Sponsor (July-Dec 1949)

gene Gilbert of the Gilbert Youth Research Organization (New York), among other researchers, is convinced that many advertisers may be missing the boat by single-slanting their premium offers. At what age do little girls cease being interested in a "rescue ring" and become more interested in — what? These and related questions have never been investigated on a comprehensive scale. One researcher, while on another project, discovered incidentally that a baseball book was being offered on a program in one city with the intention of influencing youngsters too young to read it. The character of both hero and program frequently suggest other "plus" values that may be incorporated into the premium, thus adding to its excitement value. The Franklin Bruck Advertising Agency I New York) tells how the original idea for a whistle ring was built up. The hollow "stone" under which was a tiny whistle was ordered made of a luminous substance. The copy labeled it a "plastic dome." It glowed "mystic blue at night." A circlet of tin became a "scientific reflector" with which to send code messages. The original whistle ring finally became a thrilling Roger Wilco Rescue Ring. It will be noticed that all the elements of the rescue ring ( as with all juvenile ring creations) are familiar components. The magnifying lenses, mirrors, sundials, compasses, and the various figures like that of Ted Williams, or the Lone Ranger's revolver, if taken separately and out of context, are quite uninspiring. But to build up a highly charged emotional feeling around the item through such means as those described is one secret of a successful premium. The real sell is excitement, rather than the premium itself, and the extent to which an item can be made to lend itself to that feeling is largely the measure of its success. The same basic idea is at work in many of the premiums offered to housewives. When an admirer presented Young Widder Brown with a lovebirds brooch it wasn't so much the brooch itself that listeners sent for when Phillip's Toothpaste offered it to them — it was the identification with romance that impelled housewifely hearts to beat for the brooch. This idea was carried out through specific suggestions in the copy and in the choice of words to describe the jewelry. Many an actor has cringed at reading the lines supposed, as he ( or she ) thought, to picture the jewelry introduced into a storyline and later to be offered as a premium. Obviously, for say twenty-five cents, or even more, the jewelry is junk. But the glowing, colorful phrases were never really meant to describe any tangible object, but rather the indescribable substance of beauty, or romance, or friendship, etc., built up in the minds of the listeners. Only this point of view can explain why most listeners, when shown such a piece of jewelry, or merely asked cold how they regard it as a premium, will reject it, even scornfully. Offered as a test, outside the context of the show, or the commercial, it remains just what it is — junk. This also bears on the experience of John M. Davidson, premium manager of Colgate-PalmolivePeet. Says Davidson, "When the consumer has her free choice of glamorous merchandise versus the practical, useful items, she chooses the latter." Duane Jones, who heads the New York advertising agency of that name, has had unusual success with radio premium offers of "glamorous merchandise." In fact, the first of the five "musts" for a Jones self-liquidating offer is glamor. The others are uniqueness (not widely sold in retail stores) ; appeal to eye and ear (the latter naturally for radio advertising) ; of current interest; and capable of being offered at a low, one-coin price. Most premium people disagree with this latter rule on the ground of their own experience, but Jones still feels he has evidence in his favor. Radio has been equally successful in promoting premiums in the useful category. Kitchen utensils seem to be the perennial favorites of those who like their bargains practical. It is important that all premiums represent a genuine bargain to the customer (this is possible because the advertiser buys a tremendous quantity of the items and intends to make no profit on them) , in order to build and retain emphatic good will. Robert F. Degen, account and merchandising executive, Ted Bates & Co. (New York), recently made a survey the results of which appear in the charts accompanying this story. He sent questionnaires to a group of 500 women supplied by a woman's service magazine. He received a high response — 25% — and of those who replied 75% were under 30 years old. Ninetyfive per cent were married, 50% had children under five years old, average family income was $4,000. A premium that is to be promoted on the radio has to be one that can be (Please turn to page 64) based on a survey by It. F. Deyen, of Ted Bates & Company ESTION: What was the highest price you ever I for a "mail-in" type of premium? One of every e women soecified 50c. one in four said $1.00 QUESTION: What do you generally prefer to pay? The dominant amount was 25c. But 50c advocates showed stronq. All others rated 17.4%. Xaoz ^^>^ / \ »ONT / \«nf*IBER. 31.9% \ 20.3A YES \ NO ANSWER \ 39.87. NO QUESTION: Did you ever switch permanently to a new brand because of a premium offer? Most say no, but results show high influence with women