NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1935)

13. Department and general stores. National non-network business triple preceding month’s volume and local down 10.0%. Total unchanged. National business triple August 1934, and local up 4S.4%. Total volume up 56.8%. 14. Tobacco products. National network volume unchanged as against July. Regional networks down 10.0% and national non¬ network up 13.0%. National network volume five times that of last August. Regional business grown from nothing to $20,820. National non-network business up 162.5%. 15. Miscellaneous. National and regional network business up approximately 50.0%. National non-network volume down 19.4%, and local 8.0% as compared to July. National network advertising 72.8% greater than same month of last year, national non-network business up 55.7%, and local up 17.7%. Regional business down materially. Retail Broadcast Advertising Advertising by retail establishments of various types increased 1.8% during August as compared with the preceding month. Retail store volume was 55.9% greater than during the corres¬ ponding month of 1934. Furniture and clothing store business experienced the greatest increases as compared to the preceding month while retail auto¬ motive advertising dropped off materially. Marked gains, however, were shown in a variety of fields when August volume was compared with that of the corresponding period of 1934. Automotive advertising gained 30.1%, accessory and gasoline retail advertising 50.0%, clothing and apparel volume 66.3%, grocery store business 40.0%, housefurnishing retailers 76.6% and furniture stores 62.8%. Retail broadcast advertising during August is found in Table VII. TABLE VII RETAIL BROADCAST ADVERTISING OVER INDIVIDUAL STATIONS 1935 Gross Time Sales Type of Sponsoring Business July August Automobiles and accessories; Automobile agencies and used car dealers $91,275 $49,980 Gasoline stations, garages, etc . 48,570 45,860 Clothing and apparel shops . 134,460 183,320 Drugs and toilet goods: Drug stores . 10,910 17,090 Beauty parlors . 8,240 7,270 Food products; Grocery stores, meat markets, etc . 29,410 42,115 Restaurants and eating places . 22,428 21,283 Beverage retailers . 2,550 1,700 Confectionery stores . 2,300 474 Household goods: Household equipment dealers . 54,700 53,000 Furniture stores . 74,800 88,810 Hardware stores . 15,235 13,600 Radio retailers . 13,328 9,310 Department and general stores . 115,740 113,880 Tobacco shops . 290 175 Miscellaneous . 69,170 58,350 Total . $693,416 $706,217 FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ACTIVITIES Complaints The Federal Trade Commission has alleged unfair competition in complaints issued against the following companies. The respondents will be given opportunity to appear at hearings to show cause why cease and desist orders should not be issued. No. 2547. Brooks Rupture Appliance Co., Marshall, Mich. According to the complaint, the respondent’s appliance is a truss, the representations in its advertising are not true, the Brooks ap¬ pliance will not relieve all types of rupture and has assisted in relieving or curing only a small percentage of cases of reducible hernia. Hearing October 18. Nos. 2548 and 2549. Consolidated Portrait & Frame Co.. Ben Dial and Paul Broyle, trading as Deluxe Art Studio, and Daniel F. and Charles C. Orange, Chicago, Illinois. Among unfair practices alleged are the selling of portraits by representing the actual value and usual prices as much greater than they are. The complaint also alleges fraudulent inducement of customers to sign a contract upon false representation that the contract is merely a receipt for the small photographs from which enlargements are to be “painted,” when in fact the document is a binding contract. No. 2550. Mutual Stores, Inc., Washington, D. C. The com¬ plaint alleges unauthorized use of the names “Army” and “Navy” in selling merchandise. Stipulations No. 0899. Coflield Protector Co., Dayton, Ohio. Under the terms of the stipulation, the respondent agrees to discontinue mis¬ representations in advertising as to the power and efficiency of a graphited motor lubricant (Graf-Ex). No. 1444. Planters Edible Oil Co., New York City and Suffolk, Va., and National Food Bureau, Inc., New York City (an advertising agency). The respondents agree to abandon the following representations: Using the phrase “Ali D’ltalia Olio” as a name for its product, unless it is clearly explained that the word “Olio” as used in such advertisements means peanut oil; use of Italian pictures or references to designate a domestic product; allegation that its peanut oil has been specially commended by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and that the caloric value of peanut oil is greater than that of cottonseed oil or corn oil. Nos. 1445-1448, inc. Universal Merchandise Co., Carson Pirie, Scott & Co., Frankish Brothers Chemical Works of Indiana, and Wilson Drug Co., Chicago, Illinois. Under the stipulations these companies agree, in the sale of rubbing alcohol compounds, to stop using on labels the phrase, “Alcohol I. P. No. 70,” so as to tend to deceive buyers into believing that the product referred to contains 70% of ethyl alcohol or that its base is ethyl alcohol, when this is not true. No. 1449. Willow Shirt and Underwear Corporation, New Haven, Conn. The respondent agrees to cease and desist, in the sale of its shirts, from using labels so worded as to tend to confuse buyers into believing that its shirts have all been tested and certified to by the United States Testing Co., Inc., when only a portion have been so tested. No. 1450. Kraft Paper Mills, Inc., New York City. The re¬ spondent agrees to cease and desist from using the word “Mills” in its trade name or in other ways which may have a tendency to deceive buyers into believing that the corporation owns, operates and controls a mill or factory wherein the products which it sells and distributes are made, when this is not true. No. 1451. W’orthall, Limited, New York City. The respond¬ ent, selling at wholesale a line of perfumes, toilet soaps, powders and cosmetics manufactured in New York City under the trade name of “Drury Lane” and labeled “English Lavender,” will discontinue using names which indicate manufacture in or importation from London or England or from Montreal, Canada, or that tend to deceive buyers into believing that the corporation is an English corporation engaged in the importation and sale of English manu¬ factured products, when this is not true. No. 1452. William Gordon, tr/as Masterlite Manufacturing Co., also known as Masterlite Company, New York City. The respondent, a dealer in electric light bulbs, stipulates that he will abandon the marking of bulbs with a “cold” or “dry” etching or by use of ink w hich is not permanent and liable to disappear, or in any way w’hich will make it difficult or impossible for purchasers to determine the w’attage of such bulbs. No. 1453. J. C. W’elcli, tr/as Welch Nursery, Shenandoah, Iowa. The respondent agrees to cease and desist from using the word “wholesale” alone or in conjunction with other w'ords to describe his catalogue so as to imply that the prices listed are whole¬ sale prices, w'hen this is not true. No. 1454. Animal Trap Company of America, Lititz, Pa. The respondent agrees to cease and desist from using in advertise¬ ments assertions to the effect that its product eliminates the pos¬ sibility of “wring-offs” or that it gets every muskrat that springs the trap or eliminated 99 per cent of the “wring-offs,” when this is not true. NEW SCHEDULE FOR WWV The National Bureau of Standards, Department of Commerce, provides a standard frequency service w'hich is broadcast by radio. Beginning October 1, 1935, this service will be given on three days each week, from the Bureau’s station WWV, Beltsville, Md., near Washington, D. C. The object of these radio emissions is to provide a standard for scientific or other measurements requiring an accurate radio or audio frequency or time rate. They are likewise useful to radio • Page 972 •