Radio showmanship (Jan-Dec 1947)

Other evidence comes from Foster's Hardware & Sporting Goods Store. "Con^ sistency pays in almost all advertising, but this is especially true in radio," Mr. Foster said. Another advertiser who adheres to the theory of consistency is Westphal's Paint & Hardware Company, Manitowoc, WiS' consin. For over 10 consecutive years it sponsored a service program, Air Exchange over WOMT. Listeners listed rentals, sales, lost and found, employment and exchanges in this classified page of the air, with 25 words the limit for each insertion. The program, aired six times weekly, 11:45-12:00 (noon), drew an average of 107 letters a month on a 250'watt station in a small market area, plus some 100 store and studio walk'ins. Stambaugh ' Thompson Company, Youngstown, Ohio, is another dealer who has made consistent use of radio over a period of years, and its year-round cam' paigns are supplemented by special Christ' mas promotions in support of the Stambaugh'Thompson Toy land. The theory of consistency applies equally to a year-round schedule and to seasonal promotions. Through yearly repetition, even a seasonal program becomes in^ creasingly effective for its sponsor. What about commercials? What to do with the time allotted to commercials is the key to successful radio advertising. In the last analysis, it all comes back to one problem — how to get people to buy what you have to sell. Where the hardware dealer uses radio to promote one department, and his program format deals with the same subject, commercials are of as much interest to the listener as the content of the show. It's only logical that the fisherman should be as interested in new tackle as he is in fishing conditions. And the gardener wants to know about new insect sprays or labor saving devices. For example, tips on hot bargains or new equipment, delivered in the conversational style, con^ stituted the Simon Hardware approach to its sales message. Programs which permit such unity of DECEMBER, 1 947 thought between editorial and commercial content definitely contribute to broadcast advertising success. For example, the program and the commercial for Southern California Independent Hardware Stores, Los Angeles, were cut from the same cloth. Its five' weekly, 25'minute program, Gracious Living, Inc., on a 52'Week schedule, offered a very easy transition from program to commercial since the purpose of the campaign was to promote interest in new types of merchandise. Slogans are helpful. For Saiter Morgan, the phrase, "The farmer's headquarters in Vincennes" was always brought into the continuity. Such phrases as, "From the best that is made to the cheapest that is good" proved effective for Louis Hanssen's Son's, Davenport. Moore's of Ohio and its 22 stores kept its commercials brief, but slogans were used to create sponsor identification. Examples: "Be Wise, Moore4ze," or "Remember, It's Moore's for Yours." This campaign included 11 fivc'minute news' casts every hour on the half'hour over WHKC, Columbus, a quarter'hour noon' time newscast, plus a news'on'thc'hour schedule over WHIZ, Zanesville. In any event, the important thing for the sponsor is to determine the objective of the campaign, and slant each commercial toward that objective. Commercials for the Walter H. Allen Company in connection with a radio campaign over WFAA, Dallas, Texas, WOAI, San Antonio, and KPRC, Houston, for its 88'Store chain of Servess stores and Servess brand household, furniture and hardware items stressed the 88'Store buy' ing power in reduction of cost through quantity buying of quality merchandise. As a general rule, hardware dealers who use radio to promote specific depart' ments do so with sales the primary objec' tive, and to achieve this goal specific items, either bargains or new stock, are featured in the commercial time. Item merchandising, yes! But the type of merchandising that stimulates store traffic for a specific _;^department, with indirect benefits for the entire store. 411