Sponsor (Nov 1946-Oct 1947)

siroply^because American women do most of the country's buying and advertising is addressed primarily to them. Anothci lac. Mi is thai men listen to specific programs and are less apt to be held by sO'Called mood programing (at least all available rating records for programs seem to indicate this). On the credit side, this means that when sponsors are ready to advertise they won't have to worry about finding an air slot with men already available to listen. More men's wear business for net' works would in all likelihood land in large part in Weintraub's shop despite the (act that he claims that he doesn't want any apparel acounts. Having come to the agency business from Esquire, he's very close to the field which made that magazine a success, but even he hasn't landed any men's wear accounts with the exception of Frank H. Lee. Lee may break the ice for him, because more and more exclusive men's hat stores are ceasing to be just hat stores. Haberdashers are adding men's hats to their standard lines and men's hat stores are adding shirts, ties, and usually end up with a full line of men's furnishings. Since the Drew Pearson broadcasts are bringing 'em in to ask for Lee hats it's logical that manufacturers of other men's products will be asking soon— in fact they are asking already — "Who does the Lee hat advertising?" That'll lead to business for Weintraub and that'll mean more accounts addressed to men on the air. It's a nice twist but follow-theleader is standard in all lines. Both the Lee and the Weintraub organizations would like to determine the ceiling for men's hat sales. A recent "opinion study" made by a research organization, revealed here for the first time, indicates that one-third of the young men of America never wore a hat before they entered the Army but will wear them from now on. Reason for this is two-fold. Many men "got the habit" during service and were in long enough to have the habit stick. Then women, who have always been a factor in men's apparel habits, saw their menfolk in hats for the first time during the war and they're badgering them to continue to wear them. Same survey revealed an unusual thing. While women are responsible for much of men's hatwearing, they seldom specify any special brand. As a matter of fact this insistence that the menfolk wear hats, rather than a 14 WEWANTLEE ^gw *********** -^ fir Lee Ms fan non-fowrs m && Amortf liWenm l-ee Hit wncti own jft mofc let Hjo p« nun thin do L/r H*i o»»ncn J/nong n«t li««n«» Inotho word* Jmong llfttDSI a thouund \jt* rut ownm o»ti 550 mar Lx Hilt dun the wmr number « let H« owoeri unorg noo liflrnm 33XZ /$ of the listener* EUtC ttul thftf rxpfft to buf, u t 'ft Httf next ttme' becjuw of the j<ttcriiMii£ til and no* for iho ^Wg^yWWMTtfcaTolfm •Idiom 3 TIMES i» nun Itrtmm t» m Lrtenm ttaic ih« ihrt ■Wprcl ID hl» 1 Ut H» OBlJlBf Pulse study revealed merchandising facts specific type of hat, is what is bringing the downfall of straw hats. Most men don't like straws and since women aren't style conscious as far as men's hats are concerned, the males have taken to lightweight felts during the summer when they feel they "must" wear a hat. Result of Army habit and women's urging has raised the ceiling of men's hat sales by 20 per cent, according to the survey. Women also are going with their men to buy hats more than they have in the past. They still don't know hats by brand names, but they go to make sure that "it looks good on John." Since women listen to Drew Pearson with their menfolk (some 1.13 per listening set and that's .03 more than the men per listening set), this also is a plus factor for Lee, and it has paid off. It was trade fact up to the time of sponsorship of Drew Pearson by Frank H. Lee that no retail hatter could do well unless he carried Mallory, Stetson, Knox, and or Dobbs. Today that's still true only now Lee has been added to the list. Lee's competition is waiting for Drew Pearson to run out of crusades and point to the fact that he hit 6.6 in his January 1 5 rating. But his December 30 was 9.9 — within .1 of the highest rating he's delivered for Lee Hats. And a good crusader like Pearson will never run out of worthy causes. Also important is the fact that he's shifting his slot to 6 from 7 p.m. At that hour he won't compete with Jack Benny (NBC) and Gene Autry (CBS). Shift has been made possible since Hires' Sunday Party moves to CBS (on Columbia it's to be Here's to Ya!) on February 9 leaving the 6 p.m. time open. Competition at 6-0zzie and Harriet CBS), Those Websters (MBS), and Catholic Hew (NBC) combined usually rate 26 midseason), while his 7 p.m. competition traditionally is 34. Other factor in the move is the fact that Counterspy, the 5:30 to 6 p.m. ABC program, has the biggest audience of the four networks during this period and therefore will deliver to Pearson something to work on (8.9 currently i. The program preceding Pearson recently has delivered only a 4 or less, which is reason in itself for a shift. Other sponsors might feel that now"s the time to shift from a provocative commentator to something more "solid." But Lee has reason to love Pearson's battling for the things in which he believes—his crusading has "made" Lee I!. .is SPONSOR