Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

ADVERTISERS & AGENCIES continued Movie Campaign Budget Makes Room For Radio Radio virtually has been promised an important part in what may be a $3 million movie comeback advertising campaign. But whatever radio gets of the movie industry budget, it probably will be in spite of — not because of — eight-week radio tests last summer in two markets. Results have been considered by surveyors and movie executives and finally tagged "inconclusive." But an industry spokesman gives the assurance that radio "will be included importantly" in planning. The tests were financed by Theatre Owners of America and the Motion Picture Assn. of America and were conducted by a subcommittee of the MPAA advertising and publicity directors' committee. Plans for the advertising campaign won't be set for some weeks, but a $3 million figure has been mentioned for the first year's budget in a five-year industry drive. Costs will be shared by the motion picture theatres of the country and MPAA. To prepare for the national campaign, the movie men ran eight-week radio tests in Denver and Rochester, N. Y., using disc jockeys in an ad lib approach [Advertisers & Agencies, July 8]. The test schedule, placed through Donahue & Coe, New York, on all stations in both cities, called only for station personalities to urge listeners to go to the movies. No specific pictures were named in the institutional drive, which cost TOA and MPAA about $3,000. What the survey showed in terms of a national evaluation is questionable. The U. of Denver research department, assigned to survey results in that city, called it moot. Blaming ""the severe limitations of this study," it said, "It cannot be stated conclusively that [the campaign] did or did not have an effect on movie attendance." The surveyors, however, did find a positive impact on the public; reporting that 51 listeners of 103 interviewed remembered hearing movie plugs on the radio. In Rochester, the theatres conducted their own survey. They found a public awareness but no substantial trend at the box office. Si Seadler, advertising manager of MetroGoldwyn-Mayer, and chairman of the radio test campaign subcommittee, said in his report that the experiences in Denver and Rochester should be taken into account when national radio plans, if any, are set up. He recommended the localized radio approach for consideration. Sample radio commercials will be played for the committee when it meets. Six agencies — all old hands with movie accounts — will be involved in placing the national campaign. Besides Donahue & Coe, they are Buchanan & Co., Cunningham & Walsh, Monroe Greenthal Co., Blaine Thompson Co. and Charles Schlaifer & Co. Ritchie Inc. Moves to K&E Harold F. Ritchie Inc., New York, (Brylcreem and Eno sparkling antacid) has named Kenyon & Eckhardt, New York, as its agency effective Feb. 1 . Atherton & Currier, New York, currently services the ac 1,311,000 PEOPLE waiting at tha statian station KSL radio Powerful KSL Radio toots a 50,000 watt whistle in the metropolitan areas as well as the thousands of cities and towns which make up the Greater Salt Lake Market ! So, get aboard this super express which runs to all points of this big, booming 1 1 1 county market . . . where well over a million people are just waiting for your arrival. ]NCS 1956 Basic Service Area KSL radio 50,000 WATTS CBS for the Mountain West Represented by CBS Radio Spot Sales Reaches and sells a GREATER SALT LAKE! Broadcasting November 4, 1957 • Page 55