Broadcasting (Jan - June 1940)

INDUSTRY WIDE observance of the NAB-sponsored Radio Festival, with the majority of stations throughout the country planning to observe the event early in June, has prompted a large number of novel merchandising and promotion projects. Although the exact number of cooperating stations has not been compiled by the NAB, responses reaching Arthur Stringer, of the NAB headquarter staff in Washington, indicate almost universal observance of the open house week, either in May or June [Broadcasting, May 1, 15]. Latest promotions by individual stations, aside from the local and national essay competition and general open house, include hat and glove sets designed for WOR, Newark, by Pegeen Fitzgerald, to commemorate the event. WOR also is making reconditioned radio sets available to hospital shut-ins in the station's area through cooperation with servicemen. KSO-KRNT, Des Moines, are planning a gigantic picnic for local listeners on June 2 which will highlight radio acts, baseball games, fireworks and free midway entertainment. The stations also are giving away a radio a day during Radio Festival week. Oklahoma City stations — WKY, KOCY, KOMA, KTOK— are cooperating in producing a free threehour radio show at the Municipal Auditorium. The Sunday Oklahoman also issued a special section preceding Festival week, and local merchants cooperated in promotion through displays. * * * Search for a Name TO FIND a name for its new home carton, Peter Doelger Brewing Corp., Harrison, N. J., is conducting a month's contest through June 15 using announcements on the 21 sports, news and musical programs which it sponsors weekly on WHN, New York. No evidence of purchase is required with each entry, the winner to receive two 12-day all-expense trips to Bermuda. Agency in charge is Atherton & Currier, New York, 4< * « Flame From Pittsburgh TO THOSE in the trade who received souvenir cigarette lighters from the station at Christmas, Sherman D. Gregory, general manager of KDKA, Pittsburgh, recently sent a can of Esso lighter fluid, delivered by messenger. In the package were a sample of Atlantic spot remover and merchandising cards with a station tiein. * * * Calling Card THROUGH personal visits by Barron Howard, business manager of the station, WRVA, Richmond, Va., is presenting a new 20page promotion piece to agencies and advertisers in six states in the WRVA service area. In text and chart form the presentation highlights WRVA program and promotional activities and results of listener surveys. Fan That Folds AS A SUMMER business promotion R. A. Ruppert, sales promotion manager of WSAI, Cincinnati, has sent a folding fan to the trade. The personal letter accompanying the fan asks for continued effort on behalf of WSAI and explains that the fan is furnished to cool off in case such efforts bring heat. More Fetes — Gregory's Oil — Proud of Awards — Plug for Plug — Gift From Jimmy Recipe Prizes LAWDRON CHEMICAL Co., Los Angeles (Di-Mon-Glo wax), on May 28 started a thrice-weekly quarter-hour mid-afternoon woman's program, Chej Milani's Recipe Kitchen Party, on KFI, that city. Contract is for 13 weeks, and program features Chef Milani in menu information and recipes, with Jack Burnett, pianist-singer, as Sunny Jim, the Handy Man of the Kitchen. Firm is also sponsoring the same program three mornings weekly on KFWB, Hollywood. To merchandise the series a total of $50 weekly is being awarded on each station for best recipes submitted by listeners. First three prizes are $10, $5, and $3, with dollar bills awarded to 32 senders of other recipes. Besides displays in grocery and drug stores, other dealer tie-in promotions for the programs include counter cards, window and clothes-line banners, and newspaper space. Darwin H. Clark Adv. Agency, Los Angeles, has the account. * * * Recipe Prizes TO STIMULATE interest in the five weekly participating Homemakers' Hour on WLS, Chicago, during the summer months, Harriet Hester, conductor of the program, is offering weekly prizes for favorite recipes sent by listeners. No limit has been set on the number of prizes given each week. Those standing the actual baking or cooking test by Miss Hester are rewarded. Different recipes are called for each week. WCCO-Tourist Stunt MINNESOTA State Tourist Bureau is sending out specially printed copies of the news schedule of WCCO, Minneapolis, to more than 2,000 Minnesota resorts for the convenience of resort owners and their guests. Printed on birch-like paper in rustic type, they are posted on bulletin boards of lodges and in guest cabins. ,-0-. V S W'i'.-t.Wf! <' Free Radios FIVE Farnsworth midget receivers are given away daily by WFIL, Philadelphia, in its redesigned WFIL Radio Awards promotion. Designed to build listening audience, listeners are invited via spot announcements five times daily to answer three questions based on the station's programs during the preceding two hours. Best letters accompanying correct answers, telling briefly which WFIL program was liked best and why, win radios. The new form for the promotion was put into operation May 27 after its original Pot o' Gold type format had been questioned by the FCC on lottery grounds. Upward Go the Prizes LISTENER response on the Illinois Meat Co. (Redi-Meat) show, Play Broadcast, heard over WGN, Chicago, Mondays 8-8:30 p.m., has been so gratifying that sponsor has upped first prize from $75 to $150 with second and third prizes increased accordingly. In addition, 250 others of $1 are offered. Contestants are asked to fill cards obtained from dealers the names of prominent people from hints given on the show. These hints are sometimes dramatic bits depicting events in the lives of the characters or they may be given by voice imitations. * * * NBC's Awards NBC has issued two promotion pieces telling about NBC programs or personalities winning mention in recent polls. One is a four-page brochure with a cover simulating that of Movie & Radio Guide magazine. Second folder lists the nine out of 15 awards given NBC at the 11th Institute for Education by Radio [Broadcasting, May 15], with an insert describing awards granted NBC by women's organizations. Time for Space WPEN, Philadelphia, has concluded arrangements for a second time-for-space swap with a local foreign-language newspaper, the Jewish Morning Journal. The newspaper will use seven spot announcements weekly, paying off in agate lines. A similar tie was made at the beginning of the year with the Jewish Daily Forward. While practically every local station has some sort of a space swap with the English-language dailies, WPEN is the first to extend to deals to the foreign-language field. * * * Once a Year AN "anniversary request" plan begun a year ago by WTMJ, Milwaukee, in connection with its Top o' the Morning participating show has started to bear fruit. In May, 1939, WTMJ began keeping a record of anniversaries of persons sending in requests for musical numbers on the program. As anniversaries roll around this year the station mails a congratulatory card carrying a sketch of the official Top o' the Morning rooster and the signature of Bill Evans, m.c. of the program. * * * Sales Continuity LATEST promotion piece of WSM, Nashville, is the script for a simulated broadcast in which a WSM announcer in a two-way exchange with an advertiser answers the advertisers' queries to finally present the station's sales story. The continuity for "An Advertiser's Dream Comes True" is mimeographed on regular script sheets, with the advertiser's name and cues typed in red ink. * * * Shell Sales Meeting SHELL OIL Co., San Francisco (gas and oil) on May 14 purchased a quarter-hour on 32 Don Lee-Mutual Pacific Coast stations to conduct a coastwise sales meeting. The broadcast originated at KFRC, San Francisco, 6:30-6:45 a.m. (PST) The account was handled through J. Walter Thompson Co., San Francisco. :te :|< * Summer Chart E. P. H. JAMES, NBC advertising manager, has prepared a chart dividing the United States into five "summertime" zones for use by radio and advertising executives during the bewildered period of Daylight Savings Time. All NBC stations are indicated on the map with the city in which they are located. * * * Fresno Tips KARM, Fresno, Cal., recently effected a tie-up vdth the Fresno Guide, a shopping guide issued twice weekly with 39,000 circulation. Manager Jerry Kilgore writs a colurnn on radio under the pen name "Jericho", calling attention to outstanding features on KARM and gossip of the microphone personalities. BROCHURES STREET scenes like these in Cincinnati and Harrisburg, Pa., demonstrate the merchandising possibilities of war news broadcasts. The throng at left is gathered before the window of WCPO, Cincinnati, to peruse posted news bulletins supplementing the station's newscasts. The display at right, arranged by WHP, Harrisburg, in the downtown Bond Store, called attention to Bond's Breakfast Bulletins through the operating news teletype and other studio paraphernalia. The exhibit was kept in the window for a week and proved a real attention-getter, WHP declared. KGGM, Albuquerque, N. M. — Filesize sales prospectus on market data, facilities, coverage and testimonials, individually addressed to the trade. WJSV, Washington — 16-page folder "Second Edition Quiz — For the ColorBlind", featuring various questions with the correct answer always WJSV, printed in blue. Page 34 • June J, 1940 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising