Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1962)

We are very promotion minded. Our industry has a splendid record of teamwork cooperation of all the segments which make up the Life Line from farm-to-table. Our manufacturers enjoy a fine relationship with each other, and we work in fine harmony with the six national distributor associations and their members. This fine teamwork cooperation has contributed greatly to improving the facilities of distributing our products to the American people. Today's success of a company's business carries no survival guarantee for tomorrow. Many products which were considered old standbys yesterday have been replaced with improved models or with different products serving the purposes more efficiently and economically. Examples: cake mixes have reduced the needs for baking powders and other ingredients. Detergents have taken the place of soap in many instances. Instant and frozen products have become regular household items. Any concern that does not invest heavily in research, in advertising, in new and improved products will find it increasingly difficult to keep pace with progress. For this audience, it is not necessary to comment upon the rising cost of advertising, whether it is per page or per broadcast. You know the story, and GMA members know it. Our manufacturers are great users of advertising. Naturally, they are concerned about the rising costs, not only covering advertising, but all costs. While costs are increasing, competition is growing constantly more severe, and the rate of profit per dollar sales is heavily squeezed. What I want to say is that manufacturers must constantly realize a greater sales return from their advertising dollar. How can we bring this about? Bread and butter proposal. Last year we met with 16 top management people of national magazines. We wanted to discuss with them the facts of life covering advertisermedia relationships. We pointed out that many years ago the advertising department of the manufacturer and the sales department operated independantly of each other, even though both had the same purpose, namely, to increase sales. Management did something about it. Now they are coordinating the work of both departments, and they key into the director of marketing. Both departments supplement each other. Taking a page out of that book of experience, we suggested to the publishers that the day was here when their editorial department and business department might better understand their interdependency relationships as they contribute to the operating results of their company; and as their operations may affect the ad Now you can get the most-used, most informative weekly magazine of broadcast advertising at a special AWRT subscription rate of only $5-almost 40 per cent less than the usual price! You get 52 weekly issues of news and features which help you do your job better . . . plus all the SPONSOR special editions. Write to AWRT Subscription Manager, SPONSOR, 555 Fifth Avenue, New York 17, N.Y. For less than 10 cents an issue you can be the best informed gal in your company! vertiser . . . their bread and butter. While emphasizing that we would fight to the hilt to preserve their freedom to publish material of their own choice, at the same time, we invited their consideration of publishing some favorable articles about the food industry instead of only singling out isolated cases of criticism. Certainly there are many fine things to say about this industry of interest to their readers: and as the readers turn the pages and come across an interesting article, they will react more favorably to the advertisement, and be more inclined to purchase the product. We can point with pride to some of the things which have happened since our visit. Look magazine ran an article explaining the cost-of-living index published monthly by the government. Reader's Digest, an article on "Why Our Food Is a Bargain." American Weekly, an article on "Are Food Prices Too High?" This Week magazine, "The Greatest Food Show on Earth." Saturday Evening Post, an article exposing the food faddists. Good Housekeeping magazine, on labeling. Ladies Home Journal, a series of articles on food. Life magazine, several institutional ads, and is devoting its total November 23 "Thanksgiving" issue to food. We could mention many other consumer and business magazines that carry frequent favorable articles about this industry, like Family Circle, Woman's Day, Food Field Reporter, and so on. These articles will surely help create a better understanding of this industry and a favorable public attitude toward it. Where is tv? I wish that I could say similar nice things about the relationship of our advertisers with tv. Even though the networks receive about 65% of their advertising revenue from GMA members, there is lots to be desired as it applies to our relationship with their top management. We are not aware of any great amount of cooperation which television has extended to us in passing along interesting, favorable information to 52 SPONSOR/26 November 1962