Sponsor (July-Dec 1952)

comes* necessary in a market, but al sponsor's press time, this part of the budget had not been touched I : $1,720 for fairs and expositions; and $1,300 for theatre advertising. The $18,000 expended by the compam is matched approximately by the agents, giving a total radio expenditure of $36,000. Citizens' experimented with television advertising in 1051. They sponsored a kiddie show, called Happy Birthday, in Detroit, paid for in pari by the company and partly by a pool of 78 agents, each contributting $6 each week throughout the 26-week run of the show. The format of the show, a half-hour program at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday >. was an informal birthday partj for nine children between five and 10 years old. The kids celebrated their birthdays while Jim Deland ni.c.d the fun. The program averaged more than 1,000 pieces of mail a week during the run of its contract, mainly requests for children to appear on the show. The n; me of each of the nine children sclented every week was turned over to an agent in the neighborhood of that particular youngster. That agent was urged to call upon the child's parents and offer to drive the child to the show on Saturday. Agents were told not to try to sell an insurance policy to these people, but rather to leave a brochure or follow-up material such as a card or calendar. However, because of the very nature of the approach — the way the tie-in with the local agents, for example, was handled — there were no startling: immediate results in terms of sales. It became difficult to convince the participating agents of the show's long-term benefits. Most of them expected an immediate return for their investment. The idea of calling on the parents of the children to appear on the program struck many agents as a wasted call, if thev could not follow it up immediately with a sales presentation. The ouestion of renewing the contract for Hamn Birthdav was discussed at length bv the contributing agents, and it was finally decided to discontinue soonsorship. RaMnswise. the program had suffered from the severe competition of live baseball telecasts and the Kefauver Crime Committee hearings — the latter having forced the shoyy to cancel a couple of times. The idea of buving TV spot announcements yvas discussed, but was finally rejected because of the high cosl of TV, which would make it impossible for agents to carry their share of the cost burden. Citizens' Mutual was founded in Howell, Mich., in 1915 In William E. Robb Sr. In the first 32 years. Citizens' (oncentrated on keeping harmonious and close contact yy'ith its agents rather than on consumer promotion. Whatever advertising y\as done prior to 1047 consisted mainly of direct mail, novelties, billboards, yyilh some use of the black and yvhite media. In this policy. Citizens' was completely in step with traditional automobile insurance promotion. In 1051. Citizens departed Irom strict specialization in automobile insurance and began writing fire and general casualty as well. At present, the company still writes only in Michigan, but future plans include possible expansion into bordering states. When that happens, spot radio, which today covers some 20 Michigan markets, will undoubtedly travel ahead or along \silli the Citizens' Men. • • • THE MEN, MONEY {Continued from page 01 How does this concern advertising? Not just as an intellectual exercise. For a quarter of a century show business has blamed its box office woes on ''radio.'' Now television is the readyto-hand explain-all. Passed over are the period of theatrical prosperity when either full employ ment or strong nun ies or hit shoyvs draw full houses. A prosperous movies exhibitor or a high-riding Broadway impresario abvays credits his own genius; a complaining movie exhibitor or a legit Jeremiah blames the sponsors of "free" entertainment, whether radio or television. The moribund state of the American legitimate theatre is a matter of genuine regret to all who love the art and regard the stage as the great fertilizing ground of ideas, personalities, and technical skills. The reasons for the decay of the theatre are many. The advertising mind, we suspect, would be quick to sense that in stressing the necessity for smoking-drinking-lolling privileges, Hoyvard Cullman is saying that the legit is strictly carriage trade. And that may be the real story of why it keeps shrinking. * * * CBS WRDW STATIONS AUGUSTA, GA. MET. POP. 179,272 PIUS H-BOMB PLANT ft. CAMP GORDON 85,000 ABC COLUMBIA, S.C MIT. POP. 144,000 llf Z1 (\ 0 PLU$ WW \J \J O FT. JACKSON 60,000 NBC COLUMBUS, GA. i/v D A K ^-s If If /I l\ FT. BENNING 42,000 rVBML NBC MACON, GA. BIBB CO. 136,300 PIUS WARNER ROBINS 27,000 for complete information coll HEADIEY-REED CO. KWJ J I Helps you to J "SPOT% Your Prospect" KW)J spot announcements bring big results to advertisers who want to cover the Portland Area with a small budget. KVVJJ's program variety, its listener popularity and its 10,000 watt coverage give you an advertising buy that is an unusual Radio Value. KWJJ OREGON'S MOST POWERFUL INDEPENDENT STATION STUDIO & OFFICES 1011 S. W. 6th Ave. PORTLAND 4, OREGON Natl. Representatives WEED & COMPANY New York, Chicago. Detroit, Boston. Atlanta, Hollywood, San Francisco 8 SEPTEMBER 1952 89