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20 SEPTEMBER 1954
Is radio copy today's agency stepchild?
Yes, say top admen. And the situation can get worse unless agencies take steps. But industry check shows quality of radio copy is holding up thus far
^fow has tvs spectacular rise as media billings and glamor champ affected the way leading agencies handle radio copy? Is it true, as some broadcasters and admen fear, that thev tend to give it only casual attention? That it is "afterthought" copy? Is the radio commercial, in short, being given the stepchild treatment?
A number of important admen think the answer is yes.
But, paradoxically, this does not necessarily mean that the quality of national radio copy has deteriorated. On the contrary, there is widespread agreement that in general it has not; that it may have improved in some cases.
Future prospects, however, are not so cheering. There are signs that it may not be easy to maintain the quality of radio copy during the coming \ears unless agencies take positive
steps to train new radio copywriters and maintain the interest of experienced copy hands.
These conclusions are drawn from a series of intensive off-the-record talks with key executives in more than a dozen of the nation's top 20 agencies: vice presidents, copy chiefs, account men and top-ranking copywriters. In a number of agencies the subject was considered vital enough to warrant the presence of two or three vice presidents in panel-type discussions with SPONSOR. To encourage frankness, SPONSOR agreed to quote no one by name or agency.
Some agency executives, once thev were sure their views would not be attributed to them specifically, were frank to state that radio copy was getting second-thought attention. Other agency men disagreed, stating that their shops had recognized the possibility that radio might be elbowed to the sidelines by the greater glamor of television and had taken steps to prevent this. But implicit in what almost everyr adman interviewed had to say was the fact that maintaining attention for radio copy is a problem. It became apparent in the course of sponsor's interviewing that if an article could accomplish one purpose alone — that of focusing attention on radio copy as a problem to be watched — a constructive purpose would be served.
(jUOTES from admen on agency handling of radio copy today
• •Less attention is paid today to radio
and fewer capable people are
doing it. There is a tendency to be lax, to
do it with the left hand. But don't quote me."
t*
If the radio billing wen major it would be different. Still, the man who foots the bills is entitled to the best you can irive him."
¥ FThe writer is human.
It is only natural
that he will respond
to the glamor and
promise of television."
20 SEPTEMBER 1954
^^What to do? First, realize it is a
problem. Keep a sharp eye on what copy goes out. And train the new man right."
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