Radio showmanship (Sept 1940-May 1941)

Sponsor: Graff's, Inc. Station: WWL, New Orleans, La. Power: 50,000 watts. Population: 473,225. COMMENT: Here's the reasoning which set this sponsor on the profit track: If a store associates itself with a sport enjoying a phenomenal popularity rise, can it cash in on that popularity? Sales figures were quick with the answer! Tobaccos BASEBALL RE-CREATIONS Important WIND (Chicago, 111.) program throughout the baseball season is this regular, evening, half-hour re-enactment of the game played that day. Proof of audience: In 1940, a baseball pencil set was offered for six La Fendrick cigar bands and ten cents. Response to this offer, which ran four weeks, netted an average of 200 requests weekly. In 1938, erstwhile sponsor Thompson's Restaurants conducted a contest to select the most popular baseball player on the two Chicago major league teams, offering a $500 prize to the winner. In 10 days, 11,000 mail pieces came to the station, 27,000 votes were polled in stores. AIR FAX: Jack Drees, whose sports announcing was preceded by an athletic career at the University of Iowa, where he was awarded all-conference honors in the Big Ten, reports the play-by-play broadcasts from a WESTERN UNION ticker. Days when neither the Cubs nor Sox are in the field, the game of chief interest played by two other Major League teams is broadcast. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 7:00-7:30 P.M. Sponsor: For 1941: Congress Cigar Co., for La Palina Cigars. Station: WIND, Chicago, III. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 3,384,556 (1940). Agency: Marschalk & Pratt. COMMENT: While on-the-scene broadcasts of Chicago baseball games have a huge audience, at least a million employed men cannot hear these games. Furthermore, at 5 :00 or 5:30 P.M., when they quit work, the newspaper editions then on sale do not carry the complete play-by-play account of that day's game. That baseball fans want this play-byplay account is indicated by the fact that it is the main feature of the sports pages on both the final edition of the evening papers, and the early morning papers. Women's Wear 2241 First indication of this request program's popularity came from the telephone company, who presented the ultimatum: "Change the program or the time — you're loading the lines!" Columbia's (Mo.) station KFRU changed the time. Sponsor Julie's, Inc., women's specialty shop, also made changes — in its advertising appropriation. Formerly, its entire budget had gone to newspapers, direct mail, radio spot announcements, other media. September last, cajoled into giving radio a substantial test, sponsor presented 2241 on a month's trial. Outcome: A six months renewal, complete reshifting of the advertising appropriation. Today radio gets 80% of Julie's budget, sponsor reports increases over last year in every department of his store. Specific results: An announcement for Schiaparelli's "Shocking" perfume, labeled "Scamp Package" and tagged $7.50, sold out complete stock. A like announcement on Elizabeth Arden candy cane cosmetic line brought like results. Significant fact is that neither item had been advertised in any other medium, nor had they been displayed in window or show case. They were sitting on the back shelf of the store. Radio had beaten a track to them. As exclusive Columbia representative for Mademoiselle Magazine's fashions, sponsor plugged this fact for the benefit of women at the University of Missouri, Stephens College, Christian College. 2241 brought college callers. AIR FAX: Girl announcer Alice Meredith sits at the telephone directed into the studio, receives requests for musical numbers on the now famous telephone number, 2241. At her elbow sits pianist Carl Stepp, prepared to play anything that may suit the fancy of a college coed or a Columbia housewife. In its sophomore days, 2241 played requested tunes in their entirety; now it tries to satisfy more customers by obliging with a few bars of each song. Miss Meredith also delivers the commercials in a light, breezy vein. First Broadcast: September, 1940. Broadcast Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 1:302:00 P.M Preceded By: Symphony Music. Followed By: News. Sponsor: Julie's, Inc. Station: KFRU, Columbia, Mo. Power: 1,000 watts. Population: 14,967. SAMPLE COMMERCIALS AVAILABLE. COMMENT: The importance of experimenting with various radio program ideas until the right one is discovered cannot be too often repeated. Risk is involved, to be sure, but the possible gains are worth striving for. While other media are doing good jobs for retailers, radio, when it strikes a responsive audience, does an outstanding job. In almost every town, you can find businesses that have grown, not overnight, but after nights and days of consistent radio advertising. For sponsor comment, see What the Programs Did for Me, page 111. ARCH-APRIL, 1941 115