Sponsor (Nov 1946-Oct 1947)

Mr. Sponsor Asks... "Singing commercials arc effective, but ran l>< > <lon<to correct jjnminjj: public antagonism to them without destroying their selling impact?" Thomas H. Lane I ^ire<:tor Sales Promotion and Advert/ting | Rexall Drug Company, Lot Angeles The Picked PanH answers Ml*. La IPC That's a rather difficult question to answer specifically. First, let me ask the sponsor a question. Who's to decide which singing commercials are acceptable and which are not? Make it two questions. Who will, or can, set a standard of what constitutes a listeneracceptable, commercially successful type of singing commercial, one that will correct or avert this "crisis" in the affairs ol the advertising fraternity? The other fellow's opinion may be as good as mine, it says here, but inasmuch as the other fellow's opinion hasn't been asked, and mine has, I shall proceed to pontificate. Here's our formula: 1. A simple tune. 2. Simple lyrics. 3. Simple copy. 4. A smart basic idea or "gimmick" that will have "memory" value. 5. Keep spoken lines to a mini' ilium and, so far as possible, incorporate the "sill" mto the lyrics. 6. Decide which major "benefits" of the product are to be stressed. 7. Incorporate not moh than three "benefits" in the lyrics ol any one spot. 8. Select a simple tune original oi public domain) to fit lyrics, rune should hi' rhythmical; lyrics singable. Both should be eas) to grasp when heard through the listener's loud speaker. 11 li tin' nature ol the product is such or tin sponsor thinks n js) that it would require a self-winding silver-tongued orator with lungs of brass to "expose" its merits, we'd hire a hall, not use spot radio. (We've had to hire no halls so far, thank you.) 10. Finally: Engage good talent. The best is none too good. Remember your singers are your salesmen. Don't "chisel." You want singing spots that are "able": sing-able, like-able, memor-able. Be willing to pay well for them. If the spots are appetizing to the ear, they'll be motivating to the mind. To sum up: Say it simply. Say it quick. Say it often. Make it stick. End of pontification. Chester H. Miller Director oj Radio Calkins & Holden The answer to the problem of keeping the singing commercial up to par in sales impact rests squarely on the imagination and skill of the creator. Radio is, most unfortunately, sheep-like in its trends. A whacking good musical spot by Pepsi-Cola caught the ears of the listener, and overnight everybody and his brother were doing jingles. Advertising men are no exception to the rule when it comes tc being frustrated Poet Laureates— they're maybe the worst and the temptation to write a bit of doggrel verse is strong. A few bars of music are added, giving the spot sound and fury but all too often signifying nothing. A "quickie" choral group records the thing and the unhappy listeners reach for the switch. Bad material, bad performance, and bad production will make a bad spot just as they will make a bad radio show. When the advertiser takes care to do the the job well, the listener will take the capsule without gagging. One suggestion — keep the number of sales-points down. Don't ask even the best lyricist and composer to include a word-picture of the founder and factory in twenty seconds. Donald S. Shaw Vp and Radio Director Geyer, Newell & Ganger First, is it quite fair to attribute "growing public antagonism" toward all jingles? Wouldn't it be much fairer to say that there is growing public antagonism toward ' 't hose jingles which are one hundred per cent advertising and zero per cent entertaining?" The jingle has proved very effective as an advertising tool for the simple reason that we are probably the most music conscious nation in the world. Music is one of our fundamental forms of entertainment. If a jingle measures up as a truly entertaining song (or songlet) and, if it satisfies our national yen for words and music, it will be listened to, and, depending upon the degree of its cleverness, will be remembered to a greater or lesser extent. However, we must remember the psychologists' warnings that the d 'stance between love and hate is less than the thickness of a piece of paper, and make our jingles really good. We must put real thought into them — good ideas cleverly worded and not try to get by with a jingle consisting of the name of the product plus a tested selling phrase set to just enough sixteenth notes to fit. 34 SPONSOR