Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1963)

Record Details:

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selling season will be something between a third and a half of the year's business, and national billings alone could reach $60 million for gifts in October-November-December this year. Television, of course, is tied to, and helps motivate, an annually improved national retail curve that took a dramatic 7% uplift last year, according to Census Bureau reports on total retail sales. In 1959, a billion-dollar billing year for television, total retail sales were $215.4 billion. Since then, they have climbed to $240 billion last year, a point where television was well on its way to its second annual billion (see table). Biggest four weeks Of last year's all-retail total, the Christmas-season quarter accounted for well over a fourth annual portion. Certain gift items in the foiT weeks leading up to 25 December were totaled for an $8.15 billion gift market last year in a study by Tie-Tie gift wrapping firm, but the figure underestimates total gift scope both in point of time and sales in such significant non-department-store marts as discount and variety houses. Of television's national fourthquarter sales revenue, toys alone are likely to account for a fourth, probably falling somewhere between $15-20 million gross, accounting for half or more of this vear's anticipated tov tv budget of $25-30 million. Other big gift customers include toiletries, who could invest $40 million or more this fourth quarter, and jewelry-cameras, which could run some few millions in billings. Among the important gift advertisers on the air, toys and perfumes both race to do half to three-fourths of their year's business in the last quarter. An indicator of toy prospects is that 50 companies now decorate the tv tree, with nearly 150 comiuercials reviewed this fall by NAB's New York Code people. While Toy Manufacturers of the U.S.A. quit estimating annual totals after putting 19(-)() sales at $1.7 billion, business in the intervening years points to a steadily enhanced total. The as.sociation stopped trying to estimate sales bi-cause pricecutting made it hard to figure. Fragrances reached a $154 mil CHRISTMAS IN THE SALES YEAR Retails Sales in $ Billions 1963 est.* 1982 1981 1960 1959 240 234.5 218.8 219.5 215.4 4th Quarter 66.0 65.3 60.9 59.1 58.1 Gift Month— Certain Items in 4 Weel^s Preceding Dec. 25 8.3 8.15 8.05 7.7 7.3 Television Sales in $ Billions 1963 est.* 1962 1961 1960 1959 1.37 Sources: 17. S. Bureau of the Census, gift market survey by Tie-Tie Div. of Chicago Printed String Co., FCC •sponsor estimates lion annual sales level last >ear with a national tv budget between five and six million dollars. Now new scents are sniffing at the Iv trails of Lanvin and Chanel (Lanvin put more than half of its spot million into the fourth quarter last year, and Chanel with distributors spent nearly all their $689,480 year's spot total then. Merchandise that decorates the national economic tree this time of year shows last year's baubles reflected in current tv advertising. Electric housewares were selling at a "dizzying pace" four days before Christmas last year. Dun & Bradstreet reported in its Trade Review at the time. Hairdryers and can openers also were leading gift items, while defrosters, toothbrushes, percolators, toasters, tv sets (especially portable), and transistor radios also were prominent in Santa's pack. Electric razors compete hotly at Christmas for an estimated $8 million in annual sales. One survey last year found that women want dresses most as gifts, with watches and rings tied for second and third phice. Men like .shirts and other apparel, according to Tie-Tie, with cameras, tv, radio and phonograp equipment also on the Santa lii (The same conservative survey la year predicted an average fami' investment of $163 for Christm.', gifts, averaging $5.44 per gift.) Time is note Gift advertising is under w; now, and spot buyers who didi mark a September deadUne i their calendars for gift availabiliti may be out of luck in getting idc time openings, according to sal representatives. Some little netw r time remains still for gift businc but while spot possibilities i wide, networks seem to be gi\ii only minor attention to the Chrimas gift market, probably Ixjcau the need for intensive seasi)i selling doesn't exist. Appaioni there are few gaps to fill, llci' the network box score: ^ ABC T\' reports bookings far for these gift customers: In da time are Schwayder Bros, (throu Gre\) from 1 November to 21 E cember on \ arious shows for t Samsonite luggage line, and We inghouse Electric (Grey) increasi' its regular lineup from three tn fi shows this month to 21 DeceinV