Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

'57 BROADCAST ADS AT $2 BILLION Total broadcast advertising expenditures came within a shade of the $2 billion mark in 1957, reaching $1,934 million. This $2 billion figure promises to be left well behind a year from now unless 1958 suffers unexpectedly from rolling readjustment cyclic trends or some of the other economic factors foreseen in year-end forecasts. The 1957 total advertising expenditure (including time and programs) consisted of: Television — $1,284 million, up 6.1% Radio— $650 million, up 14% These are estimates compiled at the yearend by NARTB. The television total is another all-time record. Radio rose 14% over 1956, also an all-time record, NARTB previously had estimated [Advertisers & Agencies, Dec. 23]. The television increase of 6.1% in 1957, according to NARTB's estimate, was based on these trends: Network— Up 4.5% Spot— Up 10% Local — Up 5% The advertising expenditures formula differs from net time sales, which are based on deduction of frequency and promotional discount but before sales and agency commissions. NARTB's estimate of total tv advertising expenditures in 1957 compares with an estimate of $1,290 million forecast by Television Bureau of Advertising for the 1957-58 Telecasting Yearbook-Marketbook. The record $1,284 million television advertising expenditure marks the close of the first full decade for the visual medium, NARTB pointed out in a year-end roundup. The association said this trend points to greatly expanded growth and service in the second television decade. The number of homes viewing tv now totals 38 million compared to 34 million a year ago, according to NARTB. Average viewing per set totaled 41 hours 34 minutes in 1957 compared to 38 hours 52 minutes the previous year. In the 10-year period, the number of tv sets in use increased from 102,000 to 43 million. The number of licensed stations increased from 6 to 539. President Harold E. Fellows said this growth and the enlarged advertising expenditure showed the tremendous acceptance of free television in the United States. He termed tv's advertising service to business and industry "a vital part of our economy of abundance." Mr. Fellows said the impact of tv on ideas and world development was shown in dramatic terms during 1957. He said coverage of the Russian satellite launching, one of the most significant events of the century, was outstanding. He listed the Little Rock controversy, Queen Elizabeth's visit and the Senate labor racket hearings as demonstrating tv's impact on the minds and imagination of the American people. The year 1957 "was the most competitive in tv history, "Mr. Fellows observed, with the three national tv networks offering memorable programming. "Only good can result from such competition, for it brings Broadcasting a vitality and creativity to the industry from which the tv viewer, the advertiser and broadcaster himself must benefit," he said. NARTB's summary listed such 1957 technical advances as magnetic tape for blackand-white and color, forward scatter for intercontinental tv and the smaller sets made possible by short-neck picture tubes. Magnetic tape was described as providing important relief for the problem of daylight saving time and network programming schedules. ABN Counts $4 Million Business in Four Weeks In the four weeks since American Broadcasting Network kicked off its "most intensive selling drive" with a breakfast presentation by ABN President Robert E. Eastman, the network has racked up an excess of $4 million in new and renewed business, Mr. Eastman announced Friday. He also disclosed that during the past week, ABN garnered 13 new sponsors representing aggregate billings of $1.5 million. Noted Mr. Eastman: "The most recent signing of Lever Bros. Co., American Cyanamid, Philco Corp. and many other key advertisers is a tremendous vote of confidence in the new American concept of 'live' programming. Together with the previously announced Chevrolet, 20th Century Stahl-Meyer Inc., New York meat packer, and its agency, Hicks & Greist, New York, are reaching into radio's past for their new $100,000-plus spot announcement campaign now being heard in greater New York, using the "hardsell" tactics of Sen. Claghorn of Fred Allen fame. Announcer Kenny Delmar (Claghorn) is backed by music (chorus and orchestra) described in the copy by H&G as "in the style of the A&P Gypsies,' " a musical series on NBC in the 1920's. A total of 717 announcements placed within 30 programs on six New York stations— WNEW, WMOM, WOR, WMCA, WINS and WHLI (the last in Hempstead, L. I.) make up the campaign. A heavy saturation schedule plus the bombastic oratory of Sen. Claghorn— notes agency copy chief Art Mayer, "He never makes a request, he commands!" — gives the Stahl-Meyer campaign a "double whammy." What is more, says Mr. Mayer, "Claghorn's most common technique is that of repetition." For example, "Ferris Ham, Ah say, Ferris, that is." Stahl-Meyer General Sales Manager Frank Guthrie feels Claghorn's "amusing, highly merchandisable character" suits Ferris to a "T." He notes that Ferris is in search of a personality in the manner of Bert and Harry Piel (Piel Bros. Beer), Albert Dimes (Tetley Tea Co.'s "tea Fox and other sponsorships, the trend in the coming year will be to ABN." The breakdown of new and renewed business follows: American Cyanamid Co. (Albert FrankGuenther Law) for Breakfast Club effective Feb. 6; Hudson Vitamin Products Inc. (Pace Adv.) for Herb "Oscar" Anderson Show effective Jan. 9; Knox Gelatine Co. (Charles W. Hoyt Co.) for Breakfast Club and Jim Backus Show effective Jan. 27; Lever Bros. Co. (Sullivan, Stauffer, Colwell & Bayles) Breakfast Club, Anderson Show, Jim Reeves Show, Backus Show, effective Jan. 6; C. H. Musselman Co. (Arndt, Preston, Chapin, Lamb & Keene) for Breakfast Club effective Feb. 18; Olson Rug Co. (Presba, Fellers & Presba) for Breakfast Club, effective Jan. 21; Chas. Pfizer Co. (Leo Burnett Co.) for Breakfast Club effective Jan. 13; Philco Corp. (BBDO) for Breakfast Club, also Jan. 13. Renewed business came from: Milner Products Co. (Gordon Best Co.) which not only renewed but enlarged its sponsorship of Breakfast Club to start Jan. 8; National Brands Div., Sterling Drug Inc. (Carl S. Brown Co.) Sunshine Boys effective Jan. 1; Sandura Co. (Hicks & Greist) for Breakfast Club effective Jan. 9. Earlier, ABN reported new business from Buitoni Foods Corp. (AF-GL), Chevrolet Motor Div. of General Motors Corp. (Campbell-Ewald), Kitchen Art Foods (Wright, Campbell & Suitt), Magla Products taster"), Commander Edward Whitehead (Schweppes USA Ltd.) and Elsie (The Borden Co.) — all radio spot users. To carry the Claghorn image right down to the root of the problem — namely to instill in the sales force the Senator's go-gettism — H&G invited Mr. Delmar to address the salesmen, Southern-fried style, of course, and as Claghorn, Mr. Delmar stumped for himself as he passed out autographed photos, cigars and windy "campaign promises." These promises apparently are being fulfilled with great success. "Lots of votes for Ferris have come into Stahl-Meyer election headquarters," says one company official. H&G account executive Larry Alexander, mindful of the "sometime, lethargic" meat trade, believes the Claghorn idea has "hit the trade like a stick of dynamite." S-M, relatively new at Hicks & Greist — up to last summer it had been serviced by Charles W. Hoyt Co. — now is considering a similar campaign in television. December 30, 1957 • Page 37 CLAGHORN HAMS FOR FERRIS HAM