U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1960)

NEGRO Community Programming SPANISH/PUERTO RICAN Programming of Whirl-Wind sales action WWRL NEW YORK DE 5-1 600 *10:00AM-5:30PM ** 5:30PM10:00AM report from RAB RAB Takes to the Road to Stimulate Radio Activity Late in May, one ot the nation's largest oil companies will break in at least 100 markets with an ambitious $500,000 siinmier radio campaign. ... A top U. S. marketer of women's foundations recently ran a test radio campaign in some 20 markets. A company sjiokesman called the trial run "eminently successful," and indicated the firm would be in radio on a wide, heavy basis in time for the summer listening boom. . . . A single-city radio campaign l)v one ol the most respected names in men's and boys' clothing — a field often cool toward radio — played an "important role in . . . one of the most successful j)romotion ventures . . . the comj)anv has undertaken." This report came from a top-level companv official who indicated the (ompanv would "most definilelv use more of the same techni(]ue" in 1960. . . . Radio Advertising Bureau reports that in all three cases the initial radio buy was influenced by one of the members of its national sales department. The R.\B sales force hardly limits its "specific sell" calls to New York advertisers and agencies. In the course of a year, says RAB, its members together with other R.AB executives, amass more than one million miles of airline travel. In 1959, for example, R.\B states its exe(lui\es covered more than 100 cities in the U. S. and Canada, pitching the power of radio to more than 2,500 advertisers and agencies. Recently, the bureau took stock and counted executive noses during an average week, in this case the seven days commencing November 16, 1959. During that autumn week, RAB key men were covering the map, dealing with radio in 1 1 separate states and the District of Columbia. Kevin B. Sweeney, RAB's president, in San Francisco that week, made 12 calls on national and rearional advertisers. At least two of these (alls, die bureau states, have since resulted in positive radio action. In Detroit, a few jet hours away, Robert V. Copijinger, head of R.VB's national automotive group, called on 1 1 Motor City advertisers. Among the presentations, Coppinger included a 15-market "specific sell" proposal for one of America's biggest buyers of advertising. Robert H. Alter, manager of sales atiministration, was in New Orleans telling the National Association of Travel Organizations — representatives of an industry that annually spends more than $90 million for advertising — that "With your limited campaign of travel folders and Sunday dassified advertising you are failing to tap the tremendous fountain of impulse customers available to radio advertisers." R.\B executives that week were also attending to another bureau lunction — the service it extends to member radio stations. Warren J. Hoorom, vice president and director of member service, was assisting small-market stations in upstate New York in solving individual sales problems. At the same time, covering the other end of the continent, were two of R.MVs memi)er service division managers. Patrick E. Rheaume was in Nevada, Arizona and California assisting RAB mcnil)er stations there in the developnient of new sales techniques, while Maurice "Doc" Fidler toured Oregon and Washington and met with radio station executives there. Also on the road. Miles David, the bureau's vice president and director of promotion, was in Washington, D. C, discussing with top officials of the Bureau of the Census the radio set study which will be a part of the 1960 census. Harold S. Meden, promotion manager, was in Cleveland that November week supervising radio advertising plans for the Higbee Co., RAB's "|64,000 Challenge" department store. • • • 92 U. S. RADIO April 1960