U. S. Radio (Jan-Dec 1961)

geographic location, marketing and promotion objectives. It is, in essence, t lie national pinpoint on the marketing director's map. Radio is the only mass medium that comes closest to being all things to all advertisers — its great value is its ability to target the broad range of consumers — the many different publics that make up the American complex. From a national advertiser's point of view, this adds up to a selective medium — selective radio. Here's what national spot can do to free itself from the status quo: 1. It must assume the creative initiative. 2. It must evaluate the marketing problems of advertisers in the light of radio's ability to aid in solving these problems. 3. These marketing objectives must be related to a media plan that suggests the frequency, geographic areas and time periods. 4. Radio copy plans can be developed that are consistent and in harmony with the total advertising objective. 5. Tailor-made plans must be evolved to stimulate and excite advertisers and agencies over the use of the sound medium. Alert spot radio selling capitalizes on all areas of knowledge and experiences. Radio must key this knowledge and experience to the needs of individual advertisers. Radio has concerned itself for too long with its own problem rather than the advertiser's problem. The medium no longer needs time selling, it needs idea selling. What happens when an art director creates a rich four-color design for an ad or a dramatic gatefold cover? The idea stimulates and excites. The major part of the budget now has to be in the magazines. The people in charge of the "numbers" are then called in to see if the buy is in the broad area of practicability. The idea comes first and then the numerical justification. In tv, a special variety or dramatic show is called to the client's attention either by the agency or the me standing on one leg li lights hard lor the national dollar, but it docs it primarily through "numbers" selling, abdicating hall of the total media selling job. II agencies won't create the excitement for the medium, then let the medium create the excitement Eoi the agencies. National spot radio is selling a penetrating, local medium that intrudes on and pervades the market place. It is one of the basic aids to the missionary salesmen concerned with the point-of-pin chase sale of the great mass consumed items. But radio must make its own opportunity. Spot radio can be either major or minor advertising strategy, depending on the company, product and advertising goals. If given creative consideration, it can force a marketing explosion. ■ dia sellcis. Sometimes, instead ol programing, it's a commercial with a special humorous twist or new animation technique. In either case, the ideas command attention; imagination is allowed to expand. The cost-per-lhousand, reach, impressions are then checked merely to justify whether the program or the spot campaign is practical or not. Again, the idea came first. In newspapers, we've recently seen a case where dramatic use of pictures, headlines and dominant space placed a major oil company's total budget in this print medium. What came first? The spectacular strategy for employment of newspapers in this dramatic way? Or the numbers? But radio, alone among its competitors, has been trying to sell itself New gloss on radio's creativity is provided by BBB portable sales tool, a new presentation in which company executives make maximum rise of sound to sell radio concepts. BBB Pres. Cliff Barborka I checks device with Esther Rauch, v.p. U. S. RADIO/August 1961 27