U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

Looking for depth as well as broad coverage, Mr. Denton points out that there will be an average of 21,000 spot announcements used each week, with listener impression totals up in the nudti-bilHon category. "Radio has always been one of our most important advertising outlets," says John R. McCarty, advertisingmerchandising vice president for The Frito Company. "As a matter of fact, radio was the first medium employed to introduce corn chips when the company ^vas started, and we have been regular users ever since. An Impulse Item "Our product," he continues, "comes under the heading of an impulse item. In order to get the shopper to pick up a package of Frito corn chips when she is in the store we have to 'pre-condition' her. This is done through concentrated exposure. Repetition and heavy frequency, therefore, are two of the things that we look for in our advertising and promotion efforts. We have found that we can get this with radio. Radio makes it possible for us to achieve strong trademark and name identification. We have discovered that with the proper type of copy we are even able to get appetite appeal across on our radio announcements." The principal target of the Frito campaign is the housewife, Mr. McCarty says. "Therefore, we concentrate much of our air activity dining the daytime periods. Men and children also are our customers, however, and we have been able to buv time slots and programs that will appeal to them as well." "In order to hit as many different audience groups as possible," Mr. Denton states, "we are buying announcements around news shows, comedy, drama, adventure, music and almost every type of program now being aired. Frito corn chips appeal to all kinds of people. We believe that radio today is one of the most effective ways of reaching such a broad market and still make it practical to tailor messages to specific consumer groups." A look at the Frito schedule on the three networks illustrates how the firm is seeking a wide audience base. On CBS, the lineup calls for participation on news shows running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the Art Linkletter House Party; a group of soap operas, including Helen Trent, The Couple Next Door, Ma Perkins and others; the Burns and Allen show; Bob and Ray, and Amos and Andy. Frito will also be represented on the network's Sunday schedule made up of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar; Suspense; Have Gun, Will Travel; Gunsmoke, and the Mitch Miller Show. At NBC, the Frito campaign will be heard on News of the World; People Are Funny; a news analysis show, Emphasis; and Monitor including the Paul Winchell show, Ernie Kovacs, the Bob Hope segments and Duffy's Tavern. The ABC plans call for 50 10-second announcements a week on newscasts that are heard from 10:55 a.m. until 11:55 p.m., Monday through Friday. Although the firm produces and distributes about ,H0 products, corn chips represent the major part of the business. "Frito," Mr. McCarty declares, "is the only nationally distributed corn chip in the country, and it is the only product that is being advertised in our network radio campaign. "The copy will be varied, and we will probably use 10 to 15 different copy approaches. However, every Frito announcement will include a musical jingle w*e have prepared built around the theme of Munch A Bunch of Fritos. This jingle will be our identification on all of our messages, whether they are 10-20-30 or 60-seconds." The following is typical of the copy being used for Frito: JINGLE: Miinch munch munch a bunch of Fritos corn chips. It's not polite to smack your lips — but you can't help it with Fritos corn chips — munch munch to Coast Radio Recipe U. 5. RADIO April 1960 23