Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

eturns: Almost a Million Sportcasts Should Be Merchandised, Writes PAUL HELLMAN. Here's the Interesting Account of Dne That Was, and How On July 2, 1921, before a cheering crowd of almost 100,000, the "Manassa Mauler," Jack Dempsey, knocked out Georges Carpentier of France in four rounds at Boyle's Thirty Acres in Jersey City. It was a great fight, made greater still by the fact that Major J. Andrew White described, blow by blow, every bit of action to millions who couldn't afford to pay $50 for ringside seats. From that early beginning, sports broadcasts have progressed to the point where today they are a regular feature on most U. S. radio stations. Boxing, baseball, basketball, and even badminton are being broadcast at the very time they actually happen. Throughout the country, hundreds of sponsors have ridden along on the crest of the wave of public interest in these "on-the-spot" sportcasts. There was a time when all a businessman had to do was identify his product with the sports event he sponsored, and his sales message would be accepted readily. But that doesn't happen anymore. Sports shows today, despite their ever-increasing popularity, must be merchandised like any Other radio program. Because they occur less frequently, COSt more, the promotions must be planned carefully. For example, broadcasts of local boxing matches may be held but once each month, hut interest must he sustained <la\ to day. Good radio promotions of sports events are difficult to uncover. 1 happened to hear of one that's worth relahi tall, the Worth Food M \kki ra of Fori Worth were one of four co sponsors <»t the Local, high ichool, football games In the 1 1 Inter* holastic League. il with the problem of linking a sales message appealing primarily to women with football appealing more to men than to women, ace KFJZ sports announcer Zack Hurt hit upon a Popular Players Poll. It was simply an effort to determine the most popular young gridiron star in the league, but it became one of the most successful promotions ever undertaken by any local radio sponsor, if returns are any indication. When the last ballot was counted, there had been close to one million votes cast, but we are getting ahead of our story. During the game, the local listeners were] instructed how to vote for their favorite player. They were told to go to their nearest Worth Food Store and make a purchase. The sales slips they received could be used as ballots, and they could cast their votes by writing the name of the player they preferred on the reverse side. Ballot boxes were placed at checking stations in each store. Only one "spot" announcement out of the four announcements during the football broadcasts was devoted to plugging the Popular Players Poll. No other medium of advertising was used. At the completion of the contest, after six weeks of balloting, it was discovered that an amazing total of 934,007 votes had been tabulated. The winner of the contest, Ray Coulter, star end of the .Masonic Home football eleven, had received 144,324 votes. He was awarded a beautiful trophy as the most popular player of the year. Most unusual fact of all: A further careful check of the votes revealed that the average purchase made by voters was $1.84. Some stores even reported an average of $2.42 per person. In analyzing the Popular Players Poll, one findfl that it was not particularly difficult or different Perhaps, its very simplicity is its Strength. This kind of promotion is easily adaptable to almost any retail business, and to any kind of sport. What's more it uorksl 54 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP