Sponsor (July-Dec 1951)

washing product had built up by developing and testing a new appeal. In several carefully selected markets, the inhabitants were urged to buy "Surf," Uiat "no-rinse" soap powder which could cut their washing time in half. Lever Bros, executives smiled happily at one another as results proved the "no-rinse" appeal a smashing success. Plans for a national promotion were read:ed: it looked like there might be a licking ahead for P & G's "Tide." Imagine, then, the consternation which struck Lever Brothers when in January 1950 their arch-rival stole a march on the new appeal. Following a country-wide series of emergency meetings, the entire P & G empire turned itself inside out to revamp "Tide" advertising. Before the "Surf" campaign could be launched. "Tide" wrapped itself in a "no-rinse" appeal and swept away with the market. Close to two years after this maneuver, "Tide remains the top-selling soap powder, while "Surf" never quite got off the ground. How did Procter & Gamble find out? Probabl) through its extensive sales force. Salesmen make it a point to look around when they visit retailers. Any new product or campaign can be spotted quickly and word passed on to the home office. One other source of "leaks" is the occasional blabbing of media salesmen. The radio/TV director of a mediumsized ad agency told sponsor that in at least four tests which his agency has run via radio or TV, word has gotten to competitors within three days. But larger agencies quizzed on this point, report no such difficulty. To be on the safe side, market testers would do well to keeo a tight rein on test details when lining up media schedules. 4. Measuring results. What makes market testing so expensive is not the cost of buying advertising alone, but the tab for keeping track of sales curves. Actually, this is the pay-off operation; a test is wholly wasted unless its impact can be accurately measured. Measuring sales is done most often right at the retail level. Factory shipments don't usually tell enough, since they reflect wholesaler and dealer inventories which may be idling in storerooms. Wholesale shipments are scarcely a better gauge of how main product packages are actually being bought. Safest measuring instrument is the "store audit" bv field men. ^wHimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinimiiiiu hiii mini iiiiNiimmiiiHii free WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO SPONSOR THE NEWLY-PUBLISHED 72 PAGE TV-DICTIONARY/HANDBOOK FOR SPONSORS Defining more than 1,000 television terms and uses, the $2 pocket-size dictionary is the only publication of its kind. Including a sign-language for TV, valuable data on camera and lens usage, TV union particulars, and other pertinent TV information, the new dictionary will be a prized possession you'll refer to again and again. Be sure you get a copy by entering your subscription to SPONSOR without delay. Yearly subscription rate is only $8 for the 26 bi-weekly issues ; the two-year rate of $12 is SPONSOR'S most popular value. Bulk TV Dictionary rates on request. PLEASE USE THE FORM BELOW AND MAIL TODAY ! r SPONSOR 510 Madison Avenue New York 22 Please enter my subscription to SPONSOR and send me FREE the new 72-page TV Dictionary/Handbook. Bill me later. 1 Firm Address L City _ □ $12 two years .._ Zone □ $8 one year \<iiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiii;iiiiiiiiii! mill in iiiiiiiiiiiiimii iiiiiiiiiiiiimiinmiiiii imiiiimiiiiniiiimiii iiiiiNiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiniiiimiiiiiiiiiii;niiiiiii:!iiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii . i.iiiiiiiiiiitiiini,^ 24 SEPTEMBER 1951 85