Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1963)

WORTH MORE IN TAMPA ST. PETERSBURG Your advertising dollar goes three times farther on WSUN-TV the pioneer station WSUN®TV Tampa St. Petersburg Natl. Rep: VENARD, TORBET & McCONNELL S. E. Rep: JAMES S AYERS 52 (BROADCAST ADVERTISING) Actors Guild (story page 66). A plea for a campaign to increase public awareness of the fundamental importance of the free enterprise system was voiced by Alan G. Stoneman, president and chief executive officer of the Purex Corp. He urged ANA to "set up a positive action group to develop ways and means of working both independently and with other business and professional groups The use of Negroes in advertising, particularly in TV commercials, held the attention of the nation's leading advertisers last week in one of the most freely moving sessions of the three-day annual meeting of the Association of National Advertisers (also see stories pages 50 and 54). Leaders indicated after the closed session Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 12) that the big question raised by the advertisers was not whether to employ Negroes in their advertising, but how to. Several ANA members, including some smaller and essentially regional as well as major national advertisers, said they were adding Negroes to their commercials and print ads voluntarily, without prodding from Negro action groups. The consensus, so far as it could be determined, appeared to be that Negroes should be properly represented as part of American life, but not at the expense of "good advertising." In general it was felt a gradually growing number of commercials would include Negroes. Some advertisers suggested that TV programing is employing Negroes to a greater extent than commercials. At least nine TV commercials and "four or five" print ads using Negroes were shown at the closed meeting. The commercials were for Oxydol, Anacin, All, Vitalis, RCA Victor, National Biscuit Co., Gillette, Soaky toys and Grapenuts. Harry F. Schroeter of National Biscuit, retiring ANA chairman, and ANA President Peter W. Allport, who reported on the session at a news conference afterward, said no special effort was made to get such commercials to show as "examples," indicating that many other companies also are using "integrated" commercials. They said "a good many" advertisers have such commercials and print ads in preparation. Most of the commercials shown at the meeting already have been used on the air, they reported. In many cases the Negroes appeared in background scenes. In some they had speaking roles. No Adverse Reaction ■ Mr. Schroeter said none of the advertisers indicated, in response to questions, that their com and associations in a united front — a crusade, if you please — to utilize the resources of our business system to market and advertise economic understanding of our free enterprise system." Two selections of television commercials were shown at well "attended sessions. One was a group of foreign commercials, the other was made up of winners in the 1963 American TV commercials festival. panies had noticed any "adverse effects" from the commercials and ads. Some, he said, reported they had received "favorable comments." Much of the questioning by ANA members, he reported, related to the objectives and attitudes indicated by the Congress of Racial Equality in seeking more general use of Negroes in advertising. CORE has worked primarily with advertisers — individually, not through the ANA — while the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has worked more with advertising agencies. Mr. Schroeter and President Allport emphasized that the ANA has taken no official position, believing the question is one for advertisers to decide individually. They said there had been no suggestion that all-white commercials be substituted for integrated commercials on a local cut-in basis in the South. No "show of hands" was requested on any subject, the officials reported, but they said no advertiser indicated he would refuse to employ Negroes in his advertising. It was noted that CORE, in addition to its efforts on behalf of integrated advertising, has asked advertisers to notify program sources that they have no objection to the use of Negroes in their programing. The closed meeting followed an open session at which a panel of Newsweek executives reported on the magazine's study of the Negro "revolt." Lou Harris, public opinion analyst, said that when Negroes were asked whether they would boycott certain products, if necessary, 63% — representing $12 billion in Negro buying power — answered that they would. He said he thought such boycotts would be far more effective as local actions than on a nationwide scale. The Newsweek panelists told the advertisers they had contributed substantially to the Negro "revolt" because every commercial or ad they presented reminds Negroes of the benefits of the "white" world. Negroes, they said, want to join the white society, not overthrow it. BROADCASTING, November 18, 1963 IT ISN'T WHETHER BUT HOW ANA discusses problem of using Negroes in commercials