Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1957)

ADVERTISERS & AGENCIES THE Good Humor Man presents the first carton of the firm's new soft drink to David J. Mahoney, president. Good Humor to Use Radio-Tv To Promote New Soft Drinks WITH GOOD HUMOR Corp. prying the cap off its plan to enter the bottled soft drink market, radio and tv can be expected to get the majority of an increased advertising budget flow. This was revealed last week when for the first time in its 37-year history, Good Humor began marketing a product other than ice cream (includes sherbet, fruit sticks, etc.). Another milestone for the firm is its depar You're in good company on WGN-RADIO Chicago Top-drawer advertisers are buying WGN Join the nation's smartest time-buyers who select WGN for results! 1957 promises exciting new programming to make WGN's policy of high quality at low cost even more attractive to you. ture from traditional distribution until now restricted to white truck fleets. Good Humor is offering its flavor concentrate base to local bottlers for final bottling and delivery to retail stores. Several Coca-Cola bottlers have expressed interest in adding the new line, according to David J. Mahoney, Good Humor's president. While the new soft drink generally will try to follow those markets where the firm is entrenched the strongest with its ice cream products, George Newman, vice president in charge of advertising, said Good Humor will "move into any area with any bottler who meets our specifications." The multi-million-dollar ice cream "empire" already places 90% of its advertising budget in radio and tv. It is expected to earmark about 60% of the soft drink budget for radio-tv, and the remaining 40% for outdoor and newspaper support. Good Humor's soft drink already is in Warren, Ohio, using spot radio and tv. The company plans to enter more markets, with the heaviest concentration in tv, emphasizing children's shows where possible. The campaign will use one-minute spots chiefly, but 20-seconds will be aimed for adjacencies to "good" network shows (children's programs preferred). Where possible, minute spots will be a 20-second film and 40 seconds of a local personality's delivery. Initially, the soft drink broadcast campaign will move into southern markets, with some also in the Northeast and Midwest, it was said. At the first of this year, the corporation appointed Cunningham & Walsh, New York, to handle the soft drink introduction, because Macmanus, John & Adams, New York, which has all of the ice cream products, already services another soft drink advertiser — White Rock. U. S. Tv Audience Reaches 122.4 Million — Sindlinger SOME 122.4 million people now make up the nation's tv audience, with 99.9 million 12 years of age or older, and the remaining 22.5 viewers from five to 12 years old, according to Sindlinger & Co., analysts, Ridley Park, Pa. Sindlinger's monthly client service report also noted that 38.6 million households, or 78% of the national total, are tuning in with 42.5 million sets in working order. The firm's computations indicated about 300,000 sets were sold in March, and estimated 300,000 to 450,000 purchases in April. It also was said about 100,000 sets become obsolete each month. L&M Drops CBS Radio 'Gunsmoke' LIGGETT & MYERS Tobacco Co. (Chesterfields), N. Y., has canceled the radio version of Gunsmoke on CBS, it has been learned. The cancellation came on the eve of Gunsmoke's fifth anniversary on radio. Effective last week, Gunsmoke entered its sixth year on CBS Radio. The network will place the program into its "Impact" plan of participating sponsorship. MR. CHRISTIE Democrats' Christie Suggests More Political Use of Radio EFFECTIVE USE of prime radio time, rather than undue reliance on tv and broadcast political speeches no more than 15 minutes in length were recommended last week for Demo crats who run in; the 1960 election campaigns. Jack F. Christie, tv and radio direc-i tor for the Democratic National Committee, told! students at Syra-i cuse U.'s Radio and Television Center that candidates should use! the five minute one-minute, and shorter spot announcements to a greater extent than in 1956 because research indicates "they are very well received." Other recommendations by Mr. Christie include: expanded use of regional radio-t\ hookups for regional issues, more rehearsal time, and relaxation of the FCC's so-called "equal time" rule so networks may give "top-of-the-ticket" major party candidates free time without awarding it to numerous candidates heading splinter parties. Mr. Christie also said that office seekers should lean more on trained workers within their own parties instead of looking to Madison Avenue for help. Pontiac Buy Exemplifies Network Radio Sales Speed SPEED and flexibility in network radio sales was demonstrated last week when Pontiac Div., General Motors Corp., moved into one-quarter sponsorship of NBC Radio's News-on-the-Hour news capsules for period of three weeks. Pontiac, through MacManus, John & Adams, placed the order a week ago Friday to start on Monday, and the program did. Pontiac fills a partial advertiser vacancy created when Bristol-Myers Co. (Bufferin) cut back its advertising schedule on the NBC newscasts. B-M continues to sponsor 25% of the programs, while Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. continues with 50% . Pontiac has the remaining quarter. When the Pontiac buy expires May 20. its slot will be filled by a national food packer for the succeeding 26 weeks. The name of the food packer will be made public May 11. Combined contracts come to $600.000 in net billings. Beaumont & Hohman Merges With Cunningham & Walsh MERGER of accounts and personnel o) Beaumont & Holman, Chicago, with Cunningham & Walsh that city was announces Friday by Ivan Hill, executive vice presi dent in charge of C & W's Chicago office The merger became effective two days earlier [At Deadline, April 29]. Guy Davis and Perry Thomas, vice pres Page 66 May 6, 1957 Broadcasting Telecastinc