Broadcasting (Oct 1931-Dec 1932)

Applying Broadcasting to Retail Advertising By I. A. HIRSCHMANN* Publicity Director, Lord & Taylor, New York Radio Warned to Rid Art of Cheap Talent, Dull Sale Talks; Sponsors Rather Than Stations Held Chiefly to Blame THIS ADVERTISING MAN who has had considerable experience with radio, points out that it is the sponsor rather than the broadcaster who is responsible for poor programs or tiresome sales talks and that he loses thereby much of his potential audience, always ready to flick a dial. As for newspapers, he observes, they are wasting their tears and their efforts when they fight radio. He holds that each has its place as a medium. I. A. Hirschmann j PEOPLE continuously say to me, "You have had some experience i with radio and radio advertising. Why is so much of radio bad?" | And then they go on to explain that entertainment to them does . not consist in helping Kate Smith get her moon over the mountain, | and that jazz orchestras playing I the same tune hour after hour are I worse than the hurdy gurdy, for ! at least the hurdy gurdy is out; side the windows. They tell me I that dull phrases hammered into I the middle of dull programs are annoying, that many women's 1 voices irritate them. You have heard these complaints. Probably you have many of them, j I don't blame you, nor do the operators of the big stations blame you. Much of radio tends, like the moving picture, to shoot under its | audience, to rely on fan mail as ' the real test of a successful program. And you know as well as I that few people of really critical taste and sound opinion have time to write fan mail. The radio runs a good horse in too many races. One good crooner breeds a whole nauseating tribe of them. But you can always flick the dial. And there, frequently, you get amusement, you get information, and you don't have to listen to a song about snake oil or soap 1 suds. And there are millions like you, who in this time of depression must make use of the home and its leading entertainment, the radio. Your duty and my duty is to see that as advertisers we remember these criticisms we make as the 1 radio public and resist tendencies I to yammer about our products to | the sacrifice of good taste or to | waste our advertising money on II the crooner, the cheap vaudeville I artist with his antiquated wiseI cracks, or on any of the rest of | them which, God willing, the radio will soon shake off the air. Radio Can't Be Dismissed '| RADIO need not be blamed any i more than newsprint for the scorp! ions hatched beneath her benign wing. If the miracle of radio were not a reality, it is quite possible that we might be sitting around here scratching our heads wondering how to reach our customers in a personal way. Today every advertising man and woman can reach into the very home of the customer herself with an individual, personal appeal and occupy the attention of the woman of the home with a direct conversation, if he knows how to do it. We in the advertising business must admit that we are essentially wedded to the printed form of presentation. Our first medium was * Talk before National Retail Dry Goods Convention in New York, Feb. 4 ; broadeast by WOR, Newark. the newspaper. The new children of modern advertising — radio and its infant sister, television — are almost mysterious intruders to us advertisers just as aviation is to the railroad executive. This point of view must be corrected, and quickly. We cannot any more dismiss radio from our daily calculations than railroads can make light of aviation. It is here. Radio is an inseparable part of the habits of America. Radio is growing. Radio is the only industry I know of today that the depression has not hit. Radio is answering a real want. And it is our job to find out what people want — whether through reading or listening — and then to give it to them intelligently. Radio is a formidable advertising instrument, but how right is it for retail advertising ? The answer is that it is paying some retailers. It can be used to pay many more. And here is how. First, choose the right station. And pick a good one like WOR, for instance. No, I am not associated with it any more, but while I am on the subject, I cannot restrain the temptation to say a few words in praise of a store and a station which could have the courage to create one of the most powerful and valuable instruments that the country knows. Second, choose the right time. Surveys and experiences have proved that 9 a. m. is universally the best time for a direct selling program. It should not be more than 30 minutes long. Third, choose a dramatic type of program. You must set the stage. Create some interesting setting around which your character can build up her stories which can be visualized by the listener. Choose a human type of program. Build this personality around the store. Fourth, choose a consistent plan. Remember you have a vast instrument disseminating nothing but vibrations into the air. Your audience is only potential. The circulation is never guaranteed. People are very free to turn the dial. You must build an audience. You must collect them and hold them. Like anything of importance this cannot be done overnight and for that reason results cannot be expected over night. You don't expect it from a newspaper or a billboard. Don't be impatient with radio. Build Good Will First GIVE YOUR audience an opportunity to warm up to your broadcast before you spring merchandise tests on them. I should say that from three to six months should be spent building goodwill before an attempt is made to barrage your audience with merchandise. At Bamberger's where we introduced what was probably the first consistent retail selling advertising job over the radio, we set out to interest our audience in the personality and human appeal of our radio personality. Her first job was to tie up her program with community activities. The program became warm and human. After six months, when we felt that the audience was responding to this approach, we offered merchandise one day and were stormed with orders. Now assuming that you choose a radio station, a human type of program, that you do have patience — may I plead with you above all to avoid exaggerated claims in your presentation. Newspaper advertising today in most department stores as well as on radio is frustrating its own purpose to a dangerous degree by extravagant claims. Never was overstatement more hazardous than at a time like this when people are zealously seeking quality. Overstatement in radio is sure death. Spoken by the human voice, it becomes obvious boasting and prattle. And no boomerang aims straighter than a poor program. Don't claim the earth and lose the confidence of your public. With sincerity you can catch their ear and reach their hearts. Let us take a sale of shirts. We have established a radio program and an audience and are using a good station. We are eager to sell men's shirts. We have 5,000 of them. The obvious way would be to boom the superior qualities of the shirts and price on the air again. There is another way and the right way, I believe, to stimulate interest, hold it, build confidence and sell the shirts. (The speakers are Katherine Tift Jones as Calliope, Mary Olds as the original Jean Lambert Dale, and Dick Osborne as Harry.) Calliope: Miss Jean! * * * Miss Jean! * * * Jean: What is it? Calliope: Miss Jean * * * I jes' started into the guest room to close the window * * * and Miss Jean * * * there's a man in there! Jean: (Laughs.) Calliope: Don't laugh, honey * * * I seed him wid my own eyes * * * Jean: Of course you did. I'm sorry * * * I forgot to tell you, Calliope. There is a man in the guest room * * * He'll be out here I expect in a few minutes * * * It's Mister Harry * * * Calliope: Mister Harry? * * * From Georgia? * * * Tain't so! Jean: Harry!! Are you awake? Harry: Sure I'm awake — and up and clothed and in my right mind, (coming nearer) Hello, Calliope * * * Calliope: Bless de Lawd * * * It is Marse Harry. Jean : Well, I'm glad you're clothed in your right mind * * * It may be clean and presentable. I can't say as much for that shirt * * * Harry: No'm * * * I reckon you're right, Cousin Jean. It was a good shirt once * * * but I made up my mind so suddenly to drive north * * * I didn't bring a dud with me * * * I bought a tooth brush on the way * * * Jean: Well, you'll certainly have to buy some shirts. Calliope: Mr. Harry * * * you take that shirt right off * * * Old Calliope will have that shirt washed and ironed in two shakes! Jean: That's a good idea. I'll lend you a flannel dressing gown for breakfast. Harry: That's fine, Calliope. They probably wouldn't let me in any decent store even to buy some new ones * * * but I will have to have some. Here you are, Calliope * * * Calliope: Yassuh. And hear you is * * * Miss Jean's red bathrobe. Ain't he hansum, Miss Jean? Harry: Go on with you, Calliope * * * you can't fool me * * * Cousin Jean's guest room has too good a mirror * * * Calliope: (Chuckles.) Harry: But I will have to have some new shirts * * * Jean: You're lucky, son * * * Remember those white broadcloth shirts I sent you last Christmas; Harry: Remember 'em? * * * I'll (Continued on page 26) March 1, 1932 • BROADCASTING Page 7