Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

Department Stores TIPS FOR THE TARDY Can you imagine a radio audience turning cartwheels of appreciation for a half-hour commercial? It happens every year in Rochester, N. Y., on station WHAM! Back in 1938 sponsor Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Company, Rochester's largest retail store, took a 30-minute spot for one evening a few days before Christmas. Swiftly, to prevent interest drop, clever commentators Joan Harding and Tom Murray present the 17 Sibley buyers. Each one speaks one minute, calls attention to several exceptional buys in his department. To last-minute shoppers, who feel they have hit the zero hour, each word is like the tinkling of Yuletide bells. Store executives report direct selling results after the program. It's a third term for Tips for the Tardy! They have been on the air in 1938, 1939, and will be on again this Christmas. AIR FAX: Besides the contest, show consists of musical numbers, commercial plugs. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Saturday, 12:1512:33 M Followed By: Fans in the Street. Sponsor: Cincinnati Retail Grocers and Meat Dealer Association. Station: WSAI, Cincinnati, Ohio. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 451,160. COMMENT: In promoting a contest on the order of one described, show should be kej absolutely free from derision of the chains Cincy independent grocers carefully cleansec commercials of all controversial comments tooted their own horn. (Listeners are not ir terested in battles, only in better buys.) R( newal is ample proof of sound program ide< Program offers grand opportunity for pointof-sale display, extra promotions at each individual store. Ideal time to start show: This Christmas. AIR FAX: First Broadcast: December, 1938. Broadcast Schedule: One night, 9:00-9:30 P.M. Sponsor: Sibley, Lindsay 8C Curr Co. Station: WHAM, Rochester, N. Y. Power: 50,000 watts. Population: 328,132. COMMENT: Success of Tips for the Tardy is proof supreme of the significance of the time element in setting up a radio program. Such a show in June would be senseless. In December, it's showmanship! To get the most out of radio, follow the "Trends!" (See page 118.) Groceries CHRISTMAS CHEER Fact: Starting last year as a Christmas season program, this ihow proved so successful it has been continued as an all year 'round feature. Christmas of '39, Cincinnati's Rktail Grocers AND Meat Dealers Association went on the air with a musical show. For the Yuletide appeal they conducted a contest on "Why I Like to Deal with My Independent Gro «<•!." Prizes were baskets of groceries, given free daily to winning Letter-writers. In a period of about 1 () days, 700 entries were re Ceived. In addition to the letters, grocers m the association reported numerous customer Comments, Chiefly about the unusual contest idea. When the Christmas promotion period had expired. grOC« enthusiasm was tr.ms lated into a renewal contract tor a program plugging the advantages Of the independent ' I . Home Furnishing KRIS AND KRINGLE Amid a clatter o Yuletide sound effects, Santa's helpers, Kri and Kringle, two voices unfamiliar to th Pittsburgh radio public, came on the air 1 weeks before last Christmas. Immediatel they set to work to establish contact betwee Santa Claus and Pittsburgh youngsters. Let ters were invited (i.e., information abo what the children wanted for Christma how good they were, what little things the had done to please mother, dad, Santa Clau etc.). Kris and Kringle mail pull starte immediately. At the end of the six-wee period, approximately 4,860 letters h come into station KQV. Christmas came be fore half of the letters had been read on thej air. Another promotion on the progranM brought a steady stream of customers into sponsor Scio China Company's pottery shop, located on a strategic Pennsylvania highway. Sponsor offered a free gift, a serving dish, to every customer at the highway store who mentioned hearing the Kris and Kringle program. The pottery had put in a supply of 1,000 gift dishes; on Christmas day, only a little over 100 remained. AIR FAXi Kris and Kringle read about 10 letter* OjJ t-.uh program. A friendly, informal style was used in ] t. ilkin^ to tin cMldfOB. Besides reading the letter*, they k->v** advice re Christma* behavior, cut a few capon "itli tin -.how' ajmouncor. BrOOdcSSt Sckodultl Monday thru Saturday, *>:45' (.:()() P.M. I'unJid Byt Malod) Parada. i >>ii mi. j Hy: Now*. Compeiitiont It Happaatad in Hollywood (CBS)i loin Mix (NIK! ilt.ini.ilu serial). Sponsor I Sdo China Company. 106 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP,