Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1953)

Among up-to-date banking institutions the stodgy ways of subdued promotion are on the wane. Bankers are using modern merchandising techniques to support their television advertising. Banks Build Business on Television ONLY a few years ago, a bank bold enough to advertise on radio or television considered it was merchandising its program from stem to stern if it placed a discreet card in the bank's side window calling attention to the program. Today, most bank managers feel this type of thinking goes with the days of stand-up bookkeepers' desks, high collars and cuspidors. Bank managers in increasing numbers are becoming as expert in merchandising and promotion as anyone else using television and radio. For example, in two such far-apart towns as Dallas and Buffalo, banks are sponsoring Ziv Tv's / Led Three Lives, and the programs are being merchandised in roaring campaigns that network press departments would be proud to claim as their own. The result? New accounts, letters of inquiry and many pats on the back. And in Phoenix, Ariz., the First Federal Savings & Loan Assn. has met a great deal of success with its First Federal Ranger, a locally-produced children's show on KPHOTV. Ranger is "merchandised" by the participation of "Ranger" youngster-members in the show and through special events. The Ranger show has just entered its third year and to date more than 3,000 members of the piggy-bank set have appeared in weekly performances. Ranger Roundups The Ranger show, during the first nine months of this year, brought 1,900 new "Ranger" accounts into First Federal at an average of $45 each, according to Joseph G. Rice, First Federal president. Mr. Rice said much of the association's $30 million assets are due to the "Ranger" accounts, around which First Federal has built an organization of more than 8,000 steady savers. The banks using the Ziv show, Mercantile National of Dallas and Marine Trust of Western New York, both report a "considerable upsurge in checking accounts" directly attributable to sponsorship of / Led Three Lives, according to Ziv account executives Phil Williams in Dallas and Leon Bernard in Buffalo. They both worked with the bank officials on the campaigns. Ray L. Miller, vice president of the Dallas bank, said bank officials are enthusiastic over public response to the program and the bank's promotion. As a result, the bank is bringing to Dallas in January, Herbert Philbrick, whose story of nine years as an undercover agent for the FBI in the Communist Page 82 • December 21, 1953 Party is dramatized in / Led Three Lives. The part of Mr. Philbrick is played by Hollywood star Richard Carlson. Mr. Philbrick's Dallas visit will be preceded by a special promotion campaign by the Mercantile Bank and WFAA-TV, which carries the program. His appearances at Dallas will be supported by newspaper advertising, on-the-air announcements and radio and tv guest spots. In Buffalo, the program is on WBEN-TV. There, the Marine Trust of Western New Part of the Mercantile bank's Dallas promotion was display of signs like one in picture on tellers' windows, announcing bank's sponsorship of Ziv show. York highlighted an intensive week of promotion by arranging for Herbert Philbrick to appear before civic groups. He also spoke to the Greater Buffalo Advertising Club, and received full coverage by the Buffalo Evening News and Courier Express. Marine Trust also placed newspaper ads, publicity stories and listings in the Buffalo press to capture public interest in the show. A story and ad in The Mariner's Log, the bank's house organ circulated to employes and customers, also built anticipation for the tv series. The Mercantile National Bank of Dallas, through Ratcliffe Advertising Agency, backed the show's premiere with heavy promotion using all media. The two-week buildup campaign started with one column teaser ads in the Dallas Morning News. In the second week the teasers blossomed into larger ads. A six-column ad was run in the Sunday News when the show premiered. The Mercantile Bank Building featured a liberal exposure of posters, signs and folders. Radio spot announcements made by Mr. Carlson were broadcast. The bank used a special "Three Lives" stamp on all outgoing mail, as well as colorful envelope stuffers. Bank employes previewed the show at a special meeting, and each volunteered to call five people the night of the first telecast to remind them of the show. A later check showed 500 employes made more than 1,900 calls to friends and neighbors. Many of the employes and all executives held tv parties to stimulate viewing. Ted Barrett, Dallas Morning News promotion director, and Vice President Miller participated in the opening commercial of the first telecast. The newspaper published Mr. Philbrick's book, / Led Three Lives. Quick Response Public respons'e was not long in coming. One commercial had been devoted to explaining the bank's thrift-plan, and the next morning people started coming in to open new accounts, saying they had seen the idea presented during the / Led Three Lives telecast. The bank also received many letters and postcards praising the bank for its public service in bringing the timely anti-Communist series to Dallas. In commemoration of its 100th telecast, KPHO-TV's First Federal Ranger has just held a celebration for "Ranger" membership. Much of the show's success is credited to similar active events and privileges accorded the member-youngsters. One of the show's prime attractions is a "western" character named "Gold-Dust Charlie," complete with battered Stetson and burro. His western philosophy and elaborate stories, according to the bank, "are coupled to a savings theme in the language the children can understand." The show maintains a simple format, featuring the children as savers and entertainers, rather than building up a special "star" personality. A "Ranger Lady" tags the program weekly, bringing latest Ranger news plus a pitch for new membership. The show is among the top 15 tv programs in the Phoenix area, including network shows, according to results quoted from a Pulse survey. With it, according to KPHOTV, First Federal expects to continue adding "steady savers" from "local shavers." Broadcasting • Telecasting