Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1960)

SPONSOR SPEAKS Greetings of the season Every year at Christmastime somebody here in our office comes up with the not-too-original idea that we ought to run one of those sprightly Christmas-greetings-in-verse such as Frank Sullivan composes for the New Yorker. \n<] every year we patiently point out that while Sullivan can thus send about 40 of his friends a graceful rhymed greeting, the idea is impractical for us. We have at least 10,000 good friends that we'd like to remember. And we wouldn't want to leave any out. But if it is therefore impossible for us to indulge in flights of personalized Christmas poesy, still we do have very specific holiday best wishes for many of you. For radio/tv advertisers, for instance, we hope that your Xmas stockings will be stuffed with orders, and that the New Year will see a quick end to the current recession. To our good friends at advertising agencies we send warmest ^ uletide greetings and the wish that 1961 will bring you huge bundles of new business, and, even more important, the sweetest profit picture you have ever known. For timebuyers and other media men, too often regarded as the Tiny Tims of the industry, we hope that Christina will mean proper, and deserved recognition of your work and importance and that in the coming year, you won't be asking like ' )li\i i Twist for more. We hope you'll get more! To the hundreds of hard-working radio station men in \mkm ica, our Christmas message is short but sweet. We know, and you know, that the medium you're building is far more potent than current advertising billings indicate. And we think you can look for better days in 1961. To the tv side of the industry, we send heartiest Christmas congratulations for the many accomplishments of the past year. Tv has staged a marvelous comeback in public esteem after a barrage of unfair criticism. Based on the character nagination which tv has shown, we know that the New U I." ati even happier one. all of us who are privileged to be a part of this most exciting and vital business, we say "God bless us" and i istmas. ^ lO-SECOND SPOTS Influence of tv dept.: A five-yearold we know. Barney Softness, saw his first play last week and remarked for all to hear, "Gee . . . television with live people in it!" Texas talk: Jim Ashlock, New York's biggest p.r. man (at d'^/o") was heading back to his (TWA) office on Madison Ave. the other lunchtime when a foreign-made sports job screeched around the corner and narrowly missed him. Shouted Big Jim: "Do that agin, and ah' 11 stomp on your hood." Texas dessert: Speaking of the Lone Star State, Steve Gelman (Sport magazine managing ed.) sent along this conversation he overheard between two Big D admen. "Say, that's a pretty blue convertible in the showroom window. I think I'll pick it up for my daughter." Said the other, reaching for his wallet. "Hear. now. let me take care of it. You got lunch!" No comment dept.: Merry Christmas from the networks. In honor of the season, they have come up with some usual entertainment fare, such as "Dennis Gets Head Stuck in Bean Pot." and some real switches — e.g. "The Untouchables Take On Milk Racketeers" and "Tuesday Weld Plays Mormon Girl on Zane Grey Theatre." Goriest show of the season, however, concerns Jack Benny in some sort of a medical center. The release reads: "Jack Benny leaves a store full of raw nerves in his wake. . . ." For the kiddies there are always the cartoons. ABC sent the following correction: "Superseding the previously announced closing segment of The Bugs Bunny Show, the follow ing highlight will be presented — A hungry cat disguises herself as a skunk in order to be fed by a zoo keeper in Paris in the springtime. An unsuspecting real skunk falls in love with the cutie. This replaces the story of a daydreaming school boy." // sure does sound more exciting. Suggestion box: One adman who commutes to work via automobile says that television should add this fact to its "daytime" presentations — it keeps a lot of women home ivho might otherwise be out driving. SPONSOR • 19 DECEMBER 1960