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they're a big business
brokers. pro€lii«*€^rs. publicity men get free air credit for manufacturers in muiti-million-iioiiar operation
for placing their products on a give-away show. A few firms consider the give-away operation a legitimate phase of their overall promotion and publicity activities. A handful of firms consider it an effective form of reminder advertising, or as a "fill in" between seasonal campaigns. The biggest users of give-away channels read like the "Who's Who" of the ad business. Such firms as Philco, RCA, Bulova, Oshkosh Luggage, Champion Outboard Motors, Kaiser-Frazer, Westinghouse, Kelvinator, Stromberg-Carlson, Ronson Art Metal Works, General Electric, Kimball Pianos, and Columbia Diamond Rings are plugged several times every broadcasting day as winner after winner carts away anywhere from $25 to $25,000 worth of merchandise.
Although the brokers do everything they can to ensure adequate brand-name mentions plus a descriptive plug at the
time of presentation, even to the point of sending along prepared "copy" with each prize, there is still an element of a gamble for a manufacturer whose product is being given away. Sometimes the plug is buried in a conglomerate, rapid-fire listing of many prizes. Sometimes, particularly in a jackpot stockpile of gifts such as the "Walking Man" gimmick on Truth or Cot^sequences, or a contest promotion like ABC's Paul Whiteman Club, the contributing firms get a tremendous free ride, with special promotions, publicity, tie-in ads, repeat plugs, and extra air-mentions. More often than not, a manufacturer has to take a chance. There is a difference too in whether or not a show is a straight "give-away," like Queen for a Day, Bride & Groom, and Welcome Travelers, or a "quiz" show like Winner Take All, Grand Slam, and Stop the Music. The quiz-type show usually develops a more general.
"family" audience than the give-away show which is largely interviews and the simplest of questions. The give-away brokers promote all types, plus the special contests on shows which do not ordinarily hand out gifts.
Not all manufacturers make a product that can be a good give-away. Items which consumers often like to select for themselves, such as jewelry, clothing, cosmetics, and fashion accessories, generally fall flat. So do "unknown" brands of merchandise. The items which usually do best are household items like washers, refrigerators, waffle irons, toasters, electric clocks, radios, lamps, sheets, and blankets. A few luxury items, where consumer brand choice is usually not of prime consideration, rate high with winners.
VIP, one of the largest and oldest of the brokerage services, prefers to deal in prizes in the $10-$30 bracket for run-of
Washing machines are still very much the number one listener request Vacation via air is one of the special appeals to young marrieds
MAY 1948
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