Sponsor (Apr-June 1964)

Grass roots knowledge of the community, its public problems and needs, gives retailers believability and selling impact radio makes nations! profits Westinghouse >f politics plus, ni course, .1 stead} stream ol advertising for his iVestinghousc appliances. J.ip" it's Ins given name and iot .in abbrc\ iation of .1 nickname — is 53 wars old and a local loratio Mger type who served five crnis i ten \t-.irs) in the rexas State cgislatuiv \ikt .1 ample of yean >f iisiivj periodic announcements >n KIU D which went on the ail ii 1948 I ucas asked the station to let him do a 1 1\ c remote direct rom liis s.iks floor. Owner J. B. cNutt, realizing that Jap Lucas as .1 colorful figure, an experi ed public speaker with a long ci in politics, took a chance the program became an in t hit. In the intervening years I lap Lucas program lias bc ome a habit with a sizable por ion of the area audience. I hc\ ollou the dealer's stand on local (fairs, his support ol local drives id such efforts as his fund to re uild a home destroyed b) tire. Much of his program material mes under the heading of "edi rial opinion." and Lucas is usual > in the thick of ever) controversy. Ie"s won on most ol the issues. le's lost sonic. He has a standing 'tier for opponents in local issues 0 appeal on his program and a em have taken advantage ol the Lucas was quick to realize the reach" of radio advertising. He ays about 90 percent of his volume imies I rom the rural areas — lorks of the creek" as he terms t He's sold merchandise to listeners tip to 50 miles from Athens, tar Kyond the normal service area ol he station. I ucas' program on \Hl I) constitutes almost 100 percent of his advertising effort. For Westinghouse, the movenent of appliances into the marvet must prove that a radio pro:rani can be controversial, a real public service, and still be commercial. I he steads growth ol Wright's Westinghouse Stores in Shreveport, I ouisiana, is anothei kind of prool that local radio works. I his dealer, who uses heavj saturation spot Campaigns, started with one outlet 111 1934. With the celebration ol its 30th anniversary last month. Wright's now has five highk sue Oessful outlets in Shreveport and Bossiei City, 1 ouisiana. Harold Wright, a member of the Westinghouse Dealer Council and on the board of directors of the National Appliance and Radio Dealers1 Association, is the sole owner of three of the stores and 1. 11 the largei share ol Ins radio budge] is placed on Kill the area's popular 50,000 watt "top 40" station, although h on all) adds schedules On one oi two other local stations to reach spc cific types ol audienc One minute announcements are always used and the) are tilled with solid sell ot the product itsell On the average, each promotional campaign lasts about ten days. Unless it involves the annual anniversar) sale, the pre-Christ mas promotion, or a special sea sonal sale, each campaign is built around a single appliance, such as the Westinghouse laundromat Specifics arc planned to tit spe a majority stockholder in \\hatlc\s Westinghouse and Will's Westinghouse. Wright started using radio in a rather limited W8) 17 years ago, when most retailers in Shrcwport still remained tied to newspapers as their sole means ot advertising During the ensuing years he has become a constant!) heavier user ol radio, until it is now the major part ot his advertising budget. Wright's advertising schedule on radio utilizes 10 to 20 announcements dail) on a single radio station during a campaign, and by Harold Wr,ghl Shu Kpo'l It dealer who grow, and growi with radio cific time ot year, such as the dryer campaign during the tradi tionalK rainy months, an conditioning and refrigeration during the spring .\nd summer and stereo and television in the tall and preceding ( hristmas I hat radio at the local Wright's level works tor the movement product is at least parti) evident in the tact that Wright S ceh/ed the distinction of haune the highest sales saturation percent.: wise to the population in laurv equipment of an) in the States ■ «»y 18 1964