U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1961)

eport from epresentatives GW Studies Lack of Research Area of Spot Penetration lie constant problem, how to get ivertising's leading accounts into ot radio, has been given a thorough )ing-over by the representative firm, eters, Griffin, Woodward Inc. For lonths the firm's radio sales develDment department, under the di:ction of C. L. Richards, has been mibing the advertising woods for lutions to the problem. Special leetings were held with agency per>nnel in the account, media, rearch and creative departments. In dealing with advertising's "(lesion makers," PGW correlated sales [xhniques as they applied to indiidual station programming concepts i til specific product requirements. \ typical example of the problem," ys Robert H. Teter, vice president i charge of the radio division, "is lat of getting major advertisers such > the soap companies to use spot bo as an integral part of the over11 effort. "We think we have come up with le key to the problem," continues [r. Teter. "Stated simply, the spot idio industry has not been talking le marketing man's language. We ave probed deep enough at the adertiser level to know that the main sue is 'what medium can best peneate (or reach) a market at an ecoomical cost.' " The main points of the problem, ccording to PGW are: Industry material has dealt only with radio's total audience, rather than the kind of specifics needed for planning purposes by an advertiser. Television being a basic medium, most large advertisers and agencies have invested heavily in reach and frequency analyses for television but little for radio. The large advertisers know television is a big reach medium, but with little or no data avail able for spot radio, their imagehas been that of low reach and, as a result, have ignored the medium. Once the basics of the problem were realized, PGW distributed data collected in a 100 market penetration study made by the A. C. Nielsen Co. Reaction to the study entitled, "Spot Radio's Penetration," has been extensive and favorable, according to Mr. Teter. "Comments like 'this indicates a bigger reach than we had thought possible for the medium' are typical. One large agency, traditionally a light user of radio, is conducting a major radio study on behalf of its largest client as a result of PGW findings in the study." But, warns Mr. Teter, "the industry must do more." Specifically, he means: • Radio research firms must find a way to provide the same type of information and in as many markets as they currently do for television and at a price the stations can afford. • Radio research firms must also find ways of pinpointing qualitative factors for individual stations. . . size of household, age and income of head of household, product usage by household and so on. • Industry, organizations, representatives and stations must develop information to show marketing men how spot radio is the ideal mix with television . . .how the medium can put greater frequency into the lowviewing television homes. "While the often-voiced complaints relating to rates, over-commercialization and difficulty of buying are factors," concludes Mr. Teter, "they are subordinate to the main issue. Once the advertiser believes he can penetrate markets deeply and sell merchandise . . . these issues will fade into limbo." • • • Review, please, the latest survey of your choice: Nielsen (Louisville Metro Area, July-Aug., 1960) HOOper (Oct.-Dec, I960) PulSe (Louisville Metro Area, Nov., I960) Trendex (Uuisviiie, Aug. 24-28, 1959) Verifax (Uuisviiie, Oct., I960) COillan < Louisville, Nov., 1960) The largest unduplicated audience in the Louisville Metro Area belongs to WKLO* Need we say more? 'Nielsen, July-August, 1960 see roberl e. csstinan & CO., inc. Other Air Trails Stations: WING, Dayton, 0. WCOL, Columbus, 0. WIZE, Springfield, 0. WEZE, Boston, Mass. /. S. RADIO • February 1961 n