Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1944)

SHOWMANSHIP IN ACTION Promotions and merchandising stunts that will lift a program out of the ordinary. Finance FIGHTIN' TEXAN Texas is proud of its fighting sons and the First National Bank, Dallas, Tex., keeps these men in the limelight over AVFAA. Nor are the weekly dramatizations of the stories of Texas war heroes mere paper honors to the native sons. Each man whose story is dramatized receives a 100 dollar ^Var Bond from First National. Also included on each qtiarter-hoiu' broadcast are salutes to four other Texas boys who have performed outstanding service in some theatre of war. To conclude each broadcast, emcee Felix McKnight reads an oral editorial on a pertinent Home Front question in cooperation with OW^I. Straight-from-thcshoulder talks usually deal with paper salvage collection, blood donation, \Var Bond buying, other such vital projects. AIR FAX: Show is handled by Felix McKnight, assistant m.e. of the Dallas Morning News. Dramatizations are given with assistance of WFAA staff members. First Broadcast: June 30, 1944. Broadcast Schedule: Friday, 9:45-10:00 P.M. Preceded By: Bill Stern Sports Reel. Followed By: News. Sponsor: First National Bank. Station: WFAA, Dallas, Tex. Power: 50,000 watts. Population: 27 3,279. COMMENT: As oj>limisiii oNcr the oiil(oiiic ol llic Will iiK leases, the j)ubli( needs reinindcis iiiok ilian cvci thai there's work lo be done on llie home front. Wai-thciiH broach asts perform iiualiiabic piibh( scivicc, also gixc advertisers a incaiis ol making a grachial transiiioii lo posi war planning. Shoes SCHOLASTIC BASKETBALL For its fust veniiire into radio, Hanom-.r Shoi Storls put the ball into j>lay with high school basketball broadcasts. Each Friday night at 9:05, a game from some point in South Jersey, and another game in North Jersey were aired. Only top-rated games in the New Jersey Hanover-Dick Dxinkel Rating and Forecast Sheet were aired. What upped store traffic in the New Jersey Hanover Shoe Stores was the offer of forecast sheets obtainable only at the stores. Rating and Forecast Sheets were pltigged on the broadcasts, and since turn-about is fair play, the broadcasts were plugged on the rating sheets. Additional promotion for the weekly broadcasts: store window displays giving time-and-station data. Local newspaper space measiued not in inches but by the column phned up the fact it was the first time local scholastic basketball had been broadcast in the area. Commercials invited all listeners to drop in each week for the free copy of the Forecast Sheets, also gave store locations. Catch phrase for sponsor: "The Hanover Shoe . . . greatest shoe x>alue on earth!" Example of eye-and-ear commercial teamwork: "You folks who hare been enjoying your HanoverDunkel Ratings and Forecasts regularly have probably noticed the smart looking shoe styles featured each week on the back of the folder. Well, this week it's 'The Center' ... a handsome and rugged shoe style if ever there was one. Ask to see 'The Center' at any Hanover Shoe Store . . . water-proof, wear-proof, twist-proof. . . ." Additional merchandising tie-in was the Hanover Sport-O-Crra/n lor posting on school bidletin boards. AIR FAX: First Broadcast: November 25, 1943. Broadcast Schedule: Friday, 9:05-10:30 P.M., from November 25 to January 14. Preceded By: News. Sponsor: Hanover Shoe Stores. Station: WIBG, Philadelphia, Pa.; WAAT. Newark, N. J. Agency: Warwick &i I.egler, Inc., Adv. COMMENT: Mere is a sj)l('n(li(l example of the elle(ti\eness of (oordinated ad\ertising a(ti\ities. logether, they (leated store traflu for sponsor, even though outlets were at widely distributed points. 388 RADIO SHOWMANSHIP