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Outside of Shopping Center
But for 21 years a consistent air schedule has created store traffic for Cooey-Bentz Co., Wheeling, W. Va., furniture store
by WILLIAM J. HACKENBERG
Bill Hackenberg's advertising experience began in the Ohio Valley in 1926. In 1931 he entered the agency field as executive for the late George W . Smith, who later became WWVA's managing director. Since that time adman Hackenberg has been actively associated with the Cooey-Bentz Company. He took over the advertising agency in 1934.
CAN RADIO CREATE store traffic for a retailer whose location is outside the main shopping area of a community? That it can is the contention of the Cooey-Bentz Company, Wheeling, W. Va., and its contention is supported by its use of both Wheeling radio outlets with far-reaching results.
Its current schedule includes a quarterhour telephone quiz show aired three times weekly over WWVA, in addition to a 15-minute Sunday noontime newscast. The other local station, WKWK, broadcasts a five-a-week five-minute news program and a five-a-week five-minute transcribed program. This Thing Called Love. Special events broadcasts as they occur throughout the year round out the schedule.
The firm was established in the community a half century ago this year. Today it is the largest exclusive furniture store in the state, having grown from a modest store of just 2500 square feet of floor space to 60,000 square feet, in addition to various warehouses throughout the territory.
To get a clear picture of the local situ
ation in relation to the radio success story, it is necessary to understand that though Wheeling has a population of approximately 65,000, the actual trade area is in the neighborhood of a quarter of a million. The retailer has to sell both the community and the adjacent areas.
Located as it is outside the high rent
Christmas, Too
In the interests of increased store traffic at the peak buying season of the year, Cooey-Bentz launched a Santa Claus Time program back in 1931. Since that time, the series has become a tradition among Wheeling, W . Va. moppets. Featured on the *^live" broadcasts are Santa Claus, Mrs. Santa Claus, a little girl who is wafted to the North Pole each evening, and a very mischievous Brownie.
Since the day following Thanksgiving is considered locally as the opening of the Christmas buying season, Santa's nightly visits begin on the last Friday in November, continue to Christmas Eve. In one such period, over 10,000 letters were received by Santa Claus. Letters are sent either to the station or to the furniture store.
Santa is king-pin on the broadcasts, but Brownie and Mrs. Santa Claus get their share of letters, too. The program is a permanent part of the Cooey-Bentz radio schedule.
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OCTOBER, 1947
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