Sponsor (July-Dec 1952)

as interested spectators but with the heavy responsibility of executive producers. They just didn't speak the language of the film business; film producers, too. weren't used to the terms and problems of advertising agencies. Much pioneer work has been done bv the American Television Society in smoothing out the rough spots in general relationships between ad agencies and film producers. (See "Blueprint for agency-film maker teamwork. sponsor. 5 May 1952, page 36.) Now. even agencies with limited experience in film work can submit to a producer all the information he'll need as the basis of an accurate bid or cost estimate, meanwhile having a clear-cut idea of where responsibilities start and stop. It's been said of the ATS work in this field that "a mutual understanding of their individual problems should lead to more efficient operation, lowered costs, and a film commercial of superior effectiveness." 2. Standardized TV "l.D.'s" — Another problem in which the ATS has had a hand, along with NARTSR. has been the question of standardized audio and video requirements for commercial "station identification" announcements. These eight-second and 10-second announcements have proved to be valuable commercial vehicles, particularly as "'reminder" advertising, for products ranging from Parliament Cigarettes to Red Devil Paints. Until recently, however, the sponsor who wanted to make a single 16-mm film or slide series to be used in a widespread campaign of "I.D." announcements was out of luck. Some stations had their miniature identifications on the upper left-hand side of the screen : some had them on the right. Openings, closings, techniques, and type of equipment varied considerably, and meant extra artwork for agencies. Now, following the recommendations of ad agencies and NARTSR, NBC Spot Sales has set the pace in standardizing "I.D." commercials on the eight TV stations it represents. Other reps, such as Katz. Blair-TV. and CBS Spot TV Sales have indicated to sponsor that they will soon follow NBC's example in adopting uniform standards. Most likely possibility for fall: Before the end of 1952, most of the country's TV stations will have standardized their commercial I.D. slides so that 75% of the screen is available for the commercial I trademark, slogan, picture I with the upper right-hand quarter left for the station's identification. A standard format for the audio, parallelling that of NBC Spot Sales, is also expected. 3. Standardized coverage data — Few sponsors, in TV's short-pants days, questioned the engineers' definition of TV coverage, which was "line of sight. or about 50 miles." Timebuyers drew neat circles around TV towers, and said "That's it. boys." Due to various atmospheric conditions, geographical variations. and economic circumstances. TV coverage has proved to be quite different from the simple 50-mile circles. Outlying towns have put up giant "community antennas," which have added hundreds of families to what was felt to be the limits of coverage. Even isolated farmers have put up towers that look like aircraft beacons as far out as 100 miles from video stations. At the same time, there are sections of cities and nearby towns where video reception is physically impossible, and these will have to be dropped from "coverage." Due to clarify the situation this fall will be the nationwide coverage and circulation reports from Standard Audience Measurement and Nielsen Coverage Service. They will furnish basic data to timebuyers on everything from TV station coverage and weekK audiences to information on multipleset TV homes. 4. Clinics, meetings. — Although the frontiers of TV knowledge are constantly being pushed ahead, both buyers and sellers of TV spot are aware that the more information is exchanged, the better the medium will be. More "seminar"-type meetings this fall between specialized TV firms are expected, like the film seminars in 1951 given by Transfilm. The American Television Society meetings, the NARTSR sessions between agencies and reps, and stepped-up NARTB sessions will help to spread TV knowledge throughout the industry, and will help to set more firm standards of practice and good taste. The American Association of Advertising Agencies, and its joint (with ANA) offshoot, the Advertising Research Foundation, is also expected to play a large role in establishing good station-agency relationships, and in acting as a referee in handling problems dealing with TV research. Merchandising Q. Are TV stations beginning to develop merchandising campaigns? A. Merchandising in TV spot is far from being as widespread, well-developed or aggressive as it is in spot radio. A few key stations in mature TV areas, such as NBC's and CBS' network TV flagships in New7 York, as well as a handful of others like WLWT and the Los Angeles TV outlets, are beginning to follow-through on TV campaigns at point of sale. You're more likely to find merchandising, at this stage of the relative development of TV and radio, being done at radio outlets, since this has proved a profitable business-getter in their running fight with TV. Most TV stations manage to find business enough without having to add merchandising as an inducement. Also. TV stations do not have the kind of coverage areas that big radio stations have in which the added weight of merchandising can go a lot further in boosting total retail sales. Top agencies and clients Q. Who are the leading agencies placing TV spot business for fall? A. According to a cross-section of station reps, here are the agencies expected to be most active in placing TV spot business. An alphabetical order, they are: N. W. Aver: D'Arcy: BBDO: Biow; Leo Burnett: Compton: Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample; Kenyon & Eckhardt; Maxon; McCann-Erickson: Potts. Calkins & Holden; R&R: Tatham-Laird; J. Walter Thompson: Weintraub; Young & Rubicam. Q. What clients are leaders in the use of TV spot? A. Several stations reps listed these clients, in alphabetical order, as being heavy in their present or anticipated use of spot TV: Ballantine, Blatz, Bulova, Buster Brown Shoes, Coca-Cola. Chrysler, Ford and Ford Dealers. General Foods, General Mills. Gruen Watches. Lever Bros.. Interstate Baking. Kellogg, Philip Morris. Procter & Gamble, Schaefer Beer, Sterling Drug. Virginia Dare. Ward Baking, and Wriglev. 166 SPONSOR