Sponsor (Nov 1946-Oct 1947)

HUCHIMG the 9*e. 'Middli Masses" Talent exceeds lime cosl but Sari *n Klmer stands aeiri ti*si il Nells Ifteerwoml Coffee TJ UCKSHOT just won't do the job. To |j sell the "middle masses," a program must be aimed directly at them and must sell a single product. Although participation in home economics airings are consistently successful, they are the buckshot type of programing, spraying their advertising attack over a broad expanse. It's true that hundreds of these shows sell millions of dollars worth of products each year. It's the belief of most merchandisers nevertheless that participating announcements do only an immediate selling job without creating brand iiarm acceptance. This attitude is, to say the least, debatable and w ah a drop of the hat Mother Parker (Food Fare, WEEI, Bos ton., Martha Dean WORi, New York . Ana Sterling (KOMO. Seattle, Wash. argue the point. And they're just thru <>i t hi hundreds of "or!-'' who conduct and home participating sessions whcrcvei tdio is heard and who do a top-draw cr job of selling. I There is. hov. «.:, another kind of air selling that can't be ignored -the kind of King that lenvi a pleasant, lasting k, ::. aroma — not for the program alone but for roduct that sponsors it as well national way it's the feeling tha casiooed toward? Johnson Wax when Fibber 20 l II J& kJ' 'lilt. but fo?tae ell. In a lat i> oc McGet and Molly is mentioned, or toward 1 luPont when Cavalcade oj Amt rica is talked about. It's not assayable in immediate -ali s alone and it produces sales frequently years alter a campaign is ended. It's like the continuous good-will produced by the floial-arrangement book and film built for Coca-Cola. Four years after the last advertisement on the booklet was published the Coca-Cola organization receives over 100,000 requests for the booklet per year. It s tins feeling that can sell an entire line of products although the commercials mention only one. Normally this building of a program-product identification takes time. Nevertheless it has been known to have been achieved in 13 weeks when the thinking and the follow -through behind the program have been adult. An "over-night" job, but hardly typical, was accomplished by the Bluffton Grocery Company of Bluffton, Indiana, with a program called Sari 'n Elmer. Bluffton had been using Tin WOWO Home Forum Fort Wayne for a number of and had obtained "considerable result? from participation, but only in relation to the money expended." It wanted to Spend more money to do a bigger and better job. Its problem was manifold. 1. It wanted to sell the great "middle mass 2. It wanted direct results, results that would be apparent to the retailers to whom Bluffton sold. 3. It wanted a show that would compete with big network programs and shows that were being produced and transcribed locally with a sizeable budget. 4. It wanted a show that would produce sales for its private brand. Deerwood, and at the same time not force the selling down listeners' throats. Since integrated commercials of nec< had to be part of the selling that Bluffton wanted, it was practically impossible to find a daily transcribed show that met their needs. They auditioned news programs and news digests and although there was plenty of feeling in the Bluffton organization in favor of the news digest, which included entertainment as well as news, it was discarded from the available ideas becauwas felt that "it would not enjoy continuity and therefore would not build up a loyal listening audience that would stick Irom day to day throughout the week and y< . That left Bluffton nothing to do but produce their ow n program. They talked to a pair of characters who were working around WOWO but not together. Sh SPONSOR