Sponsor (Jan-Apr 1958)

the grocery stores and supermarkets servicing the Spanish-Puerto Rican market. • With eye-level shelf position as a prime target. WWRL sent 8 x 10 glossy pictures of the station's leading Spanish language M.C.'s to the store managers. Handwritten in Spanish on each picture was a message urging them to give Libby's the desired shelf position. The note capitalized on the radio advertising by pointing out to each grocer that eye-level shelf position would mean greater turnover and profit for him — because Libby's was the only baby food advertised in Spanish radio. • A letter on WWRL stationery, signed by the station's leading personalities, was given to each Libby salesman. The letter, asking for the desired shelf position, was shown to each grocery store owner or manager. Salesmen report the message proved successful in many stores. • Personal appearances by the radio stars were also arranged at large supermarkets. At one appearance, La Autographed photo of Alfredo Barea, MC of La Voz Hispana, with his endorsement of Libby's, were given out at supermarkets Voz MC Alfred Barea autographed 12,000 5x7 photos for eager shoppers. This photo also incorporated a handwritten message by Barea personally endorsing the Libby's baby foods line. • Point-of-purchase display materials were also found to be effective merchandising tools with the intensely loyal Spanish-language customers. Shelf strips, posters and floor display cartons all were used. And all tied in to the radio advertising through program mention and large photographs of the WWRL Spanish-language show stars. Spanish-language radio experts tag this type of merchandising as particularly effective in selling this market. They contend that the Spanish-Puerto Rican radio listener develops exceptional loyalty to favorite personalities. Their endorsements of products therefore produce immediate results in the market place. Distribution was another area Libby's benefited in as the result of its Spanish language advertising-merchandising. It started with its baby foods in about 200 stores; today over 800 stores in New York's foreign language market are carrying the line. This means about 85% distribution has been attained, according to estimates by JWT. Net campaign results: Both of Libby's objectives have been met. Sales figures substantiate the establishment of brand preference in the SpanishPuerto Rican market; store surveys show that most of the 800 stores carrying Libby's are carrying it at eye-level shelf position. ^ Money to spend? New York's Spanish-language market has $888 million "Libby's, in using Spanish language radio, is selling one of the three hottest markets in America." So says Selvin Donneson, sales manager of station WWRL, New York. Donneson, in a recent address to the Timebuying & Selling Seminar of the New York RTES, defined these three markets as "Negro, SpanishPuerto Rican, and foreign language." He reveals that Libby's, in wooing the Spanish-Puerto Rican market in New York, is hitting a population group with $888 million in spendable income. "Employment of Puerto Ricans is at an all-time peak," he states, "with the average Puerto Rican family having an income in excess of $3,700 a year." The importance of selling this group in its native tongue is emphasized by Donneson because of this fact: • "Mass advertising doesn't reach the Spanish-Puerto Rican population because it's not able to understand a client's advertising unless it is presented in Spanish." He contrasts this situation with that of other foreign language markets like Italian, Polish and Jewish. "These people understand English well enough to comprehend and be sold by an advertising message wherever it appears," he states. He also characterizes the SpanishPuerto Rican market as the only growing foreign language market in New York because of three factors: "(1) There is no restriction on immigration from Puerto Rico — they are American citizens. (2) Puerto Ricans are arriving at the rate of more than 50,000 each year. (3) Even those born here speak Spanish 90% of the time because they have to talk to the great majority who were born in Puerto Rico and speak only Spanish." To admen who want to test Spanish language radio's effectiveness in a campaign, Donneson recommends inventory checks at key supermarkets during the campaign; salesmen surveys to determine changes in dealer attitudes; and comparison of product volume with wholesalers before the campaign starts, and again just before it comes to an end. ^ SPONSOR • 25 JANUARY 1958