Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1964)

Clairol Takes Action Against Revlon's Xomparison-Chart' Pack New York — Revlon's decision to use a hair-color comparison ' chart mentioning Clairol on the ' side of the package for Colorsilk, a new product which will be introduced on spot tv, has sparked legal action by Clairol. Last week, Bruce L. Gclb, executive vice president of Clairol, j a subsidiary of Bristol-Myers, an^ noimced the filing of unfair competitive action in the New York ■ State Supreme Court against RevIon. "We strenuously object to Revlon's announced plans to trade ' upon our goodwill and reputation through the use of our Miss Clairol trademark on the Revlon package." Gelb said. Both Clairol and Revlon are big users of tv. Clairol, acknowledged to hold 50 to 60 percent of the haircoloring market, has used tv as its primary medium since 1955 through Foote, Cone & Belding. Clairol's ad budget has increased four-fold since 1960 alone, from $5 million to $20 million. At the present time about $10 million goes into nighttime network tv. with additional spending in daytime network and spot tv. Revlon spent $1.5 million in spot tv last year, but has increased use of the medium considerably. During first half of this year Revlon spent $3.2 million in spot; third quarter $1.5, already three times more than in '63. Revlon has used spot tv to advertise Supernatural hair spray. Top Brass hair dressing, and will begin a Christmas spot tv drive today. Revlon uses no network tv. Colorsilk represents Revlon's first entry in the home-use permanent haircoloring field. It will be introduced on spot tv and in fourcolor magazines in late January. A spokesman for Revlon told Sponsor the comparison with Clairol on the package of Colorsilk is intended merely as a reference point in terms of shade selection and would probably not be utilized in the tv commercials. UHF Hopes Boosted as WKEF-TV Reopens Dayton, Ohio — Ultra High Frequency — frequently adrift in troubled waters, caught some wind in its sails last week with the official reopening of station FKEFTV in Dayton. FCC commissioner Robert E. Lee, who attended the ceremonies, hailed the re-opening as a "milestone in the future of the television industry as a whole." Tv Expected to Regain Blue Chip Ad Money New York ■ — The "institutional money" of the country's blue-chip corporations is expected to return to tv next year with the closing of the New York World's Fair. Industry estimates are that tv advertisers diverted millions in advertising this year due to corporate budget reallocations to meet excessively high costs of the Fair. Since the second year of the Fair will involve only routine upkeep' expenses, the corporations are expected to resume their normal investment in institutional tv sponsorship. A survey by the New York JTimes revealed the following developments among the blue-chips: The General Electric Co., aloof from the regular television sponsorship since the 1962-63 season, has ;ontracted for $2 million worth of iannouncements within ABC's Val)intine's Day, Burke's Law and '5f/7 Casey. The contract, which uns from January to September, lives General Electric an option on new properties in the fall, including a Sunday evening shot. E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. is considering a proposal for sponsormg four to six special travelogues on ABC, modeled after Sophia Loren's recent tv tour of Rome. The General Motors Corp. is interested in institutional tv advertising on a major scale and is expected to reactivate its call for agency plan submissions that had been delayed by its recent labor strife. The Ford Motor Co., as network circles report, is also looking for a big venture in institutional tv. The United States Steel Corp., which built the symbolic Unisphere for the World's Fair and sponsored tv coverage of the Fair's opening, is looking for a tv spot next fall. The show would be partly institutional and partly product support of steel-made merchandise. The commissioner tabbed the station a "pilot model" for the success of UHF in VHF dominated metropolitan areas throughout the country. "It is the beginning of a new era," he said, "for markets throughout the country that have been restricted in tv outlets due to the lack of VHF allocations available." WKEF-TV, competing against two VHF stations in the Dayton market, has been dark for several 3'ears, but went on the air again six weeks ago. Station manager John Fergie reports that the station had already amassed a list of more than 60 advertisers, 80 percent of which are national accounts. "We have a solid list of blue chip accounts," he said, "which include leading national beer, soft drink, cigaret, food and detergent accounts." Lee asserted that the success of station WKEF-TV would increase interest in UHF broadcasting, help remove the cautious attitude previously held toward UHF. Sli 1 ^ «j" «. laa ...c e . • • • -1 l*F 1 ^. Aa f i* M g2£ f 1 u_ — ~ _. ... M ■ SS^t i ■ m:^ m K All smiles at WKEF-TV December 7, 1964 21