Sponsor (Jan-June 1951)

gypped themselves by fly-by-nighters. Despite the attention that the unsavory operators have attracted, the mail-order business does have a legitimate place in broadcasting when properly handled. A SPONSOR survey found that such firms as Huber Hoge & Sons, Marfree Advertising Corporation, and Thwing & Altman (book specialists), among others, have established good records in the field. There is no menace to radio here. The Better Business Bureau has no fat files of complaints on activities of these firms as it does for some other organizations. These advertising agencies have found that legitimate mail order can bring consistent, high-profit sales volume. At this date all indications are that the shady operators will be more and more restricted while the reputable firms go ahead to one of their biggest years in the radio mail order business. ( TV, on the other hand, is currently declining as a mail-order medium.) Here, then, is a close-up of how Marfree, a business-like, established mail-order agency, works. Marfree's president, Harry Friedenberg, can cite such worthwhile achievements in mail order as building D-Con rat exterminator to a SI 00,000 weekly volume through radio (sponsor, 1 January 1951); sale of 120,000 plastic food bags with deodorizers per week; 14,000 sets per week of six popular records; 6,000 to 10,000 monthly inquiries for the White Cross Hospitalization Plan. This is the step-by-step technique that Marfree uses to make mail order pull such responses. Mail order is a tricky operation. You can lose your shirt easily — and quickly. The key to Marfree's success is careful analysis before taking on a new product. Items are checked for: 1. Profit potential. 2. Value of the merchandise. 3. Need for the product. 4. Finances and credit of the firm making the article. 5. Actual test sales performance on about a dozen proven mail order stations, including WCKY and WLW, both Cincinanti; WWVA, Wheeling; WIBW, Topeka; WIBC, Indianapolis; KMOX, St. Louis; KFGO, Fargo, N. D.; KTHT, Houston; WVNJ, Newark; WPAT, Paterson, N. J. The tests run two weeks, with a frequency of one to three times daily on 10 or 15-minute shows. If the mail (Please turn to page 77) Marfree's list of WCKY, Cincinnati WIBW, Topeka, Kan. KFGO, Fargo, N. D. WPAT, Paterson, N. J WGN, Chicago WOAI, San Antonio WBAL, Baltimore WEEI, Boston KVOO, Tulsa, Okla. WMC, Memphis KWKII, Shreveport, La, KXXX, Colby, Kan. KOA, Denver KFI, Los Angeles WNOX, Knoxville,Tenn WLW, Cincinnati some of top mail order stations WIBC, Indianapolis WWVA, Wheeling, KTHT, Houston WTAM, Cleveland WCFL, Chicago KOB, Albuquerque, N. M. WCAO, Baltimore WCHS, Charleston, S.C. WOWO, Fort Wayne, Ind. KBYE, Oklahoma City KHMO, Hannibal, Mo. WHKC, Columbus, O. WJR, Detroit KNX, Los Angeles W. Va. KMOX, St. Louis WVNJ, Newark WGAR, Cleveland WLS, Chicago KGNC, Amarillo, Tex. WBZ, Boston WBT, Charlotte, N. C. WOW, Omaha WOK, New York KTRII, Houston KWBU, Corpus Christi, Tex. CKLW, Detroit KCOH, Houston HOW INDUSTRY IS POLICING MAIL ORDER Let's pass a law. That's the refrain which always follows a scandal where many are victimized. Thousands of radio and TV mail order customers encountered pitchmen on the air last Christmas who lived up to their street-corner reputations. That's why stations are working to sift out the chiselers from the legitimate outfits described in the article at the left. But it's going to take a lot more than the writing of regulations. "You can pass all the laws and codes you want," one veteran broadcaster remarks, "but if the agencies and stations do not enforce those rules, the menace of the fly-by-night operators will continue. In no time at all, they can wipe out all confidence in reputable mail-order offers. From that point, it is not far from jeopardizing faith in all radio advertising." Here is a rundown on the drive to clean up mail order. Even Congress is being brought into the picture. The national lawmakers (Please turn to page 79) Typical complaint letter sent to stations