Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1947)

slopped production for 15 minutes to hear the radio saltue. Tangible proof of listenership If tangible proof of listenership is needed, a tew case histories will decide the issue. On December 16, 1946, Tower Clock presented a program titled Christmas Begins In The KifcJien. Theme of the story was gifts a\ailable that were appropriate to kitchen duties, such as cocktail aprons, mother and daughter aprons, men's chef outfits and hotise dresses. By closing time the day of the broadcast, the store was completely sold out of every item mentioned on the air. On January 17, 1947, household hardware was given four minutes of air time. Items as ungraceful as padlocks, small tools, wood screws and doorknobs were discussed. A sellout didn't occur because of tremendous supplies of such small items as nuts and bolts but the hardware department was literally mobbed for the rest of that day. Pianos, otit of stock dtning the war, were mentioned for seven miniues on January 27. Fourteen pianos were sold immediately; two of which were ordered by phone, sight unseen, from small communities near Rochester. Selling made entertaining Another example of the \ ariety of techniqties used to make selling entertaining was a series, prepared by Miss \Vilson, titled First Ladies of Fashion. The individual stories of the ten best dressed women in the world were presented in dramatic form and included a personal message on good grooming and dressing from each of the famous women. Among other special promotions featured recently were: Beauty Treatments For Your Home, Lessons In Loveliness, Here Comes The Bride, Hot Weather Hospitality and Hearts Are Turning Home Again, a series dramatizing the return of the serviceman to his home and what could be done to make the old home more beautiful. lowER CLOCK TIME also plays a major part in Rochester's civic life. Whenever Community Chest, Red Cross, Civic Music Week, Christmas Seals or any other worth while (i\i( institution (ondiHls a (anipaign, Siiu.i \'s radio voice is always a contributoj ol valuable radio promotion. Rochester's telephone book lists six residents named Louise Wilson. One of the Louise Wilsons happens to be the assistant manager of Loews R(x:hester Theatre. When the Jolson Story was featured at Loews R(x:HEsrER, Suiuv's had a tie-in as exclusive dealers of special Jolson Phonograph Albums. A radio promotion featured Miss W^ilson of Sibley's interviewing Miss VV^ilson of Loews. As a result of the radio promotion, Sibley's sold out a supply of 200 Jolson Albums within eight hours and had to reorder to meet constant demands of customers. Originality in dramatizations On March 7, W^HAM paid tribute to Sibley's on completion on 15 consecutive years of broadcasting. To get away from the stereotype programs that do a chronological review of the parade of years, WHAM prepared a 15-minute script entitled Fifteenth Birthday, that opened with a six-year-old girl visiting Sibley's Santa, just as everv other Rochester child does. As the drama progressed and the little girl grew up, events in her life were brought into the script that pictured her getting her grammar school graduation dress, her first party dress, first formal and eventually, after meeting a Marine Corporal at the USO, getting her trousseau at the age of 21. Each event in her life was tied back to Sibley's and thus the store's 15 years of radio were neatly accounted for. Broad listener coverage Wham is a 50,000-watt station operating on a clear channel. The rural area served is therefore very large. That is the reason why Sibley's, a store with a great amount of mail order business, selected WHAM to carry its message to outlying areas, 43 counties in the primary area. Broadcast time is 9:45 a.m. At that time the housewife is just relaxing a bit after the hustle and bustle of getting Mary and Johnny off to school. As she continues her daily household tasks. Tower Clock Time is there to entertain her and offer shopping advice to assist her in making up a list for a trip downtown later in the day. 1947 • 161 •