Sponsor (Jan-Mar 1961)

TV RESULTS DISCOUNT STORES SPONSOR: World Discount Center AGENCY-. Direct Capsule case history: Following a fire in the World Discount Center in Rome, N. Y., Chuck Kaplan, owner and operator of the discount house, purchased a schedule of announcements to promote a special fire sale on damaged merchandise. Kaplan bought 60 eight-second, run-of-schedule spots to be run during a three-day period prior to the sale. This marked the first time the operator had used television advertising. At the same time he discontinued his newspaper ads. Kaplan was totally unprepared when he faced 300 anxious shoppers, who had stationed themselves at World's front door the first day of the sale; traffic was snarled and local police were hard pressed to keep order. The situation continued for three days with four police officers guiding newly won customers, single file, into and out of the store. As for sales, the cash register rang continuously the whole time. Kaplan is now convinced that tv can sell under any circumstances. "It really reaches the people you want." WKTV, Utica-Rome, N. Y. Announcements FOOD SPONSOR: Buitoni Foods Corp. AGENCY: Direct Capsule case history: Buitoni Foods Corporation sponsored a two-hour filmed production recently of Verdi's classic opera "Rigoletto" on WRCA-TV, New York. The advertiser wanted a program that would sustain the quality image of its more expensive products in a highly competitive market, and WRCA-TV, which has been producing special Sunday programs tailored to a client's specific needs, came up with "Rigoletto." The production was filmed at the Rome Opera House with La Scala stars. To sustain the program's over-all quality continuity, commercials used were of an almost institutional character and the opera's intermission featured N. Y. Times critic Howard Taubman. Results were excellent: sales figures jumped multifold immediately after the program and tremendous good will was created. Over 500 letters applauded the program and expressed a feeling of obligation to buy Buitoni products. The advertiser is now negotiating with WRCA for similar telecasts. WRCA-TV, New York Program mmiiimi urn miiiiii iinimi inn i imiimmiiiiiimiiiiimiiiiimmiimi miiiiimiiiiiimiiiiimiiiim urn I in 11 = imiiiiiimi inn iiiiiiiimiiiimiiiiiiiminmiiiim iiimm iinmii mim n ilium mini i imniimiiiii n i n DRY CLEANING SPONSOR: G&K Cleaners (Gross Bros-Kronick) AGENCY: Direct Capsule case history: Although it owned two plants with a good volume of business back in 1950, G&K Cleaners wanted No. 1 position in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market. Newspapers were producing some results, but not spectacularly. WCCO-TV persuaded I. D. Fink, its president, to switch the fairly large print budget entirely to tv on a test basis. A heavy campaign of I.D.'s was scheduled and within two months both plants had to be expanded. Satisfied, G&K then sponsored Masterpiece Theatre, WCCO-TV's firstrun Sunday evening (9:30) movie. Sales skyrocketed this time and sponsorship lasted six years, during which G&K practically captured the entire dry cleaning market. When the station finally dropped the feature, it experimented for a while with various schedules — and with equal success. Today, still the leader, it sponsors on WCCO-TV two werkh I "> minute evening newscasts and runs monthly saturation schedules for its special promotions throughout the years. \\<:<:0-TV, Minneapolis-St. Paul Programs & Announcements FOOD SPONSOR: Hanover Canning Co. AGENCY: Direct Capsule case history: The Hanover Canning Co. increased sales 66% with a 20-week campaign on WTOP-TV, Washington. Campaign was based on a tie-in with the Washington Redskins football team for its Hanover "Redskin" kidney beans and pork and beans. Building heavily around 12 one-minute live and filmed spots per week and six 15-minute pre-game programs, the firm almost completely dominated the Washington market through the football season and afterwards even though it was in competition with many nationally-advertised brands and more than 15 local or regional brands, as well as private labels. Before and after the 20-week campaign on WTOP-TV, CBS Television Spot Sales conducted special Pulse surveys which revealed the 66% sales increase. The survey following the campaign showed that 20.1% of all people questioned reported buying Hanover products. Before the promol ion. onlj 12.39? bought Hanover items. This added up to a Oi>', -ales increase. WTOP-TV, Washington, D. C. Programs Si Announcements 42 SPONSOR 2 JANUARY 1"(>1