Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1943)

Department Stares SEAMAN'S FUR VEST CAMPAIGN Warm and comfortable are CK\VS listeners in Kingston, Ontario, when they listen to the Joseph Abramskv & Sons, Ltd. daily musical program. It's dark on the cold grey waters of the North Atlantic where a man stands watch on a merchantman, or paces the deck of a destroyer. To help Kingston residents supply their quota of the promised 10,000 fur vests per year to be given to Allied sailors in the Seaman's Fiu" \'est AVar Project, Abramsky took on sponsorship of the quarter-hour. Listeners are reminded of the old fur coat hanging in the closet, urged to send any old furs to Abramsky's or to CKAVS. To step up donations, once a week this department store sponsor offers to send cigarettes to any ser^iceman designated by the donor of a coat. First cigarette offer brought in 26 coats within the hour! Listeners who contribute furs receive a receipt, which is followed bv the official card of acknowledgement thanking them for their contribution for the men ^vho go doAvn to sea in ships. AIR FAX: Entertainment portion of the program is provided by staff pianist Bruce Tremeer. First Broadcast: February 18, 1943. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, quarter-hour. Sponsor: Joseph Abramsky & Sons, Ltd. Station: CKWS, Kingston, Ont. Power: 1,000 watts. Population: 31,703. COMMENT: Sponsors who help fan the flames of ci\ilian patriotism are doing no small part in the ^var effort. A long record of service to a community is still the best way of insuring business survival, and radio is well established as an advertising service media. Drug Stares UNCLE once in WCHS do just Cohen of this WCHS. iSAM "You oughta listen to me awhile. I listen to you." And listeners in Charleston, W. Va., that! The come-on: when Drug Stores started sponsorship OWI transcribed program over a college student dressed up as Uncle Sam mixed with the crowds in downtown Charleston. I'ncle Sam was e\ery where; luncheons and club meetings, streets and stores. To one and all he passed out complimentary tickets to the radio show, which read: "Complimentary Ticket, courtesy of Cohen Drug Stores, WCHS, 5:00 P.M., Daily. Seat: Your ozv?i arm chair." Clerks in the seven Cohen stores gave away pencils in assorted colors which bore news of the show. A special windo^^■ display constructed in a downtown Cohen store gave time-and-station data. Blotters distributed to high school students. 1,000 strong, carried along the good word. Announcements were run in all drug bulletins and in the newspapers. Special signs and displays had a direct tie-in with Vitamin departments in all Cohen Drug Stores. Indication that showmanship and sales are cut from the same pattern: all Cohen Drug Stores have observed a marked increase in their X'itamin departments, the subject of most opening and closing commercials. air FAX: Produced by OWI, the transcribed series brings news of the war effort, at home and abroad, in dramatic style. Contract in Charleston is for 52 weeks. Cohen's also sponsors another daily 15-minute musical show now in its sixth year. Uncle Sam program was prepared by such well known script writers as Don Quinn of Fibber McGee and Molly fame, Carroll Carroll of the Bing Crosby program, and Carlton Morse of One Man's Family. Series as heard in Charleston was planned as a six-point campaign by promotion manager Sam Molen. First Broadcast: February 8. 1943. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 5:005:15 P.M. Preceded By: News. Followed By: 10-2-4 Ranch. Sponsor: Cohen Drugs. Station: WCHS. Charleston, W. Va. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 80,996. COMMENT: Dozens of new and steady advertisers ha^ e come to know the power that is radio's through such programs as the Uncle Sa?ii broadcasts. While many of these sponsors are in the heavy industries group, others are in categories frequently patronizing radio facilities. Groceries NEW MEXICO IN THE WAR \\ hat is New Mexico doing in the w?r effort? Charles Ilfeld, jobbers and wholesalers 172 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP