Broadcasting (July - Dec 1938)

YOUTH SHOWS ITS PREFERENCE For Programs and Products in Survey Made By the Magazine 'Young America' Radio Campaigns Lift Ice Industry Out of Doldrums Air Medium Works Like Magic In Booming Sales Levels COMEBACK of the ice industry since 1935 with the aid of annual advertising campaigns, using radio as the chief medium, is outlined by NBC in a brochure titled So They Never Come Back. According to documented statements of NBC, the campaigns inaugurated through National Ice Advertising Inc., formed after the 1935 convention of the National Assn. of Ice Industries, have jumped ice refrigerator and ice sales phenomenally in the last three years, bringing the industry out of the doldrums accompanying the spurt in mechanical refrigeration business, and setting it firmly on its feet, both from an economic and prestige standpoint. Back to the Wall Reviewing the history of the ice industry from colonial days, and pointing to its complacent attitude in the days before mechanical refrigerators appeared, NBC tells the story of the industry, with its back to the wall, uniting to supply clean, sanitary service and let the public know about it. After both ice and ice box sales plummeted in the early 1930's, ice box manufacturers came out with good looking, well-designed, air-conditioned ice refrigerators, using only 15 to 25 pounds of ice per day rather than 50 to 100, and ice companies improved their service, bought snappy modern trucks, put service men into uniforms, and trained them in courtesy, cleanliness, care and salesmanship. But with all this, ice tonnage sold in 1934 was still less than 1931, while ice refrigerator sales were only a fraction of what they had been "in the good old days". The industry's first campaign, in 1935-36, through Donahue & Coe, New York, used 652% station hours on an evening radio program over a 20-week period, designed primarily to rebuild morale and win prestige for ice refrigeration. This initial try, along with supplementary magazine advertising, helped increase ice sales in 1936 14%% over 1935, and ice refrigerator sales 38%. The following season, 1936-37, the "prestige" evening program was continued on NBC-Red for 368 station hours during 13 weeks. In addition, a hard-selling morning quarter-hour, The Homemakers' Exchange, featuring Eleanor Howe, home economist, was used for 32 weeks, and became a first rate merchandiser. In conjunction with the program, Homemakers' Exchange News, a four-page weekly publication, was sent upon request to listeners. The program itself featured prizes for household hints, housemaking ideas and recipes. Meantime, ice refrigerator sales for 1937 jumped to 47% above 1935 and 100% above 1933. The evening programs were discontinued during the third season, but The Homemakers' Exchange was maintained twice-weekly on 55 NBC-Red stations and became one of the leading women's programs on the air. Electrical transcriptions of 26 Homemakers' Exchange programs were also fur AMERICAN boys and girls prefer Gang Busters, Charlie McCarthy, Wheaties and Coca-Cola, according to a recent survey of juvenile readers by Young America magazine. Basing its conclusions on I, 259 questionnaires returned during the survey, the publication terms "typical" the indicated preferences in everything from food to entertainment. Favorite radio program of the survey group was Gang Busters, ranked first by 13.3%. Others include Chase & Sanborn Hour, II. 7% ; Lone Ranger, 10.6%; Lux Radio Theatre, 7.1% ; Jello (Jack Benny), 6.7% ; Camel (Eddie Cantor), 3.4%>; Maxwell House, 2.9%; One Man's Family, 2.4%; Ipana (Fred Allen), 2.1%; Dick Tracy, 2.1%; and 39 others, 37.7%. Top radio character with the juvenile readers was Charlie McCarthy, 19.3%; Eddie Cantor, 13.9%; Jack Benny, 12.9%; Fanny Brice, 4.1% ; Joe Penner, 3.9% ; Don Ameche, 3.4% ; Fred Allen, 3.1%; Bin? Crosby, 2.7%; Lone Ranger, 2.6%; Edward G. Robinson, 2.3%, and 29 others, 31.8%. Favorite Foods Among food and beverage products, many of which are advertised by radio, a choice was also listed. Favorite cold cereal was Wheaties, the choice of 26.8% : Rice Krispies, 9.2% : Quaker Puffed Rice, 8% ; Shredded Wheat, 6.4% ; Quaker Puffed Wheat, 6.1%; Kellogrer's Corn Flakes. 5.8% ; Grane Nuts, 5.2%; Post Toasties, 3.1%; Al Pearce Lineup GENERAL FOODS Corp New York (Grane-Nuts), on Oct. 10 starts Al Pearce & His Gang on 79 NBC-Red network stations, Mondav, 8-8:30 p. m. (EST), with a West Coast repeat, 7:30-8 p. m. (PST). In addition to new features, the talent lineup last season under sponsorship of Ford Dealers will be heard, including Elmer Blurt, Tizzie Lish and Arlene Harris. Carl Hoff is to direct the orchestra. John Conte will announce. Carroll O'Meara is nroducer of the series. Agency is Young & Rubicam, New York. A SECOND HONEYMOON trip will be awarded to the most perfect wife and her husband, sought by WNEW in the New York area on its Can't We Talk It Over? program. Judith Abbott, conductor of the program, will conduct the search through the month of October. nished free to campaign subscribers, who bought their own local station time. After three years successful use of radio, ice industry leaders, meeting in Chicago in July, decided to proiect the campaign through 1939, 1940, and 1941, and to increase the advertising appropriation for that period by 25% over 1938, to $750,000 a year. About half of this amount is expected to go for network broadcasting. In addition, local ice companies will probably spend $2,500,000 annually in local advertising, NBC said. Post Bran Flakes, 1.77c; Kellogg's Bran, 1.2%, and other brands, 26.5%. Choice of hot cereals was "oatmeal", 41.8%; Ralston, 13.9% ; Cream of Wheat, 13.6% ; Wheatena, 9.4%; Farina, 5.6% ; Hecker's H-O, 3.7%; Quaker Oats, 2.3%; Mother's Oats, 1.8%, and all others, 7.9%. Desserts showed ice cream far in front, with 34.6%; Jello, 19.8% ; fruits, 12.3%; puddings, 10.2%; pies and pastries, 9.7; cakes, 8.8%, and all others, 4.6 %. Candy tastes were widely distributed as to brands, Baby Ruth leading with 16.3%; Oh Henry, 3.7%; Clark Bar, 2.8%; Nestles, 2.7%; Milky Way, 2.67c ; Hershey, 2.57c ; Power House, 1.6%; Butterfingers, 1.3% ; Sky Bar, 1.17c; Tootsie Roll, Peter Paul Mounds, 0.8% ; Mr. Goodbar, Dreams, 0.77c; Uno Bar, 0.67c; unbranded types, 50.2%, and all others, 11.67c. Chewing gum preference ran to Wrigley's, 38.97; Dentvne, 11.9% ; Beechnut, 11.6% ; Clark's Teaberry, 3.0%; Blackjack, 2.97c; Beeman's Pepsin, 2.1% ; War Gum, 1.7%; Adams Chiclets, 1.37c; Fleers Double Bubble, 1.17c and other brands, 25.5%. Coca-Cola led soft drinks, with 22.1% preference; root beer, 13.9%; "pop", 12.7%; orange, 8.97c ; Pepsi-Cola, 5.9% ; gingerale, cream soda, 4.67c; lemonade, 2.77; malted milks, 2.6% ; grape, 2.37c ; chocolate soda, ice cream soda, 2.2%; cherrv, 2.1%; milk, 1.6%; Red Crown Cola, 1.37c and all others, 10.37c. Texaco Completes Plans For CBS Star Theatre TEXAS Co., New York (Texaco), on Oct. 5 starts Texaco Star Theatre on 95 CBS network stations, Wednesday, 9:30-10:30 p. m. (EST), with a West Coast repeat, 6:30-7:30 p. m. (PST). Originating from Columbia Square, Hollywood, the series will be directed by Max Reinhardt and produced by Bill Bacher, with Harry Kronman, writer, framing the weekly pi*ogram. Comedy writers include Hal Block and John Green. Mary Edith Stahl is Bacher's assistant. The hour show will be primarily variety, with about 18 minutes given over to dramatic. Jimmy Wallington will announce and Adolphe Menjou, film actor, is to be master-of -ceremonies. Una Merkel and Charles Ruggles, screen comedians, will head the cast with students from Max Reinhardt Workshop supporting guest screen talent in weekly dramatic skits. Bette Davis is to be the first guest artist. David Broekman's 32-piece orchestra; an 18-voice chorus directed by Harry Simeone; Jane Froman and Kenny Baker, singers, will also be heard weekly. Budget for the series is reported at $20,000 weekly, exclusive of time. Texas Co. is giving the show a strong publicity buildup, mailing out posters for displays to its 45,000 dealers throughout the country. Newspapers and billboards are also being used. Show will run 39 weeks, through Buchanan & Co., New York, Louis Witten, radio director. Neville Miller Promises Radio's Cooperation in Address to Advertisers CENTERING his observations on his experiences as Mayor of Louisville during the 1937 Ohio Valley . floods, President Neville Miller, of the NAB, told the Washington Advertising Club at a luncheon Sept. 21 that the radio industry recognizes its responsibility as a public servant and stands willing and anxious to work with the advertising profession for mutual improvement. Mr. Miller's remarks on "Radio in Advertising", his first in Washington as NAB president, were carried by WMAL, WJSV, and Mutual. President Miller pointed out that radio exercises a "tremendous" influence on the commercial and po 1 litical life of the nations of the I world and urged that its freedom I and function as a public servant 1 be preserved. He predicted that ra j dio holds a tremendous future for l good, but that if these attributes were not preserved, it could work great evil. During the 1937 flood, Louisville 1 was more or less "an island in a sea 60 miles wide", with 200,000 of its 300,000 inhabitants "flooded out," Mr. Miller observed. Radio facilities were of prime importance in maintaining communication between relief agencies and flood vie I tims, he added, calling it "the tie to home that kept courage up", and attributing to it the success in averting fear, rumors, and panic. ; "The American public got an inside seat on the activity of relief agencies", Mr. Miller declared. "Radio can bring to the average person pictures he could get in no other way." Since advertising and radio are mutually interested in each other, cooperation is necessary, he continued, and the radio industry is willing to participate in any parley that will bring improvement to both. "Radio has developed so fast in these few years that it is only : natural for it to have some grow-: ing pains," he commented. "The; mere fact that it has problems should encourage us to the possibilities of radio." NAB in New. England A MEETING of the First District' of the NAB, comprising the New England states, has been called for Oct. 4 in Boston by John Shepard 3d, First District director. It is ex-' pected that President Neville Miller and others from the NAB headquarters staff will attend. Bayer Back on NBC STERLING PRODUCTS, Wheeling (Bayer Aspirin), on Sept. 11 returned to the air with the American Album of Familiar Music, on NBC-Red, Sunday, 9:30-10 p. m. Frank Munn, Jean Dickenson and Elizabeth Lennox are heard singing with Gustave Haenschen's orchestra, and Bertrand Hirsch as violin soloist. Blackett-Sample-Hummert, New York, is the agency. WHEN a sports announcer gets rusty the best training is to get movie shots from a college scouting file and have an announcing session at home, according to Lynn Brandt, spoFtseaster of NBC-Chicago, who did just that to prepare himself for the present football season. Page 60 • October I, 1938 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising