other clients. Plans a series of daily noon hour shows for John Wanamaker at WABD. Anfenger Advertising Agency, 1706 Olive St., St. Louis, Mo. CH 6380. (See Dan B. Miner Co., under Agencies.) Atherton & Currier, Inc., 420 Lexington Ave., New York. MO 4-8795. Joseph Molnar, radio director, heads television. Agency believes television feasible and plans to enter the field with spot adver¬ tising for its clients. N. W. Ayer & Son, Inc., West Washington Square, Philadelphia 6, Pa. Television is handled at New York office: 30 Rocke¬ feller Plaza. Cl 6-0200. Don McClure, director of television. Agency com¬ menced television activity in September 1940 by presenting the first commer¬ cially sponsored football telecast, in cooperation with its client, Atlantic Refining Co. and with Philco Corp. Game was picked up from Franklin Field, University of Pennsylvania, Phil¬ adelphia. Presented first night football telecast, September 1941, Temple Uni¬ versity vs. University of Kansas. Also first sponsored network football game, September 1944, over WPTZ (Phila¬ delphia), WNBT (New York), and WRGB (Schenectady). Game was Uni¬ versity of Pennsylvania vs. Duke. In behalf of Atlantic, Ayer used commer¬ cials (both live talent and film) vary¬ ing from 45 seconds to 5 minutes, de¬ pending on where employed during game. Ayer has telecast about 40 pro¬ grams. Presented time breaks for Wal¬ tham Watch Co., on V-E Day show at WABD in cooperation with American Broadcasting Co. Agency plans to try everything. Believes rules can’t be made; that each product presents new problems. Baldwin, Bowers & Strachan, Inc., 370 Delaware Ave., Buffalo 2, N. Y. Wash¬ ington 6854. Everett L. Bowers, vicepresident, heads television activity. Jack F. Higgins, radio director, is television producer. Agency presented a 15-minute program over WABD April 17, 1945, for Maritime Milling Co., in behalf of Hunt Club dog feed. Plans to continue testing possibilities of the medium. Ted Bates, Inc., 630 Fifth Ave., New York. Cl 6-9700. William Stuhler, radio director, and Jay Clark, radio executive, handle television. Agency is interested in this new medium and is studying its possibilities. Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, Inc., 383 Madison Ave., New York. EL 5-5800. Frederick A. Long is in charge of tele¬ vision activities. Chet Kulesza is techni¬ cal supervisor of art and production, television department. BBD&O, early in 1943, began experimentation with many types of programs and commer¬ cials. Presented live talent and film programs on WRGB, WNBT and WABD. Agency’s television clients in¬ clude: General Electric Co., B. F. Goodrich Rubber Co., E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Easy Washer Co., Remington Arms Co., Hamilton Watch, William Carter Co., Wildroot Co., Liberty Mutual Life Insurance Co., Reader's Digest, Waitt & Bond, Inc., and Nehi Corp. BBD&O expects to con¬ tinue intensive study of the medium as an advertising tool of the future and, whenever logical, to apply its findings for the benefit of its clients. Benton & Bowles, 444 Madison Ave., New York. WI 2-0400. Herb J. Leder, director of television. Agency presented a program for General Foods on WABD in October 1944. Plans to experiment in various phases of production. Bermingham, Castleman and Pierce, Inc., 136 E. 38th St., New York. LE 2-7550. Agency plans to enter field but has no definite schedule. The Biow Co., Inc., 9 Rockefeller Plaza, New York. Cl 6-9300. Harry Spears directs television activities. Agency handles Bulova time signals, first pre¬ sented on NBC in 1941. Plans to con¬ tinue in television, possibly producing 5, 15 or 30-minute programs for Bulova and later for other sponsors. 101