U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

tioward enthusiasm lor Howard as "a tried and true plate to go when you ^^a^t solid value lor yoiu" money." Howard, which had turned away from radio se\eral years ago toward tv and print, started to trod the radio road again when manager after manager and salesman alter salesman would ask, "Whatever happened to the Little Howard Label?" They all seemed to remember the jingle with affection and to want it batk. Consumer Survey After hearing so many men with the same idea, the agciuy decided to run a consumer Muvey to cUteruiiuf the recall value of the jingle, and discovered that many Howard customers felt the same way as the staff members. "Their enthusiasm combined with radio's economy and saturation jjotential induced the client to invest heavily in the air medium this year," Mr. Rothschild explains. .Specific ladio markets for the current campaign include \e\\ \'ork: Boston; Philadelphia: I.\nn. Salem and Peabodv, Mass.: lUiilalo and liinghampton. \. ^ .. and Orlando, Fla. Updated Jingle Ihe connnerc i.ils iiin a minute and combine the updated jingle with li\e announccM copv. The campaign is principally spot, but also includes sportscasts by Curt Gowd\ in Boston and Jinnny Powers in New ^ oi k. Most of the messages are aired dui ing drive times to catch men and boys — and whatever women mav be tuned in as well. (According to Mi. Rothschild, women are always a Avel(ome audience because research has shown that they often persuade their husbands to buy a new suit — and sometimes two suits when the man of the house intended lo jnuchase only one.) While the nuisic of the Little Howard Label jingle remains the same as in its memoral^le heyday, both the words and tfie tempo have been altered. Nat AVildman. MW^&S vice president and Howard creative supervisor, says there are three ver sions, "A "chipnumk" arrangement, a jaz/ed up one lor teen-agers and a Spanish edition, which is sung by the famous Chicjuita of banana lame." The Spanish version is aired ouIn in New York. ■ Ihe chipmunk arrangement," explains Jeanne Harrison, the agency's executive radio and tv producer, "was made by sjjeeding up the recording. We feel that it added a nice touch of hinnor. This jingle also carries a tag line, Xilad to be of service." It's the type ol line that is sometimes picked up by the youngsters, and adds considerably to the imp.ic I ol the jingle. "In prejKuing these jingles," she contiiuies, "we made everv effort to match the nuisic al records being produced today, in terms of the talent and the recording technicpies used. For example, top xocalisi l)i(k Williams was the artisi on two ol the jingles. And ail the jingles were originalh taped in stereo to produce a finer cjualitN monauial lecording." Typical Commercial .\ i\pical connnercial pointed toward I-.aster buying reads like this: JINGLE: I 'in the Little Howard Label of national renown. I'm seen insicie the clothing with the newest styles in town. Every model — every fabric Howard's got it just for you. Jeanne Harrison Executive radlo/tv producer Mogul, Williams and Saylor Get the smartest styles at Howard and smartest values too. ANNCR. Men-where else but at Howard can you find such a spectacular Easter value? Superbly tailored suits of fine all wool flannels, cheviots or hopsacks makerto-wearer priced at only 139.95. Choose from solids, stripes and diagonals. Expert alterations free. And men, you must look and feel as smart in your Howard suit at $39.95 as if you'd paid $50 or your money back. Pay nothing down . . take six months to pay at all 38 Howard stores in greater New York and New Jersey. in New York, one of the stations now airing this connnercial is W.MCi.A, which according to Mr. Langeinian, broadcast the very first Howard connneicial back in the late2()'s when the clothing liini sponsored lAvo lunnvnien known as the 1 loward Dandies. A lew years latei, in 19.SH, Howard began to buy a series of musical piograms o\er selected network stations, ,1 series that lasted until VV^orld War fi. During this period Howard's regulai aniiomuer was the late Paul Douglas. . Switch to Spot Tlu' liiin's radio activities continued iiuo the .5()"s with the emphasis switching liom programs to spot. Tluoughout this entire 20-year j^eriod, Howard's other advertising standby was, ol course, print in which they are still involved. According to Mr. Wildman, the client and agency are at the present time making considerable efforts to coordinate both their print and radio advertising in older to carry over impact from one medium to the other. "As far as we are concemed," he says, "the repetitive qualities of radio make the medium, when properly used, an excellent buy for retail outlets. • • • 28 U. S. RADIO m April lOfiO