Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

ADVERTISERS & AGENCIES continued ng IQIMCCC nnipri w WHO'S BUYING WHAT, WHERE PACIFIC Gas & Electric, San Francisco, described by its agency, BBDO, as America's largest utility, has picked The Big Story film series to supplant its O. Henry Playhouse in eight California markets. Arranging for the halfhour show are (1 to r) Barney McKall, west coast sales manager for Official Films; Robert R. Gros, vice president of Pacific Gas & Electric, and Harry Burton, account group supervisor for BBDO, San Francisco. than the station's total net profits before tax. Mr. Earp forecast such a tax would prompt national advertisers to skip local Baltimore advertising and concentrate on network and other media outside the tax. "This will hurt all stations — especially the large stations, since they depend upon their share of national advertising for a large percentage of their total volume," he said. "This is the simple economy of the proposed tax: local advertisers can't afford to pay it, and national advertisers will skip us." Advertisers also would be tempted to use nearby Washington radio and television to reach the Baltimore market, he said. With regard to tv, Mr. Earp conceded that revenues now are at a "satisfactory level," but warned that the future economy of television will change as additional tv facilities are allocated by the FCC. Mr. Earp said that while some stations might contemplate an expensive move to beyond the city limits, this would not be possible for certain low-powered local outlets who must, under FCC rules, maintain a certain minimum signal over the Baltimore business district. He said that such a move for WBMD would cost at least $150,000. Mr. VanSant, in his testimony for the advertising agencies and as chairman of the Advertising Committee organized to oppose the tax, said he would not argue on the legality of the proposal but "whether this is a good tax or a bad tax." He warned that cutting off "outside" money would endanger the city's basic economy and said that 30-40% of Baltimore's advertising money comes from outside the metropolitan area. Mr. VanSant exhibited part of more than 250 telegrams of protest which he had received from outside the city. He said that one from J. Walter Thompson Co. reported that if the tax went into effect, JWT's Baltimore advertising expenditure "would be materially reduced." Other opposition to the city's tax proposal came from representatives of labor unions, citizens groups, daily and weekly new: oapers, printing establishments, retail mercnant groups and local business associations. Following adjournment of the hearing Wednesday night, Mayor D'Alesandro summoned his budget and finance committee to a Thursday morning conference to explore substitute plans for the 9Vz % advertising tax proposals. Announcement of the reduction of the IVi % sales tax to 4% and the retention of a 2% levy on gross revenue on all local advertising media came within a few hours. Two C-P Accounts Leave Brown After a two-year association, Carl S. Brown Co., New York, and Colgate Palmolive Co., New York, have come to a separation. The advertiser has notified the agency that within 90 days it will appoint another agency to handle both Vel beauty soap and Halo shampoo. Estimated billing for both products is around $2.5 million, about half of Brown's overall billing. Page 54 • November 18, 1957 KEEPS GOING • American Tobacco Co. (Tareyton Filters, N. Y.), through Lawrence C. Gumbinner Adv., N. Y., renewing "some" of its tv markets effective Nov. 18 and Dec. 28. RADIO NEWS • Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Co., N. Y. (Listerine), planning 10week radio spot announcement schedule, effective Jan. 6, in top 50 markets. Agency: Lambert & Feasley, N. Y. SKOL • Bowey's Inc. (egg-nog), Chicago, will use two weeks of daily participation on Panorama Pacific (Mon.-Fri. 7-9 a.m. PST) on 9-station CTPN hookup, starting Dec. 16. Sorensen Advertising Co., Chicago, is agency. SPECIAL NEWS • Rexall Drug Co., Los Angeles, will sponsor its second special tv show Hansel and Gretel on NBC-TV next spring. No date is set. Show, like firm's first special, Pinocchio, will be produced by Talent Assoc. BBDO, N. Y„ is agency. GODFREY FANS • General Electric Co. (Colorama lamps), Schenectady, N. Y., planning to sponsor portion of Arthur Godfrey on CBS Radio, effective mid-January. BBDO, N. Y., is agency. BROKEN RECORD • Record racked up at NBC-TV Nov. 8 in total sales on participation programs with Tonight reportedly garnering $3.1 million in single day. Bulk of business came from new buys which started last week by BufTerin (Y&R, N. Y.), Ipana (Y&R) and Webcor (John W. Shaw Adv., Chicago), with extension beginning in January ordered by Polaroid (Doyle Dane Bernbach, N. Y.). Toni Shifts Four Products Involving $4-6 Million Outlay The Toni Div. of Gillette Co. has reassigned among three agencies four products involving billings, present and potential, of $4-6 million, with a substantial amount in broadcast media. The agency changes become effective Jan. 1. The three-way realignment calls for the transfer of Prom permanent from North Adv. Inc. to Tatham-Laird; Hush deodorant from T-L to North; Bobbi pin curl permanent T-L to Clinton E. Frank, and a new unidentified product from Frank to T-L. Billings of the three identified products combined reportedly exceed $3 million, with both Prom and Bobbi heavily active in broadcast media. Hush has been introduced nationally, but its billings are well under $1 million. Toni's new product, which Tatham-Laird inherits from Clinton E. Frank, is reported to represent a potential of $3 million in billings, though its outlays at present are about $1 million. Toni places an estimated $9.5 million of its estimated $13 million advertising budget in television, with several network tv and radio properties. The new Toni agency lineup: Clinton E. Frank — Pamper shampoo, Tame hair rinse, BEDDING BUY • The Spring Air Co. (bedding equipment), Chicago, will use broadcast media to promote a contest starting Jan. 3. During the 60-day sales period for the firm's "Modern Model 70," mattress, 33 Spring Air plants around the country will buy radio-tv spot announcements in local areas. In addition. Spring Air will use promotion on CBS' Robert Q. Lewis, Galen Drake and Amos 'n' Andy shows and on MBS' Gabriel Heatter program. Theme of the campaign is "Turn Back the Clock to the Old-Fashioned Price." Agency: GourfainLoeff Inc., Chicago. Casual pin curl, Bobbi pin curl permanent and Bright'ning; North Adv. Inc. — Toni, Tip Toni, Tonnette, Silver Curl, Deep Magic, Adorn, Spin curlers, Twirl and Hush; Tatham-Laird — Prom home permanent and end curl Prom, White Rain lotion shampoo, Viv-Soft Touch lipstick and the new product. Woolworth to Drop CBS 'Hour' CBS Radio began shopping last week for another advertiser to pick up the Sunday afternoon Woolworth Hour package featuring the Percy Faith Orchestra and guest stars. F. W. Woolworth Co. will let its contract expire Dec. 28 despite the sponsor's satisfaction with program results according to its agency, Lynn Baker Inc., New York. The agency explained Woolworth is off on a new promotion "kick" involving newspapers and hence is slicing its radio budget. Just last spring, the sponsor had cited its satisfaction with success of the Woolworth Hour [Advertisers & Agencies, April 29]. Ayer Timebuyers to Philadelphia N. W. Ayer & Son, Philadelphia, announced last week that the timebuying division of the agency, now located in New York, will move to Philadelphia headquar Broadcasting