Sponsor (Nov 1948-June 1949)

Mr. Sponsor asks... "W hv aren't more daytime serials sponsored I on a local-retail basis?" Bernard Rosenberg Vice President in charge of sales Cameo Curtains, Inc., N. Y. The Picked Panel answers >li-. ItoKennerg r,\s a verv practical matter, the national selective or local-retail sponsor looks to two sources for prog ranis : ill local production. i2l transcribed programs. I here arc ver) few locallj produced daytime serials. The problems of good scripts, good casts, good production are much too difficult al the local level, and their cost on a five-per-week, single-citj basis becomes staggering for the sponsor or the station. Of course, transcribing the prograin can answer both of these difficulties. However, there are feu tran-' i ibed da) time serials which can measure up script-wise, cast-wise and production-wise. Furthermore, one of the secrets ol the successful davtime -crial is "long-run. Leading network 31 i ill usuall) ha\ e been on the air ovei a length] period, sometimes as long a ten to 20 years. There are ver) few transcribed daytime serials available on such a basis. II a national selective or local-retail advertise! '.urn to us foi a daytime show to reach tin housewife, we would he in position to offer him several da) time serials, a well a musical, varie ty, or comedy shows. But my guess is that such an advertiser would turn them down in favor of our husbandand-wife show. Meet the Menjoiis. with Adolphe Menjou and his wife. \ erree Teasdale. Why? 1. Sponsors usualK like "names.' Davtime serials usually do not include big-name talent. 2. Sponsors usually like to promote their shows in order to whip up enthusiasm on the part of their salesinen and dealers. Obviously, it is easier to promote enthusiasm with a "name"' personality. 3. National selective sponsors usually plan radio-page newspaper ads. publicity, and store displays. Local-retail sponsors usualK like to plan promotion, including window displays, elevator cards, envelope stuffers, etc. Names like Menjou attract more attention in window displays, elevator (aids. etc.. than is usually possible with the promotion of a soap opera. 4. Daytime serials seem to do best when slotted in with other daytime serials. The local outlet for the networkwhich carrv most serials usuall) ha\e no such time availabilities, whereas, the other networks can-) practically no daytime serials among which to slot yours. \ Mr. & Mrs. program, or a musical, can he successful in almosl an) lime slot. 5. Another practical reason becomes apparent at the lime ol the all-important audition of a daytime serial, which audition doesn't always impress a prospective sponsor. He can appreciate a musical, or realize the value of a name -how and if he looks al the lloopcialing of Mr. \ Mr-, shows which win markets where thev arc running, he hud that tlicv invariable pull higher ratings than the leading soap operas on the same stations. So. regarding davtime serials: we have them, and they're good. But sponsors seem to prefer shows like Meet the Menjous. They get name values. quicker action, and they seem to get better results. Frederic W. Ziv President Ziv Corn pain. \ . ) . 1 am glad to answer vour question for it ian important one which we keep asking ourselves. The answer we believes lies in a combination of factors which slowly, perhaps, but steadily are being overcome. It is generally accepted that davtime serials arc best programed in the block system. At the local-station level this is possible only on the network outlets being fed daytime serials on the line and. of course, where this condition is favorable, the difficult problem of adjacent time availabilities asserts itself. I he -ei .hi. I factoi lies in the \ ehii le itself. To realize full) the returns possible through this type of programing, the local or selective advertiser must he prepared to embark on a longterm schedule. The daytime-serial audi ence is not buill overnight. It doe lake time lo establish the show and to develop a loyal listcnership. Network advertisers and their agencies seem to understand this, for ihev continue to schedule serials with effectiveness. 34 SPONSOR