Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

JOHNNY ON THE SPOT If you use spot announcements, you'll be interested in the news, reviews, and tips in this column. What others are buying may hold the answer to what you should buy. In the past month, of the new spot business reported to Radio Showmanship, one-minute spots still held top position though less strongly than the month before. This Month's Spot Business A. ( \S 20 word announcements CD 50 word announcements 100-125 word announcements 23% 18% 2 O transcribed CD' 50 word participating spot 15% 23% 41% 21% Total 100% GOOD WILL PAYS When a special event is sponsored on a single-time basis, it is a special event. Such a rare occasion occurred when Paradise Inn at Mount Rainier was host to a group of top Buick executives. Among them was Harlow H. Curtice, president and general manager of the Buick Division and newly elected vice-president of General Motors. Members of KMO's special events department drove to Mount Rainier for an informal interview with the officials. Individual, local Buick dealers took advantage of the unusual opportunity to start the sale of the new 1941 models by buying spots on each side of the quarter-hour interview. Thus, a good will gesture turned into a good business transaction. Going to the Inn at Mount Rainier, away from the studio, created the desired informality. Impressions of Northwest scenery and a preview of the new Buick "Fireball" for 1941 were discussed in the interviews. The spot announcements tied in perfectly. IN THE SPOTLIGHT Automobiles When Philadelphia Dodge & Plymouth dealers, Columbia Motors, turned to radio, they selected participating spots on WIBG's cooperatively-sponsored People's Choice. Usually averaging about 150 words, participating spots give the advertiser most of the advantages of a regular program, plus ample time to tell a complete sales story. Biggest difficulty is finding a cooperative program with enough interest to command an audience. People's Choice makes its chief bid for audience by offering theatre tickets to listeners for answering puzzling questions during the course of the show. It differs from most musical request programs in that it features special interviews with musical or theatrical celebrities. Typical Columbia Motors announcement: Columbia Motors — at 6-1-1-8 — 6118 North Fifth St., at Godfrey Ave., in Philadelphia — have a sales drive on! They want to sell 18 new Dodges and Plymouths in the next 10 days! For that reason you're sure of the best trade-in allowance on your old car! Drive in and see about it tonight! You're sure of a real deal, and a square deal! While there, you might inspect the completely equipped service department, staffed with factory-trained mechanics, who know how and why to properly service your car — and most reasonably! Then, too, it would be a good idea to ask for the free grease job card — which entitles you to have your car greased, without a charge, when it's filled in! Most important of all tho' . . . ask about these special trade-in deals! They're like the weather! Hot right now! — at Columbia Motors, Dodge and Plymouth dealers, established in 1924, at 6118 North 5th St., at Godfrey Ave., in Philadelphia! INTRODUCING New business fields to which radio is now extending its services . . . Bleach . . . Purex Co., South Gate, California. 150-word announcements on International Kitchen. Station KPO, San Francisco. Books . . . Blue Ribbon Books. One-minute electrical transcriptions (5). Station KSFO, San Francisco. Coffee Tablets . . . Chicorry Coffee Tablets. Station break announcements. Station WHN, New York City. Dollar Day . , . Downtown Dollar Day Association of Los Angeles. 50-word announcements (14), 150-word announcements (6), Station KFI, Los Angeles; 50word announcements (20), Station KECA, Los Angeles. Magazines . . . Friday Magazine, Inc., New York City. One-minute evening announcements (8). Station KDKA, Pittsburgh, Pa. Nurseries . . . Gardner Nurseries. One-minute electrical transcriptions. Station KSFO, San Francisco. Politics . . . Buron Fitts Campaign. 50-word announcements, to be used eight days (23). Station KFI, Los Angeles (33), Station KECA, Los Angeles. Taxi Cabs . . . Yellow Cab Company. Evening announcements (78). Station KPO, San Francisco. Trotting Races . . . Old Country Trotting Association. Announcements for trotting races on Old Roosevelt Raceway to last six weeks. Station WHN, New York City. HINTS TO SPOT BUYERS No. 2 — Don't be afraid to use a good announcement again and again. It will save you time and effort . . . and you'll be surprised at the cumulative effectiveness obtained through repetition. OCTOBER, 1 940 75