Sponsor (Nov 1948-June 1949)

\ew developments on SPONSOR stories the jackpot that grew and grew and grew? Fabulous, isn't it, the way the list of prizes grows in the big jackpots? Equally fabulous is the growth of WWDC in Washington. From a small beginning, WWDC has grown into a huge power for producing economical results in this rich market. Get the whole story from your Forjoe man. WWDC AM-FM— The 0. C. Independent Reprtttnttd Nationally by FORJOE & COMPANY p.s $66: "How terrific is transitradio?" |SSU6! September 1948, p. 44 SUD|6Ct: Number of advertisers using transit broadcasting is growing rapidly In the 11 months since regular use of transit broadcasting was inaugurated on 10 July. 1948. in Covington. Kv.. the list of sponsors who have turned to the mobile advertising medium has lengthened considerably. According to a compilation released 13 May b> Frank E. Pellegrin, vice-president in charge of sales for Transit Radio, Inc.. 355 advertisers — national, regional, and local — were FM-selling their products over the speakers in the public transportation systems of ten cities. The latest figure represents an increase of 145 over the 210 sponsors using transitradio in February. ' According to Pellegrin. the rapid advance in the number of new advertisers, as well as the number who renew, is "'amazing and most encouraging." He reports that quite a few have achieved "spectacular results/' while others, including large national advertisers such as Swift & Co., Fitch Shampoo. Household Finance Corp.. and Fsquire Publications, arc trying it out experimentally. Pellegrin feels that the low cost for a counted audience ( 80' r of the country's population, 15 years and older, are transit riders), plus the shift to a buyer's market, is responsible for transitradio's growth. He states that "it is especially significant that this latest compilation (of sponsors using the medium) shows a very large number of advertisers who were previously cool to AM radio, particularly in the large department-store and retail-specialty fields." The ten cities in which transitradio is now in commercial operation (there were three when the medium debutted I include: St. Louis; Washington, D.C. ; Cincinnati; Houston, Tex.: Tacoma. Wash.; Des Moines, la.; Huntington, W. Va.; Topeka. Kan.: WilkesBarre, Pa., and Bradbury Heights. Md. New transit broadcasting outlets will shortly be operating commercially in Worcester, Mass.: Evansvillc. Ind.; Allentown -Bethlehem, Pa.: Kansas City. Mo., and Baltimore, Md. Negotiations for franchises are also underway in a number of other kc\ cities. p.s See: "How stations merchandise"' IsSUe: 28 February 1949; 28 March 1949 Subject: WCOP, Boston, and WSAI. Cincinnati, aggressively merchandise autos, meat Despite a general lack of merchandising initiative on the part of most U.S. radio stations — less than one-fifth do any real productive promotion of their programs and sponsors — those that do usualK go all-out in that direction. Boston's WCOP is a prime example of the lengths to which a merchandising-minded station will go. There is none of the staid c|ualit\ customarily associated with Bostonians in the manner in which WCOP derives benefit both for itself and its clients through such regular merchandising activities as personal dealer calls and dealer mailings, display Bpace for air-sold products in studio windows, and heavy publicity campaigns and courtesy announcement schedules. WCOP feels a real sense of responsibility to Hub Cit) merchants and dealers. Typical was its participation in the \W) General Motors Transportation Unlimited show in Boston. The station gave the exhibition full co\erage as a public-service feature, and as new models were displayed, staged a series of broadcasts i via wire [Please turn to jmiie 43 1 14 SPONSOR