Sponsor (Jan-June 1953)

• ' i SPONSOR panel enjoys laugh in discussing air strategy during ANA convention in Hot Springs \L to R) sponsor's Ray Lapica; M. H. Keel, Shell Chemical: Dr. Ernest Dichler. psychologist: H. C. Botsford. Gen. Motors: R. H. Harrington, Gen. Tire & Rubber: W. H. Patton, Green Giant: H. J. Hull Jr.. \cu Holland Machine; George Oliva, Natl. Biscuit; II. M. Stevens, Campbell Soup; Sack Mulloivnex. Green Giant. These admen spend $50 million A recorded SPONSOR forum 8 advertisers examine their radii sponsor held a special recorded panel session during the ANA convention 18-20 March 1953 in Hot Springs, Va., to learn what some advertisers are doing in radio and TV, what their problems are, and how they view the future. Here sponsor presents the thinking of eight advertisers spending $50 million annually, much of it in air media, and of a psychologist whose business it is to improve the effectiveness of their jnessages. To those who so graciously gave their time and energy to make this symposium a success sponsor extends its warmest thanks. sponsor Panel: Merton H. Keel, adv. mgr., Shell Chemical Corp.: Dr. Ernest Dichter, pres., Inst, for Research in Mass Motivations; Henry C. Botsford, asst. adv. mgr., General Motors; Ralph H. Harrington, dir. of adv., General Tire & Rubber; Ward H. Patton. v. p., sis. & adv. dir.. Green Giant Co.; H. Joseph Hull Jr., adv. mgr., New Holland Machine Co.; George Oliva. dir. of adv., National Biscuit Co.; Henry M. Stevens, adv. mgr. (soups). Campbell Soup Co.; Jack Muilowney, adv. mgr., Green Giant Co.; Ray Lapica, ed. dir., sponsor, chairman. CHAIRMAN: What is happening to your air advertising? That is the theme of this special recorded SPONSOR panel discussion. Not only sponsor hut its readers are greatly interested in what a representative group of advertisers like this one is doing in radio and TV — what your problems are — what you think the future holds. They will he interested to know what kind ol programs you're using, how much of your budget is in the air media, how the increase in advertising costs is affecting your media pattern, what television is doing to your sales and budget figures, etc. Mill, would you like to start? What is Shell Chemical doing on the air this year? What are your future plans? Mr. Keel: We are not doing any television; we are doing spot radio in the agricultural field on insecticides, fertilizers, soil fumigants, using spots in the early morning and at noon in farm areas. Chairman: How many markets are you in? A. Just about all of the agricultural areas. Q. What percentage of your ad budget is in the air media? A. About 10%. To answer your earlier question, we aren't taking any funds out of any one medium to get into another; we are in the medium that we use because we feel it does a job. We use the task method of arriving at our conclusions, and we don't attempt to take from Peter to pay Paul. Chairman: Hank Botsford of General Motors, how about you? Mr. Botsford: As you may know, General Motors operates on a decentralized basis. In discussing our advertising, I would like to point out that we are responsible only for the institutional copy. Each Division has its own advertising department which is responsible for Divisional copy. This also applies to the selection of media and the scheduling of copy. Speaking from an institutional advertising standpoint. General Motors made its debut in television last fall when we sponsored the NCAA football games via the NBC network. A very splendid Christmas show was offered us and we put this on over NBC television network for one hour on Christmas night. We sponsored the inauguration on both radio and television for about a 5' ■ -hour period Jan. 20. We are very interested in the possibilities of television and have some plans in the making that 1 am not at liberty to disclose right now. But I might also add that we are very concerned about the 34 SPONSOR