Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1960)

frank talk to buyers of air media facilities The seller's viewpoint One of the most important messages broadcasters should impress on advertisers is that in this "space age" era, where proper timing is a basic requirement, radio and tv — more than any other media — are equipped to do the best job. Thus states Robert F. Hurleigh. president. Mutual Broadcasting System, Inc., N. Y. It's ironic, Hurleigh points out, that while radio netivorks today are geared for quick clearances, many advertisers, unaware of this, are passing them up for print media. This is true of institutional and "umbrella" advertising, both of which are naturals for the flexibility of broadcasting. Are you selling broadcast short? Il time for more "space age"' sales thinking by "space age" lnoadcasters. Some have diversified sales approaches to match diversification patterns in industry and merchandising. Hut the bulk have not. Already print media men have taken great strides keeping pace with Americas diversification philosophy, especially for institutional and "umbrella" advertisers. They have capitalized particularly on the pattern of inducing defense-participating industries to parlay research and ( reative prowess into full-page advertisements designed to implant "brand confidence"' for consumer products they produce. Primarily, such advertising is directly keyed to timing — and for timing purposes, ironically, there are no more adaptable systems, none more flexible than the two broadcasting media. For example. Western Electric recently spent large sums in full-page ads timed to coincide with the successful launching of Tyros II — even though Western Electric is one of the largest manufacturers of components for broadi asting. Its ads spelled out some of the broadcasting equipment it created for this weather satellite. \ far as we know, not one penny for this umbrella advertising, designed to pinpoint that similar know-how and components are available in home and business telephones, unit into commercial broadcasting. Why? The best answer seems to be the advertiser and his agenc) were unaware of radio and tv facilities available to do the job immediately, with print set for complementary usage later and at much [ess production-in-time cost. rhere, to us, is one of the major laxities in broadcasters' thinking and sales planning. All radio networks today are •i quick clearance-, if given a modicum of time to plan for such clearances, much less time, as a matter of fact, than that necessar) to produce and plate the Western • -ids I noted above. But they are not being asked — because advertisers probably are unaware of such facilities. Some are, however, and are reaping profit harvests in consumer sales of products and services. The umbrella approach is particularly adaptable for broadcast advertising by companies involved in eyearresting, headline-producing research projects in mi-siles. man-controlled flights, fuels, motors, pharmaceuticals, etc.. anything that in some way, shape, or form actually is applicable or usable bv the average consumer. Components in most of these space age research developments are now available to consumers, though not in readily recognizable forms. Broadcasters, however. should emphasize to advertisers the values of reconciling romantic research usages to understandable product developments and products available already on retail levels. The same kinds and tvpes of recording tapes, transistors, tunnel diodes, tv cameras, and miniaturized radio circuitry controlling bulletin-creating space age research advances are available — even though in less refined forms — in today's consumer lines and in services to consumers. This is what motivates Western Electric. Westinghouse and U. S. Steel along this umbrella advertising tack. By failing to use all available communications media such advertising might be overlooking new opportunities. Dramatic advances in scientific research, in industrial creativitj should be clarioned throughout the land with all the might and force musterable for such purposes. Broadcasting is one of these potent forces, and is readily adaptable not onlv to focusing attention on such developments, but can also create the two-way merchandising streets some diversified companies find most practical in their umbrella approaches to marketing. As I said before, space age broadcasting requires space age sales thinking and planning. It's a must! ^ SPONSOR • 19 DECEMBER 1960