Sponsor (Sept-Dec 1957)

r*l c.in inspire, man) oi his listeners don I wail for information but rather Bend checks and cash directl) to Cedric \dam-. asking him to open their account. One listener sent in $10,000 to have an accounl opened this way. Twin Citv Federal began advertising in a significant \ olume in I'M I with a total ad budget of 141,000. fo da\ the budget is in the neighborhood ..I 1500,000 with 77' i earmarked foi radio and television. This is an advertising increase of over 1,000%, hut results have warranted it. During the same L6-year period, Twin City Federal's assets have increased ahnosl 2,000* . from $13 million in l'Ml to over $265 million as of September 1957. The number of -a\ ings ac< ounts is up 5 17' , from I I 000 m l'Ml to 95,000 today. three differenl agencies have bandied I win Cit) Federal's advertising since 1941, hut one man has been in command all the wav. He is Vance Pidgeon, now president of Vance Pidgeon & Associates. The Hutchinson \gencv of Minne; l>olis was the original, but it was absorbed into McCann-Frickson, which had the Twin Citv Federal account until I'M') when the Ml. Minneapolis office was closed. Pidgeon. a McCannErickson vice president ai the time, Bel up his own agenc) with Twin Citv Federal as one of the top accounts. Larsen and Pidgeon agreed early on the proper advertising approach Foi the hank. Twin Citj Federal's positii>n as an important member of the community had to be established and emphasized. To do this. TCF's advertising was related to public service. Because of the public service theme, radio and t\ advertising for TCF rarel\ uses spot announcements in either medium, but rather use five-, 10 or L5-minute -hows, usually news, sports or weather. These programs afford I(.r two commercial messages plus a public service identification. Ron \\ . Larsen. the president since 1943, sells Twin City Federal to everyone he meet-. "It's hard to come away without something in \our hand," one friend reports, "he's always got a pocketful of gimmicks to hand out." This promotional spirit has sparked IV.F's air advertising. \ good example of Twin Citv Federals "pocketful of gimmicks" is the "Multiplv vour money" plan, launched in 19S() and still emploved frequentlv because of the results it brines. Checking art work foi rwin • itj Federal television Vance Pidgeon consults with Twin Citj Federal's president Roj W I inen and !{;>> h.lcy, the agencj ml executive in Lanen'i Minneapolii Big 10 conference athletic commissioner Clarence (Tug) Wilson interviewed !>\ sportscastei Halsej Hall on WCCO Radio's Footbc R< T< K Iki -|n>n-orrcl tin ami sister -!>"« t«.r In seasons "l I . "i M. football The hank' advertising tells in concrete terms how to double or triple an {■mount of monev In periodic -av ings and div idem!-. Cop) point out for example, that a person can triple $200 in three years and one month. Here's how: Depositor would start with original investment of $200 and each month would add $10. \i the end ol three years and one month .i a result of the original deposit, month!) additionand div idend paid hv I ( I the total would be $600. The plan was simple and could 1 e ea-ilv explained on radio and tv . No special handling or form were required; it worked right in with a regular sav ings account. During the first month oi operation the "Multiplv vour money" plan increased Twin Citv Federal's -hare of monev placed in all local s l< an associations hv 7 In 1957, for the l'Mh consecutive vear, Twin ( itv Federal will sponsor / tball !'"■: ieu and Footl all Rt half-hour programs on WCCO, tired immediately before and aftei all nine I niver-itv of Minim it i football es. Radio or television, ne and sports, Tw in ( itv I ederal bas well blanketed the Mil i St. Paul are ts Twin Citj I national leadership, Pres ' Lar sen feels, must be reflected in ad ertising ami promotion. Because of this thinking TCF has pi< am ra dio and tv shows and is credited with helping to -how how hank can proas vigorous!) over the air as other local-level businesses. ^ SPONSOR 21 SEPTEMBER 1957 Yl