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• Left . . . From the J. F. STAMPFER Toy Annex, children talked direct to Santa via short wave and KDTH, Dubuque, la.
• Below . . . So popular was the STAMPFER Santa's Post Office that the season's supply of reply letterheads was exhausted within a week.
• Right . . . Youngsters and parents lined the sidewalk for a full block at each of the OLSEN-EBANN JEWELRY STORE'S broadcasts aired over WROK, Rockford, 111.
selves. First, how to acquaint the public with Santa's new location, and second, how to accommodate the inevitable burden of traffic which would tax the crew of 13 elevators conveying Young Columbus and family to Toyland.
A freight elevator near Santa's new location was converted into the Chimney Express, and radio was required not only to attract youngsters and their parents, but also to steer them away from the busy Main entrance and regular passenger elevators to the entrance nearest the auditorium where Santa held sway and from there to the special Chimney Express to Toyland.
WFIKC was used exclusively, with fifteen-minute programs daily at 7:15 P.M., beginning several days prior to Santa's arrival at the Columbus Airport via T\\^\-Stratoliner on Thanksgiving Day.
Originated by Fred W. Sample, head of WHKC's continuity department, the Chimney Express broadcast, supposedly originating in Santa's North Pole Toy Shop, opened with the wireless contacting Radio Station XMAS by WHKC. Santa, aided by Godfrey and Gasper Gnome and Icicle, read letters sent in by out-of-town boys and girls, and actually telephoned four local children during each broadcast.
Evidence of the success of the second year of this radio promotion: 13,265 form cards were mailed out to youngsters in response to personal mail for Santa; Santa talked with 25,048 boys and girls, and the grand total of children and parents carried to the toy department on the Chimney Express was 79,332!
COMMENT: With institutional effort playing an important role in store operation, it is to be expected that special emphasis be placed on Christmas activities. Sure-fire are programs which combine clever radio material and store exploitation. Most of these programs cost little or nothing in addition to the actual airing of the program, but they establish another link in the chain which will result in a closer alliance between the retailer and radio.
Words of Caution: Plenty of time clearance is an absolute essential; kids will jam any place to talk to Santa by radio. If the replies-to-letters angle is worked, have plenty of letterheads on hand; the mail pull on a Santa Claus show is often terrific. Lastly, be set for anything. It can happen. Santa must be nimble witted to meet any and all emergencies.
OCTOBER, 1942
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