Sponsor (Jan-June 1953)

GIRDLES ON TV (Continued from page 30) how the girdle would fit her. Although this film was acceptable to the network, it never actually went on the air. NBC TV's policy on intimate wearing apparel is representative of the television industry: Demonstration <>t such articles is permissible only when it is not shown on a live model. Recalling the early days of TV, Stockton Hellfrick said, "We have found that our audience objected to seeing women's thighs exposed on the TV screens. Today we observe a ban on the traditional can can costume as well as on commercials that might offend audiences in any part of the countrv. Audience reaction coupled with good taste has guided our policy." Grace Johnsen, director of ABC's continuity-acceptance department, affirmed Stockton Hellfrick's ideas on the subject of what can safely be shown on video and what might arouse adverse comment. She recalls a 60-second film commercial by the Flexie account a couple of years ago. This film used the "Topper" film series technique of having the model's body fade out and showing only the girdle and jewelry. However, even at that, views of the girdle on the form of the invisible model were from stills, not action shots. No one objected to this handling of the subject. Another acceptable way of advertising girdles or brassieres on ABC TV is in the femcee's or model's hands, while she points out its advantageous features. This policy towards intimate wearing apparel was established on the network from the start. In 1950, however, ABC's Grace Johnsen decided that following the rules blindly was a mistake. "We de cided to judge each case according t" its own merits," she told SPONSOR. In line with this outlook, ABC accepted the Maidenform Brassieres account two years ago, and produced one of the earliest live T\ commercials showing a live model in a bra. I See "How timehave changed!" 4 December 1950 SPONSOR.) Of course, the copy approach, setting, ami action were dignified and subdued. The model didn't walk in her deshabille, though an introductory shot did show her in the highly publicized dream sequence Maidenform uses in its black-and-white advertising. This commercial was shown on the Faith Baldwin Theatre *'The Advertising Research Foundation today is truly a tripartite organization. Now, advertisers, agencies, and media all are subscribers and they are all equally represented on the Board, and I think that is what makes the Foundation strong today." EDGAR KOBAK President Advertising Research Foundation of Romance over the ABC TV network from January 1951 through July 1951, Saturdays 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. with both good results and favorable reactions. CBS TV has a firm policy against use of live models wearing girdles or bras. The only girdle account which the network ever accepted was the Playtex girdles which were advertised about a year ago on an early afternoon women's program, Fashion Magic. The show opened with a still of the famous Playtex photograph that is used in their black-and-white media advertising— the one showing a girl in a Playtex garment as she leaps and dances. Superimposed over thi> >till was the title of the program. During the actual commercial, the garment was never shown on a live model. Yet e\en under these circumstances, the film might not have been accepted 1>\ the network had it been planned for a later hour when the audience composition might be less exclusively female. Edwin Saulpaugh, head of DuMont's continuity-acceptance department, recalls only one girdle account that was ever carried on the network. The garment was shown on a women's program by Kathi Morris, who took it out of a package, held it up, and commented on it. It was, however, never shown on a live model. DuMont feels thai showing the garment on a dummj form would be acceptable, but the network goes along with majority opinion on the subject: Live models are out. Sarong's new 20-second commercial film seems to have overcome the ban to the satisfaction of continuity acceptance of the nets with whom the\ checked. However, individual stations are still free to make their own decisions. This problem of dealing with "delicate" subjects on television has faced manufacturers of such items as laxatives, women's intimate apparel, liquor, toilet paper, in fact any number of socalled "unmentionables" since TV began I see 3 November 1952 sponsor, page 22 1 . However, this hurdle, far from suppressing creativeness. has stimulated film producers and cop\ writers to greater ingenuity and originality. By intelligent awareness of the rules of good taste, many an advertiser has found clever, interesting, often artistic ways of presenting his product on television without embarrassing the viewers and yet at the same time without losing any of his sales points. * * * This is WHDH's John Day! Outstanding News Editor, Analyst, Announcer One of the outstanding WHDH personalities who is selling your products to Eastern New England's Market of over 1,500,000 Radio Families. of the Boston Herald-Traveler Corp. WHDH 50,000 WATTS BOSTON See Your John Blair Man 77