Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1946)

Gasolines LICENSE QUIZ Advertisers wilh products of interest to motorists are naturally interested in getting their messages across to those with jalopies on the road. The trick is to design a broadcast campaign that reaches this audience. In St. Louis, Mo., the Milton Oil Co. came up with just such a format in its series aired over KXOK. Names and telephone numbers are selected from a list of automobile license numbers, and those telephoned receive cash awards for correct answers to questions asked by the License Quizmaster. Money increases when question is incorrectly answered. Listener need not be tuned-in on the program to be in the money. Telephone calls pay-off at the rate of $5.00 a shot, with consolation awards for those who muff their chances. Evidence that the series appeals to the KXOK audience: 75 per cent of those telephoned are tuned to License Quiz. What carries the sales wallop for Milton Oil: 30-second opening and closing commercials. AIRFAX: First Broadcast: December 10, 1945. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 6:00 6:10 P.M. Preceded By: Sports Extra. Followed By: Hit of the Week. sponsor: Milton Oil Co. Station: KXOK, St. Louis, Mo. Power: 5,000 watts. Population: 1,141,593. Agency: Olian Adv. Agcy. COMMENT: Here's a variant on the quiz show format which eliminates all but the specific audience the advertiser wanted to reach with his broadcast campaign. Ice Creams PASSWORD PLEASE "What year was the Liberty Bell cracked?" It was worth $210 to the WWDC, Washington, D.C., listener who knew the answer. Question had been unanswered for three weeks. Now in its third format, Password Please, with Norman Reed as emcee, first went on the air in D(;cembcr, 1942. Originally, listeners telephoned ai random had to answer with the password of the day to be in the money. In January, 1944, Password Please went into its second phase. Listeners were asked to unscramble a scrambled password, also write not more than 35 words on the importance of buying War Bonds. Winners with the correct password solution were selected on the basis of the best letters about War Bonds. Current Password Please program, which began November 26, 1945, makes it possible for anyone called to earn an award, whether or not his radio is turned on. Eight random telephone calls are made during the 30-minute show. If the person telephoned gives the correct answer to the question of the day the jack-pot is his. Award increases with each telephone call until the correct answer is given. ^^^ Consolation awards where ^^^ the telephone is answered but ll ^ the question missed: $1.00 VicJ ' tory Stamp or $1.00 Merchandise Certificate. Three one-minute commercials during each quarter-hour carry the ball, saleswise, for the Carry Ice Cream Company, makers of Smoothfreeze MeadowGOLD Ice Cream, and the Hub Furniture Co., Washington, D. C, and Clarendon, Va. Brief sponsorship identification is made on each telephone call. AIRFAX: First Broadcast: December 1, 1942. Broadcast Schedule: Monday through Friday, 12:00 (Noon)-12:30 P.M. Preceded By: Prize Program of the Day. Followed By: News. Spcmsor: Carry Ice Cream Co.; Hub Furniture Co. Station: WWDC, Washington, D. C. Power: 250 watts. Population: 938,458. COMMENT: In spite of the critics who have looked with horror upon money give-away shows, the ability of such features to build audiences is something to which advertisers can point with pride. There's evidence in the continued success of this program that such features do more than build audiences in jigtime. They also sustain them through the years. MARCH, 1946 • 99 •