Sponsor (May-Aug 1957)

NEWSMAKER of the week Television trill tpearhead what will probably l>r //•<■ heavieti seasonal promotion of electric shaven in the businesi tl>i> fall when Schick unleashes n $4.5 million ml barrage for its mil "I'om'rsharr" model. Calling ml mid soli's shots OS usual u ill be Kenneth C. Gifford, Schick* t head man for l.~> years. The newsmaker: Kenneth ( , Gifford, in one waj "i another, has been shepherding the advertising and sales destinies "I Schick, Inc. ever since In joined the firm in 1940. On I Januarj nl thai yeai In Irti Minneapolis as general sales managei ol roastmastei to join Schick as vice president in charge <>l sales and advertising. On 3 December 1942, he became president and has occupied that |>n-i ever since. He is also chairman ol the board. Gilford's tenure has witnessed a steady, though not spectacular, growth in the use ol electric shavers. In 1940, ''' < "I \'2 million men had one. Todaj it is more than 30$ "I 56 million. In addition, a \a-t potential has been opened ii|> in the women's market with about three million ol the distaff models ~"ld in the |>a-i yeai and a halt. I rider ( rifford s direction, Schick has cashed in on this rising tide with sales of $27.5 million last year compared h itli $ 16 millio i in L952. Sale for the current year have been running about -'»27' < ahead ol last \ ear, due [ » t imaiiK tn a "Bu) hi~ get hers free" promotion which lifted business during the first quarter to about 1595 above I956's corresponding quarter. Special promotions and new models have become a ke) Feature of this competitive business, \fter following Remington with a lad) shaver last year, Schick brought out recent 1\ a "Varsity' model, both to be kind to young men's lender skin and to break young male adults into the electric shaver habit. This month Schick will unveil its new "Powerehave," a model which prompted Gifford to state in a press release: '"I feel as if we had re-invented electric sha\ ing." Backing the new model during the heav) Vugust-through-Christmas selling season i well over halt of men's electric shavers are bought as gifts) will l>e more than $3 million in video advertising. This will go into two network programs Dragnet and the Gisele MacKenzie Show (both NBC) plus about $750,000 for spot The question <>f win t\ uets the lion's -hare almost answers itself: demonstration. Though Gifford acknowledged that Remington caught up "and went slight!) ahead of us last year," he said the new model, having been in the works two years, was not developed specifically in answei to Remington. Both firms. SPONSOR estimates, have a little over of the market. Sunbeam and Norelco have about 1595 each. t^ Kenneth ( G SPONSOR It) ujgust 1957 The tiutfi. about the NEGRO MARKET THE FULL STORY FROM K-SAY The only Northern California station selling the entire San Francisco, Oakland, Bay Area Negro market The greati-i arra ol talent in the area . . top N< gro »al< srnen . . . nationally accepted • MAGNIFICENT MONTAGUE — brought direct from W \ \l Chicago. His sponsor list, sales results and audience are equally magnificent. • RAMON BRUCE — WAAT, Newark. \" J Leading Negro-appeal personalis in New Jersey. Best rating among al grams during his broad) • SWINGING DEACON — The mo^t popular local N'egroappeal personality. Dominates the heavily populated Negro local and fringe areas. Plus other Great Negro Stars! TELL IT-SELL IT on the NEW K-SAY 10,000 WATTS 1010 KC Studios: 1550 California Street, San Francisco 1815 Alcatraz Avenue, Berkeley GRANT WRATHALL Owner WALT CONWAY General Mgr Xationally reprt •>■ ru\ d by JOHN E. PEARSON t COMPANY ? <£ 'Sly 'i "i'li Mitic' K-SAY SAN FRANCISCO