Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1963)

ment is made on the basis of ratings. Stations are classified by type (popular music, classical music, talk, sports, etc.), and audiences are assigned to them in relation to their standings in the ratings, with time of day and season of the year taken into consideration. The audience information is based on actual ratings compiled by C. E. Hooper Inc., including special measurements, in 58 of the 98 counties. For the 40 other counties Media-Mix officials made estimates based on information available in the 58. Similar information is on file in the computers to describe the audience patterns for some 270 tv stations, about 36 magazine, all newspapers in the sampling points, and Sunday supplements. While Dr. Pool and Mr. Greenfield foresee special advantages for radio broadcasters specifically, they anticipate that the main uses of Media-Mix by advertisers and agencies will cut across all major media and seek to determine the differences in coverage effects to be achieved by different campaign plans. The nature of work to be done by Simulmatics for Benton & Bowles has not been disclosed. For Du Pont, it is known that Simulmatics plans to experiment with the relative effectiveness of several different media combinations (Closed Circuit, Dec. 31, 1962). Simulmatics officials said the cost of Hancock and Norwalk gasolines switch to radio Switching its advertising emphasis from outdoor to radio, Signal Oil & Gas Co., Los Angeles, is starting a saturation campaign of humorous one-minute spots on some 60 stations in California, Nevada and Texas, for Hancock and Norwalk gasolines. Honig-Cooper & Harrington, Los Angeles, is the agency. Spotmakers and Mel Blanc Assoc. created the spots, all based on the theme of seven gasolines at seven prices, giving each car the exact kind of gas its engine requires and allowing the motorist to buy the right kind without paying a premium for something he doesn't need or want. An example is "Tailors," produced by Mel Blanc Assoc., with Mel Blanc and Herschel Nernardi voicing a script by Dick Clorfene. When Herschel says "Hancock gasolines are tailor made" and Mel questions him about gasolines being made by tailors, he replies, "Oh, no, no, no. Hancock has seven gasolines and seven prices, tailored to fit your car. We wouldn't let tailors make our gasolines." Now Mel becomes belligerent. "What have you got against tailors?," he asks, turning and shouting "Hey, everybody . . . Hancock gasoline doesn't like tailors!" Herschel explains: "All I said was that Hancock has seven gasolines and seven prices. One is right for your car . . . and your wallet." Mel asks: "You mean you don't hate tailors?" Herschel replies, "Of course not, I love tailors," and Mel has the last word: "Oh, let's not get sloppy about it." "harbinger of a major trend away from the television set," the article says. It notes a "growing protest against tv programming, much of which is bulldozed to suit a single set of tastes and interests." The federal government has "sensed" this disenchantment and also is "acting in several way," it continues. The article notes the tv industry's claims that programs are improving and also that some people feel a fragmentation of audiences into smaller groups will mean inferior programs because of the expenses of good programs. The article concludes that the four media may hurt themselves by imitating each other in trying to increase their audience or circulation capacity. It predicts the likely result of excess capacity among media will be that decimation of stations, newspapers and magazines will continue, while others appealing to selected audiences — "content themselves with a smaller, more digestible piece of the pie." Specialist media could get a "shot in the arm" from local advertising, which "may be growing faster than national advertising before long." Media-Mix will depend on the amount of special material and computer running time involved in each case. The current rate card calls for a maximum of $7,000 for estimation of the reach and frequency of one schedule for one year, with provision for second and third schedules to be evaluated at the same time for an additional $1,000 each. President Greenfield said, however, that this rate card is currently being scaled down to reflect operating economies introduced in the last few months and that the new schedule will bring the service within reach of middlesized and even smaller agencies. COMPUTERS' FUTURE BBDO executive says they allow more time to think The electronic computers being used more and more by advertising agencies to shortcut detail drudgery and to give executives more time for decision-making will ultimately lead to the buying of broadcast media based on a cost for a delivered audience. That is one of several specific developments foreseen by John M. Tyson, Jr., vice presient, BBDO, Chicago, as agencies and advertisers live and learn with their new machines. He told Chicago's Broadcast Advertising Club last week that "we always have played a game of Russian roulette in trying to outguess each other as to what ultimate audiences and, consequently, ultimate efficiences will be. There is no room for this kind of gambling with the kind of money that is being committed to advertising today." Mr. Tyson's other predictions: ■ The machine is going to force more uniform data from media. Radio and television both must provide consistent and accurate data to satisfy the operating needs of computers (BBDO's machines use "linear" programming). ■ The mathematics and mechanics of linear programming of computers will force us to seek the relative values of different units in broadcasting. "It is amazing how little is known by anyone as to the relative values of different commercial lengths, daytime versus nighttime, spot television versus program, etc.," Mr. Tyson said. "You can find almost anyone with strong opinions in this area, but you find nobody who knows." ■ Linear programming will force us to learn to express the relative values of print versus television. ■ More care will be taken in the design of broadcasting properties to meet specific audience requirements. "Network people, show people, tv stations will find that the XYZ Corp. wants to reach certain prospects so they will design programs to reach them," Mr. Tyson explained. ■ Linear programming will greatly reduce the purchase of run-of-station spots by many advertisers. He said this will occur because they will have no knowledge of who these spots are reaching. ■ Agency use of computers "will cut into long-term commitments in shows as management sees what they may lose by forcing all brands into one vehicle." ■ It will increase the use of scatterminute buys so that brands can buy precisely at the time they need advertising and can design the audience profile they want by combining different shows. Mr. Tyson said the computer's big contribution to advertising is that "it forces us to think." He said the elec BROADCASTING, January 14, 1963 43