Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

ADVERTISERS & AGENCIES CONTINUED DODGE WELK WEDDING STILL WEARS WELL In 1958, the Dodge Div. of Chrysler Corp. will invest slightly more than half an estimated $20 million advertising budget in television and radio — and breathe a prayer that Lawrence Welk will not sputter on the tv highways. ■ The lion's share, by far, of an unofficial $10 million for air media has been earmarked for Mr. Welk's two programs on ABC-TV — Lawrence Welk Show (Sat., 9-10 p.m.) and Top Tunes and New Talent (Mon., 9:30-10:30 p.m.). Dodge dealers call Mr. Welk "the greatest salesman the car ever has had," and top echelon executives at the company and its agency, Grant Adv., Detroit, are pinning their hopes on the homey orchestra leader again for 1958, which looms as one of the most bitter competitive years in the automotive industry's history. An insight into Dodge's plans for next year was outlined last week by Wendell D. (Pete) Moore, director of advertising and merchandising, who discussed the company's radio-tv commercial philosophy. He skirted questions on specific dollar allocations because of "competitive considerations" but was voluble on why Dodge and the public "love Welk." He acknowledged the company's advertising budget, beginning in January 1958 and running throughout the year, will rise about 10% and noted that tv costs will rise "sharply" because of higher network charges and talent expenditures. Dodge's initial sponsorship of Lawrence Welk on ABC-TV in the summer of 1955 was strictly an experiment. But its ratings that summer and the enthusiastic response of dealers prompted the company to sponsor Mr. Welk during 1955-56 on a regular basis. That season Dodge continued its network presentations of Break the Bank and Make Room for Daddy, which the company had sponsored on ABC-TV since early 1955. But in June 1956 Dodge canceled these two programs, feeling the desired "family" audience was being reached satisfactorily through the Welk program alone. The word "family" exerts a weighty influence on Dodge's commercial philosophy. As Mr. Moore explained it, Dodge, through MEMBERS of the Welk band not only are versatile in making music, but also in selling Dodges. Here they do a live singing commercial on set in praise of the sponsor's product. tv, is attempting to reach a receptive family audience and utilize a wide variety of commercial approaches. He is persuaded that both Welk programs (the Monday night show was begun last November) provide the ideal showcase for its commercial messages. "The aim, Mr. Moore said, "is to create 'talk' about Dodge and Dodge commercials, to generate interest, excitement and curiosity about the car — its performance, its styling, its riding and handling qualities, its safety, luxury and engineering advances." Dodge designs its tv commercials to achieve specific objectives, according to Mr. Moore. The first is to create "strong, positive emotional reactions"; the second is to present "forceful, persuasive selling arguments." To create emotional appeal, Dodge relies on live commercials, integrating members of the Welk organization and emphasizing prestige, pleasure and the thrill of ownership; live and film "mood" commercials, using dramatic situation, music and presentation, which imply, instead of state, the magical "something" surrounding Dodge. Dodge's "persuasive selling" commercials, Mr. Moore said, feature announcer Lou Crosby and encompass: film demonstrations designed to illustrate engineering advances; live, working models of such features as total contact brakes, Torsion-Aire suspension and other developments which point up "Dodge's superiority"; live competitive comparisons which use feature-by-feature presentations on charts and diagrams, emphasizing "superiority." Mr. Moore is highly impressed with the flexibility of live television, which enables Dodge to insert commercials of varying approaches, depending on developing marketing conditions. He explained that if circumstances indicate "hard sell" commercials are required during a particular week, scheduled commercials can be scuttled and more appropriate ones put to use. He believes Dodge will be even more formidable in the ruggedly competitive year expected ahead, because ABC-TV has "come into its own." In the past, he pointed out, ABC-TV lacked affiliation in some major markets, but this season the network has outlets in such key centers as St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Boston, Norfolk, New Orleans and Miami. Dodge itself does not use spot television, but its dealers do. From time to time, they have used spot television for special promotions and to support the network effort when circumstances indicated. This past summer for example, 47 dealers embracing the Philadelphia and southern New Jersey area conducted a month-long "Missing Dodge Contest," tied to a one-minute spot campaign on WCAU-TV and WRCV-TV, both Philadelphia. Actually, three Dodges were used throughout the area and persons spotting the car were asked to copy its license number and report to the nearest dealer to fill out an entry blank. The blank asked that the contestant complete the sentence, "I like the '57 Dodge because . . ." Prizes totaling $10,000 were awarded to contestants. Although the promotion was designed primarily to create awareness of the growing number of Dodge cars on the road, the dealer association reported that sales paralleled closely the heaviest volume weeks of the year — and this at a time when sales normally were slow. Dodge uses spot radio on a year-round basis, largely in support of its national tv effort, and schedules its commercials in the top 130 markets. It is probable Dodge will invest less than $500,000 in spot radio during 1958, though Dodge officials decline to pinpoint expenditures. The company also uses network radio on a limited basis, scheduling announcements on NBC Radio's Monitor and CBS Radio's and American Broadcasting's package plans. For 1958, Dodge plans no shift in media strategy or copy approach. The company feels Lawrence Welk will continue to be popular. Page 40 • October 28, 1957 Broadcasting