U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

underwood American cheese — and grill or boil. Always keep several cans of Underwood Deviled Ham on your pantry shelf — only Underwood Deviled Ham is WOMAN : devilicious ! The "Kra/y Talk" commercial was used to attract the attention of the listener. Evidently it served its purpose. The company received a score of unsolicited letters from listeners. Some liked the conmiercial: some objected to it. The results both years, according to James D. Wells, Underwood's manager of marketing, were "oiuslanding sales increases in areas where people already lx)ught lots of Underwood Deviled Ham." So successfid, in fact, that the company decided on the 33-wcek participation on the Arthur Godfrey show that began last month. This is the company's first network buy. It was feh, according to Mr. WclK, liuit this would offer the best possible national coverage for the product. Underwood will be on once a week, on VV'ednesday or Thursday, for a 10minute segment. Why the .\rtlun Godfrev sliow? The choice for a format, points out Mr. Wells, was either a humorous one like that used in the lest campaigns, or one that relied on a ]iersonality. It was .Mr. Godfrey's proved sales ai)ilitv that attracted Underwood to tlie personality approach. "We are convinced," says Mr. Wells, "ihat Ariluu Ciodfrey's reniarkal)lc al)ility to make a strong product presentation will be highly effective in selling I'ndcrwood Deviled Ham." It is iiueresting to ntjte. Miss Siillman points out, iliai after Underwood decided on .Vrihur Godfrey, it had to sell Mr. Godfrey on the product. "It's very true," she says, "that New Red Devil waves gaily from nnodern package design. White paptri o»cfrtidf^ is Underwood tradition, was used in 19th century to protect ham on sea voyages. he won't lake a product he isn't sold on. Only if he thinks he can mean Avhat he says in iiis sales talk, will he lake it." "The prestige thai comes hom ihis kind of discrimination could only add to the (juality image that Underwood would like to portray," the agency feels. Mr. ^\'ells says that the advertising budget has been increased to allow for the radio buy. It is not, however, another test. Nor is it intended as a supplement to the magazine schedule. Radio will be used as an integral part of the \96() advertising strategy, states Miss Stillman. The Underwood advertising story lias two parts. One concerns the variety of uses to which deviled ham can be put. The other concerns the ipiality of the product. The jol) of the magazines, according to Miss Stillman, is to show the many different ways in which the ham can be used. Radio, while also suggesting uses, puts stronger emphasis on quality than is being done in print. The Underwood cpialitv story goes back to its founding in 1821. Since that time, when Boston clipper ships carried tlic first Underwood canned goods around Gape Horn, the compan\'s products have been .sold as cjuality goods at premium prices. "Gonsumers, however," according to Miss Stillman, "don't yet understand that Underwood is one of the nation's pioneer quality food producers." It is hoped that radio will lu'l|j draw attention to this facet of the Underwood story. Another more recent development at Underwood is its concern for expansion and its interest in progressive marketing practices. The Red Devil trademark, for instance, dates back almost a hundred years to the introduction of l^nderwood Deviled Ham in IHHy. The coiHjxiny is proud of the tradition that has evolved as the trademark has aged. Recently, however, the company began expanding its point-of-purchase advertising. The displays included large posters of the company's Red Devil, which did not show up well when enlarged. So the company redesigned the trademark, and replaced the old Satan with a more amiable version. Now, the use of national radio is paralleling the forward steps the company is making. • • • 34 U. S. RADIO Jaiuiary 1960