Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

ADVERTISERS & AGENCIES continued PAYOFF A CHRONICLE OF COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE CHEVY SHOW • An unusual radio promotion turned a preview party into a salefest for Luby Chevrolet, Denver. With the '58 lines scheduled for unveiling on Oct. 31, the firm decided to show and sell the new models with an after-midnight party. In order to maintain the surprise aspect of the party, the firm used no newspaper advertising. The first public notice of the party was given on radio at noon Oct. 30. At one minute after midnight, the open house started; 100 gallons of coffee and 150 dozen doughnuts later, at 1 o'clock the next afternoon, Luby salesmen had sold 37 new Chevies, five^ '57 models. The advertising schedule, all run on Oct. 30-31, included 30 one-minute announcements on KTLN Denver, plus three hours with the KTLN mobile unit and almost six hours of remote broadcasting from the showroom. A varied spot schedule was used on other Denver radio outlets: KLAK — 20 one-minute spots; KLZ — seven 20-second spots; KIMN — 14 one-minute spots and participations; KMYR — 20 one-minute spots, and KOSI — eight one-minute spots, eight half-minutes. Only four tv spots were used in the campaign: two one-minute spots on KTVR (TV), two IDs on KOA-TV. Total budget, including radio time, arc-lights, coffee and doughnuts, amounted to $1,600. Example of the selling power of nighttime radio: one Denverite decided at 2 a.m. that he wanted a new Chevrolet; after getting finance people out of bed to clear the sale, Luby had a new car at his home at 3 a.m. Original presentation for the radio campaign came from Lee Mehlig, KTLN sales manager. Agency for Luby Chevrolet is Ted Levy, Richard Lane & Co., Denver. DAIRY DATA • Problem: How to expand sales and distribution and at the same time keep within a relatively modest budget. Advertiser: Hagan Dairy, Uniontown, Pa., which markets in a three-state area a premium-priced ice cream that sells for about 25% more than average ice creams. Solution (as described by Sherril Taylor, Radio Advertising Bureau's vice presidentdirector of promotion, in a folder being sent to members): Spot radio, * with a schedule launched over three Parkersburg, W. Va., stations; with Hagan salesmen calling on local retailers, followed by a doubling of spots and still a new campaign in Pittsburgh. Results: Through use of„ radio alone, sales in the markets moved 50% ahead of the same period a year ago, and Hagan's retail outlets in the areas increased sales by nearly 18%. FM ONLY • Early this year Gough Industries, Los Angeles distributor of products ranging from appliances to automobiles, took on the Braun hi-fi line of Germanbuilt receivers. Next step was to find a way to (a) create a public demand for the relatively expensive sets (the lowest priced model sells for over $150, the top units are in the $500-$600 range) and (b) sign dealers to serve the public demand. The firm decided to concentrate the entire advertising appropriation in fm. More than that, Gough and its advertising agency, Mullins, Earl Adv., decided to use only one station, KCBH (FM) Beverly Hills, Calif., and to use it during the morning hours, an unorthodox approach that necessitated moving the station's sign-on time up from noon to 8 a.m. For seven days a week, Gough sponsored this four-hour period, programmed with light standards, show tunes and pops, devoting its three commercials an hour to promoting not only the Braun sets but also Braun dealers. Each spot concluded with the name and address of a retail outlet. According to a letter from the sponsor to KCBH, the promotion was successful in building up a solid dealer organization — one aware of the many sales "attributed to your station's reception." In fact, the letter continues, although original plans called for maintaining the schedule for 13 weeks, "our dealer organization insisted we carry it on for a total of 30 weeks." CHAIN REACTION • A change in media strategy resulted in a changed sales pattern for McCulloch Chain Saws, product of McCulloch Motors Corp., Los Angeles. Ranking fourth in area sales, McCulloch switched its entire budget to KHSL-TV Chico, Calif. Schedule, placed through Stromberger, LaVene, McKenzie, Los Angeles, consisted of a co-sponsorship of a weekly half -hour program (/ Search for Adventure), three spot announcements a week, plus several onetime only programs (All-Star Football, Gold Cup Regatta). Results: after eight months, McCulloch ranked first in chain saw sales for the area. FAVORABLE REVIEW • The effective pulling power of a locally-produced radio commercial on WTTM Trenton, N. J. was lauded by the best of all possible critics — the sponsor. The Solfo Paint Mfg. Co., Trenton, uses 70 one-minute spots a week on WTTM. Company goal last year was to gain a larger percentage of paint sales in the Delaware Valley through closer identification with its dealers. After deciding on radio as the base for a continuous promotion, a series of brainstorming sessions was held with WTTM account executives and the firm's agency, Eldridge Inc., Trenton. Results: a series of "off-beat" commercials produced by WTTM. A year's end survey of results showed the Solfo factory was kept at peak capacity to supply the demand with "quite a few" new dealers added to its roster. Proof of the commercial's appeal: when WTTM announcers polled their listening audience on commercial preference, the Solfo spots ranked second. The sponsor was so pleased with the campaign that he has produced a brochure detailing campaign background and results, providing it to WTTM for promotion as well as mailing it to Solfo customers. ONE-TWO PUNCH • Employes of the Frisch drive-in restaurant at Madison, Indiana, got a night on the town, due to efforts of WLW Cincinnati. The station ran a remote broadcast from the restaurant as part of a campaign for all the branches of the drive-in. The owner of the chain had made HOW PEOPLE SPEND THEIR TIME There were 123,574,000 people in the U. S. over 12 years of age during the week Nov. 17-23. This is how they spent their time: 69.5% (85,884,000) spent 1,935.8 million hours watching television 66.3% (69,572,000) spent 998.0 million hours listening to radio 82.9% (102,443,000) spent 394.4 million hours reading newspapbrs 30.7% (37,937,000) spent 177.0 million hours reading magazines 24.9% (30,770,000) spent 380.5 million hours watching movies on tv 24.9% (30,722,000) spent 127.5 million hours attending movies * These totals, compiled by Sindlinger & Co., Ridley Park, Pa., and published exclusively by Broadcasting, each week, are based on a 48-state, random dispersion sample of 7,000 interviews (1,000 each day). Sindlinger's monthly "Activity" report, from which these weekly figures are drawn, furnishes comprehensive breakdowns of these and numerous other categories, and shows the duplicated and unduplicated audiences between each specific medium. Copyright 1957 Sindlinger & Co. •All figures are average daily tabulations for the week with exception of the "attending movies category which is a cumulative total for the week. Sindlinger tabulations are available within 2-7 days of the interviewing week. SINDLINGER'S SET COUNT: As of Nov. 1, Sindlinger data shows: (1) 105,120,000 people over 12 years of age see tv (85.2% of the people in that age group); (2) 40,692,000 U. S. households with tv; (3) 44,725,000 tv sets in use in U. S. Page 44 • December 2, 1957 Broadcasting