Broadcasting (Apr - June 1950)

CHICAGO'S divorce total for 1949 is two less than it would have been because of television. This is the claim of a South Side minister, who advises battling spouses to watch Clint and Jeanne Youle, "the ideal couple" on The Weatherman show. Their daily spats and subsequent adjustments, sandwiched between commercials and chalk-talks on the weather, are responsible for at least two couples giving up divorce plans, the cleric maintains. Young Clint and Jeanne (33 and 31) typify a suburban-married couple for WNBQ (NBC) televiewers, who hear mentions of Jeanne's new hairdresser, Clint's beaten-up 1929 Cadillac, their daughters' measles and the number of new shoots on a lilac bush in the back yard. These tidbits are incidental to the meat of the 10minute show five nights weekly. These same tidbits, however, are responsible for more and more sales of Ceresota Flour. Standard Milling Co., Chicago, which manufactures Ceresota, Aristos and Heckers' Flour, just renewed the show from June 1 for another 13 weeks — the third consecutive 13-week renewal. The Weatherman was sponsored as a test starting last September, and has rolled along casually yet purposefully ever since — selling bags of flour (from 2 to 100-pound sizes) to consumers and retailers alike. Although Standard Milling has a pretty fair idea of how much additional trading is done across the counter as a result of its entry into video, "sales are not directly measurable," according to P. L. 0. Smith, vice president in charge of sales and advertising for the grocery products division. Mr. Smith, who thinks TV is great, has watched a set in his recreation room for more than two years. Five men on his staff are just as TV-conscious. Mr. Smith admits, however, that Ceresota successfully competes with two other top-brand names in the Chicago area, Pillsbury and Gold Medal, and surpasses grosses of some 23 other brands distributed there. Mr. Smith is convinced that video is a fine advertising medium for consumer package goods. The firm traces some gain in public acceptance by increased retail and grocery sales, response to selfliquidators or premium offers, fan mail and favorable mentions by store owners. Difficult to Trace Any actual increase in sales is "almost impossible" to trace directly to television, because "in the flour business sales can unaccountably soar in areas where no advertising is used and can drop to the bottom of the barrel when we buy three or four media in one locality." Standard is accustomed to this fluctuation, as the grain market is such that package flour prices may change as many as 30 times yearly, Mr. Smith said. To determine the character of the television audience, Ceresota EVEN THOUGH his look is enigmatic when it comes to sales results of The Weatherman at NBC-TV Chicago, P. L. O. Smith, vice president in charge of advertising and .sales for the grocery products division of Standard Milling Co., states that the show is selling Ceresota flour and winning the brand a lot of friends. With him is E. A. Atkins, sales assjstant. Page 4 • TELECASTING BAROMETERS Breezy Bits Clin! and Jeanne Youle's 'Weatherman lakes Ceresota-Minded Viewers has offered three self-liquidators in the past few months — an apron, starfish scatter pin and Christmas cards. "We use these premiums only when absolutely necessary, and take them off the show as soon as we've found out what we want to know about reception, coverage and impact. We don't want to spend time or money plugging premiums. It takes away from show content and detracts from the commercial impact," Mr. Smith believes. Standard Milling, which distributes Ceresota in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and New England, plans to use more television, but the growth of TV ad budgets will be slow. "Television is going through the same growing pains suffered by radio, which is why we're taking it easy for awhile. Maybe some of the pressure will be off when stations go into daytime programming, and prices will level out. We're only interested in what we can get back for every dollar we spend." Ceresota Buys Ceresota bought the show through John W. Shaw agency last fall after The Weatherman had been telecast as a local sustainer