Broadcasting (July - Dec 1943)

Our Spots Paid Despite All Handicaps ALTHOUGH our much-expanded facilities are devoted entirely to war production, we are advertising now with a view to post-war selling, and protecting the jobs of our employes. Necessarily these efforts are limited largely to name and service promotion. To keep our name before the trade, we are using national and regional business magazines. Our factory Retail Service Department, however, (since it still functions as manpower permits along pre-war lines) afforded an opportunity to make an interesting "consumer" test of radio in Los Angeles and environs. As far as we know, this summer campaign was the first of its kind. It featured furnace inspection and repair during June and July only. Notable for the handicaps imposed and the results achieved in spite of these "hurdles" this campaign was not only highly successful, but also surprising in its results. Probably the last thing a home owner thinks about or wants to think about in mid-summer is his heating plant; therefore, we created a difficult problem in the very timing of the campaign. But we believed people could be made to realize that the shortage of skilled service men would grow worse and that by the rainy season it might be impossible to obtain repairs and parts, at least without long delay. And from our own viewpoint, it was of course desirable to secure as many orders as our remaining service men could handle during the quiet season and thus help to level off the fall and winter peaks, serious at any time but nearly insurmountable under war conditions. Campaign Idea We also felt that, in view of the Government's expressed desire to encourage maintenance of existing equipment, the campaign could be partially based upon a patriotic appeal; and further, that we ourselves would be performing a patriotic wartime service, in addition to benefitting home owners and ourselves, by undertaking it, even if it should turn out to be unprofitable. From the strictly selfish standpoint, moreover, we recognized the good-will value of such a program, and its possibilities for influencing post-war sales. These thoughts led to the decision to offer free furnace inspection and a written report to the owner on the condition of his heating equipment. If the furnace needed no repairs, we would tell him so. If it needed cleaning, overhauling or repairs, we would recommend whatever was necessary, estimate the cost and solicit the order. It was also decided to include any make or model because we were out California Firm Sells Heating Plant Service For June*July Delivery By R. V. HIATT Advertising Manager Payne Furnace 8C Supply Co., Beverly Hills 50,000 watts station for obvious reasons: We required only local coverage, since our "outside" dealers were not participating in the plan. Moreover, in Los Angeles and vicinity there are a number of medium and low-powered stations, which, because of special features, have a large, loyal "hometown" following, especially at hours not competing with the more popular chain programs. After careful study of all spot availabilities, nine stations were selected, as follows: KMPC KHJ KECA KFWB KPAS KWKW KFOX KGER and KVOE. Time Chosen To the extent possible, spots were carefully chosen for proximity to established programs, including newscasts, commentators and musical features with an established following. Many daytime, and some early morning spots were selected — again with a view to "stretching" our budget for maximum frequency by qualifying for low rates, and also to reach women as well as men — together with sufficient evening spots to provide all-day and evening coverage from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. We had an average of about five announcements a day for the entire two-months — a total of 326 on all stations. Since our coverage was lighter on Saturdays and Sundays and on evenings with heavy chain competition, we had as many as 15 spots on some days. What the agency did not anticipate in its original recommendation of station breaks was the qualifications we found necessary to impose on the free offer. Fearing an avalanche of calls from owners of floor furnaces (very popular in Southern California) and other smaller "unit" heaters, it was decided to limit the offer to "basement or forced air furnaces" and further to stipulate that the free E. V. HIATT to acquire new friends as well as possible future customers. At this point we held a meeting with our advertising counsel, the Knollin Agency, and it was decided to make a radio test for the month of June, extending the campaign through July, if results justified. By the third week in June there was no doubt as to the advisability of going through with the twomonths' schedule. (We did not consider August because during that month our men start their regular service calls on "contract" customers whom we serve by the year.) The agency recommended halfminute or station-break "live" spot announcements for the following reasons: the offer was deemed so simple that it could be expressed in 50 words or less; and it was desired to economize in cost per spot, so as to obtain maximum frequency as well as to save the production cost of transcriptions, our budget for the test being limited. The agency also recommended eliminating the major chain, or UNIQUE is the word for this factual radio success story — involving no stars, music, sound effects or drama. Just a practical bare bones proposition, stated over the air to an audience that ordinarily would not be interested. But it clicked, and produced profitably for both sponsor and customer! Worth noting is the fact that Payne Furnace 8C Supply Co. is reportedly America's largest manufacturer of gas heating equipment, with national distribution. Using only trade journals and consumer magazines heretofore, this was Payne's first trial of radio. service applied only to equipment five years old or more. Thus it became necessary to make clear in 50 words (or in some cases, 50 syllables) the nature of the offer, the fact that it applied to any make or model, the limitations aforementioned and where and how to obtain this service; a nice copy problem! At once it became apparent that in order to accomplish this, the usual "selling" approach, or sugar-coating, or even urge to act, would have to be severely curtailed if not eliminated, and the script devoted mostly to announcing the "bare bones" of our proposition. More Handicaps This decision had several negative effects upon potential results. Since basement and forced-air furnaces are the exception rather than the rule in our area (as compared to the vast numbers of floor furnaces) it was realized that we were reducing the "market" for our "deal" to a very small percentage of home owners; further, that the explanation would be difficult for listeners to understand. And, finally, it was agreed that we could not include the addresses or telephone numbers, of our home office and various suburban branches, nor even segregate these addresses by stations, because of overlapping coverage. Our solution to this latter problem probably violated all the rules of radio, and of selling, generally. We merely said, "Call or write Payne Furnace Company at nearest office listed in telephone directory ." Readers will surely agree that we provided just about all the hurdles that could be set up against our plan. Naturally, we and the agency had misgivings. Together, we considered postponing the imminent start of the campaign long enough to change our schedule to one-minute spots and to produce transcriptions with sound effects and dialog. But eventually, with fingers crossed, we went ahead according to the original plan with the gratifying results I shall shortly enumerate. To illustrate the copy limitations, a typical 50-word announcement, necessarily almost devoid of "sales appeal", follows: Important to home-owners : Now, while skilled men are available . . . PAYNE heating experts will inspect ANY MAKE OR MODEL of basement or forced-air furnace over five years old . . . and furnish written report ... all FREE during this month. But hurry, please! Call or write P-A-Y-N-E . . . PAYNE Furnace Company . . . nearest office in telephone directory. When it came to 35-word sta(Continued on page 55) Page 20 • August 30, 1943 BROADCASTING • Broadcast Advertising