Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

Arthur Flour is prominently high lighted and actually demonstrated by cast's marketing authority, pretty, dimpled Peggy Kiley. During the other three weeks in the month, the show resembles a regular traveling circus. A special portable Food Fair booth is erected in important Boston markets and stores. Miss Kiley again demonstrates the advertisers' products. Outstanding promotion: The Food Fair News, a multilithed weekly publication, mailed to all listeners sending requests. The News is edited by cast members and contains cooking, sewing hints, even plans for making a doll house for the kiddies. Also provides free advertising space to program's sponsors. AIR FAX: The broadcast itself is a dramatization of the newspaper. Home economics expert Mother Parker gives cooking tips; Miss Kiley adds background facts about foods; Roberta Green offers suggestions on how to entertain at home. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 9:30-9:45 A.M. Preceded By: CBS News. Followed By: Bachelor's Children (CBS dramatic serial ) . Competition: The Breakfast Club (NBC) Alice Blair (NBC dramatic serial). Sponsor: Sands, Taylor and Wood Co., distributor of King Arthur Flour (and other sponsors). Station: WEEI, Boston, Mass. Power: 5,000 watts, D., 1,000 watts, N. Population: 769,520 (1940). COMMENT: Too often businessmen who enter a cooperative program would be far better off with plain spot announcements. Many such programs lack theme and coherence. Food Fair has both — plus a definite merchandising policy designed to promote the show and the advertisers' products at the same time. SAMPLE ARTICLES FROM FOOD FAIR NEWS AVAILABLE. Home Furnishings LUNCHEON WITH THE STARS Soft clink of silver, chameleonic strum of string music, subdued chatter of many voices it's lunch eon time in the main dining room of New Haven's Hotel Taft, and in just a moment, Luncheon With tin Stars is on the air. Inter viewers Scott HmUey and Belle I'arrish ihat in for mall) with stan currently appearing at the well known Chapel Playhouse (summer theater, (iuilford, Conn.). While the head liners lunt h. the radio audienees eat up e\ei\ w ord ! Promotion <>t the program has come through several media: posters and me, plat e, station, and st.u to appeal on the pto-jiam ha\e heen e\teilsi\e|\ displayed; Guilford Playhouse, reciprocally, has advertised the broadcast in then hulletms each week ; radio editors have given favorable attention to the program in newspapers. AIR FAX: While Miss Parrish delves into the likes of the male stars, Mr. Buckley probes the interests of the feminine stars. In past luncheons film beauty Lily Damita, stage star Ruth Chatterton, and stripteaser Ann Corio have chatted on the program. Broadcast Schedule: Tuesday, 1:15-1:30 P.M. Preceded By: Wax Wise. Followed By: Spins and Needles. Competition: Ted Malone, Masters orchestra. Sponsor: Kane's Furniture Co. Station: WBRY, New Haven, Conn. Power: 1,000 watts. Population: 99,902. COMMENT: Someone wrote a song once about "the time, the place, and the girl." He should have been buying radio, for so often one or the other is neglected, most often, the place. No matter how well a radio program is staged — in the void of a pitch black abyss, from the center of Radio City Music Hall — the audience must visualize the place by means of sound and words. Rather than create your own atmosphere of reality, the simplest solution for an advertiser is to stage the show, as the Kane Furniture Company did, in a dramatic setting. The whispering background noises and sounds of the crowd will bring a better picture to the listener than words alone can ever do. In your town you can easily find at least one important gathering place around which to build an entire show. Meat Products MEAT OF THE MEAL Reviving the old medieval art of meat-tasting has In-come a unique promotion feature for Cleveland Provision Company, sponsors of the Meat of the Meal program. Once each month capacity crowds gather at Cleveland's downtown auditorium to hear home economics columnist Florence LaGanke broadcast, to receive new recipes for the use of Sponsor's various meat products, and to taste and compare meat samples. The voting for favorite meat delicacy is duly recorded anil winning meat is distributed free to even woman at conclusion of the meeting. AIR FAX: Program features cooking chats by Mis* LaGanko and well-planned -.erie^ of premium offers. Mail pull lu-.iw. Small roip.' hook brought in l.*>00 requests in one day. li,, mdi. ;W Sckadwltl Moiul.n thru Friday. Program Startfd: October 10. 19J8. .S/n.r/w.r. Cl«V«tand Provioion Compam . Station: W( I B, (lev eland. I'ou ,-r: )00 \».itts. Population: 878*429 I 1948 COMMENT Often an extra promotion sud .is an open house broadcast can convert ■ ordinar) program into a top-flight favorite. Once the person behind the voice is seen. much more distinct radio personality evolvt 72 RADIO SHOWMANSHI