The talking machine world (Jan-June 1928)

The Talking Machine World, New York, January, 1928 35 Aluminum Specialty Go. Appointed an Allen Jobber Will Distribute Allen Portable Phonographs in North and South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Alabama — Has Wide Reputation Featuring Single Record in Window and Street Displays Builds Gillespie's Sales Window and Street Displays Which Illustrate the Title of the Selection Sell Thousands of Single Featured Records— Carnival Ballyhoo Methods Successful The Aluminum Specialty Co., Atlanta, Ga., has been appointed exclusive distributor in the Southeast of Allen portable phonographs. The territory covered includes North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Dealers in this area of the United States have long been familiar with the Aluminum Specialty Co., which is the largest distributing organization in this particular section of the country. It is affiliated with the Aluminum Specialty Co., Dallas, Tex., and with the Southern Aluminum Co., New Orleans, forming the largest portable distributing corporation in the entire world. Charles Miller Jones, active head of the Aluminum Specialty Co., states that every dealer to whom he and his organization have shown the Allen line is enthusiastic over the sales possibilities. The Aluminum Specialty Co. is extremely well regarded by dealers throughout the territory for a most constructive policy of dealer protection. Through co-operation with this distributor, a great many accounts in the Southeast have prospered handsomely, and have had their profits protected by the exclusive method of distributing which has been part of the company's plan of action. Hundreds of dealers have taken full advantage of the excellent sales promotional helps that have been issued by Mr. Jones and his organization, and also have been aided by co-operative terms, and exceptionally prompt shipments. The Aluminum Specialty Co. supplies its trade with a full coterie of advertising helps, and by the assistance of trained salesmen who are regularly in contact with the trade throughout the extensive territory covered. This is a jazz age in which we are living, and so the jazz methods of advertising the new records are frequently the best methods to use. For proof of that one need but go to Jacksonville, Fla., and look at the Radio Phonograph Shop run by William C. Gillespie. Mr. Gillespie is a live wire when it comes to merchandising. He always is doing something new that gets the attention of those who pass his store. Recently he has been having quite a run on old style, in each case sales of the number featured increased to a marked degree, according to reports at this establishment. Frequently the crowd is so thick that it is Gillespie's Eye-Arresting Window spirituals and blues, and in order to put the new numbers over big he has adopted regular carnival ballyhoo methods. The accompanying photos show two examples of this ballyhoo method. The one was a sidewalk display, whereas the other was a full window trim with all the fixings. But in both cases the central idea of the number was ballyhoo in the good Store Door Display That Aroused Interest almost impossible to get past the store. And the people are not all lookers either. In three days he will sell as many as five hundred to a thousand records of a new number, which is certainly selling them in a city with about a 100,000 population. When it is borne in mind that there are other shops in addition to the Radio Phonograph Shop this would appear to be a record of which to be proud. Mr. Gillespie makes it a rule to get a run out of a record while it is new, and as soon as another new one comes along that is good he ballyhoos that and cashes in on it before the fad dies out. That is one of the secrets of his success. Tables for Model 17 Radiol a Model No. 60 and No. 55— Pat. App. For and New Model 37 Atwater Kent Equipped with Model 100 A RCA Speaker Finished in mahogany to match the fast-selling Model 17 Radiola and Model 37 Atwater Kent in both design and finish. Attractive slope oS cabinet permits the sound to be thrown upward from speaker. Neat grille covers speaker which is insulated with rubber to prevent distortion. Manufactured by STETTNER PHONOGRAPH CORP. Telephone: Butterfield 4777-2932 "Pioneers in Radio Cabinets" Factory and Show Rooms — 314-322 E. 75th St., New York