Sponsor (Jan-June 1953)

and on localized items like the phone numbers of AA ticket offices. The last three-and-a-half hours of AA's all-night shows are taken up with commercials which are somewhat more institutional in nature, and which can be used almost interchangeably m several markets. The comfort, safety, and advantages of airline travel in general, and of AA in particular, are promoted. Vacationists are reminded that "American Airlines gives you the only through service from New York to Mexico City." Admen who tune to one of the AA shows will soon discover how neatly many of the AA commercials are integrated with the music. This is possible since the airline keeps its commercial copy short, to the point, and does not insist that commercials be spotted in a show to a precise second. Sample: On a recent airing of AA's all-night show in New York, a number played was Hello, Young Lovers from the hit musical King and I. As the last notes faded, Bob Hall cut in smoothly with his commercial. He named the tune again, went on to say: ". . . and here's something for all young lovers to think about. The perfect spot for a honeymoon is beautiful Mexico City. The American Airlines gives you . . ." AA's more institutional commercials bear a close family resemblance to the newspaper and magazine schedules which largely take up the rest of AA's estimated ad budget of $4,000,000 in 1953. Often, they pay more attention to the idea of air travel as a convenient means of travel than they do to the advantages of American Airlines — although AA is never absent entirely. As Jim Dearborn, AA's ad manager explained to SPONSOR: The history of the major air lines in this country has been one of creating an air transportation market from scratch. As the business leader in its field, American Airlines has an obligation to itself and to the industry in promoting the idea of air travel. In other words, what helps passenger flying helps us in the long run."' For the future: With AA's six shows safely in the air, the big airline is nut sitting back and twiddling its thumbs. Some of its sales areas are still not covered completely by its all-night shows. Dallas — a key terminal in both the cross-country and Mexico operations— does not have a show. Other key terminals also lack programs. Other areas, too, are still scheduled to be covered regularly with spot radio, although not on a scale that matches the six markets where the allnight shows are aired. During the past five years, as airline competition stiffened, AA has frequently used spot radio announcements in major on-line cities. Although this has amounted to as many as 100 stations in 40 markets, it seldom represented an expenditure of more than 5% of AA's annual budget. With the advent of the allnight shows, radio's annual share of American Airlines' advertising expenditures has jumped closer to 20-25%, in a total budget picture (advertising and publicity combined) that approaches $4,000,000. AA also hasn't put much stress, as yet, on the non-passenger aspects of its flying. Several cargo-carrying DC-6A's are due to be delivered shortly to the airline, to step up the pace of its already-large freight services. When this happens, part of the show commercials may be devoted to telling businessmen and shippers of the advantages of A \ airfreight shipments. The big airline, however, is taking its time. After all, the all-night contracts have three years to run, so there is little immediate rush to make changes and improvements. But there are bound 'to be revisions in due course. As Fortune stated in a profile of American Airlines not long ago: "This company has always operated on the theory that the way to make money is to spend it, and that economies can never be made at the expense of customer convenience or comfort. Historically, American has always preferred to pioneer rather than to play financially safe and let the competition lake the risks." * * * MEN, MONEY, MOTIVES l Continued from page 10) One agency owner of our acquaintance is privately pretty blunt about such retirements from advertising. "We've oversold the glamor angle. Once the agency business may have been glamorous. Today it is tough, rough, and often heartbreaking." He goes on to make this point: Wives often play a dominant role in influencing admen to quit advertising. "When you see the adman's existence through the eyes of the woman who calls herself his Connecticut widow, it is anything but a glamorous way of life. "Once upon a time, and not so long ago, a young Bill Benton or a Chet Bowles could boast, fresh out of college, that they would be millionaires Ask Your Blair Man About the New "Pulse of WHDH Area"! 602,496 More! Every summer day there are 602,000 or more extra folks in our primary coverage area ... in addition to our over 5 million! What a market! Who said summer slump? WHDH BOSTON 50,000 WATTS OWNED AND OPERATED BY BOSTON HERALD-TRAVELER CORP. REPRESENTED NATIONALLY BY JOHN BLAIR AND COMPANY 4 MAY 1953 87