From the MCRFB news archive:
Mail Pull Rates Clark a Topper in TV Promotions
By JUNE BUNDY
NEW YORK — Dick Clark is considered one of the hottest merchandising and promotional properties in TV, as response to his phenomenal mail-pull response to premium promotion offered on his two ABC-TV network TV shows, “American Bandstand” and “The Dick Clark Show.”
Clark is readying plans to extend his merchandising activities into the teen-age apparel on a big scale. He is also negotiating to star in a third network TV show — a panel program — in January. Meanwhile, Clark this week starts a nationally syndicated column of teen-age advise in the Sunday magazine, This Week, which has a circulation of 12,000,000 readers in the United States.
Although the Young & Rubicam Agency refuses to divulge figures on a contest Clark is conducting on his Saturday show to be named, still currently nameless, (“send in your name suggestion, plus five Beechnut Gum wrappers”) the agency said the response has been “remarkable,” and that Beechnut sales are up 100 per cent since it assumed sponsorship of Clark’s Saturday night show.
An indication of mail pull on the Beechnut contest may be seen in the fact that more than 600,000 copies of Clark’s annual Yearbook, which sells for $1.00, were sold recently in a two-month period, solely on the strength of plugs on Clark’s TV show. Beechnut’s first premium promotion with Clark was a deal whereby television viewers were asked to send 5 gum wrappers and 50 cents for a copy of Jerry Lee Lewis’ waxing of “Breathless.” Two TV pitches by Clark pulled in 48,000 requests for the premium-platter.
Record mail-pull for Clark was chalked up recently on his annual dance contest, whereby listeners sent in votes for their favorite dancers among studio audience attenders. although no prizes were offered, Clark pull close to a million votes, with 700,000 votes registered during the first week.
Another premium deal Clark conducted for Bosco (offering an EP of “all all the hits” for 50 cents and a wrapper) drew a mail response of 262,000. In the teen-age apparel field, which will shortly be expanded to cover a line of Dick Clark dresses and blouses for teenage girls, Clark now endorses a Mary Jane show and a brand of Bobby Sox. Manufacturer of the latter reports that 120,000 orders were received for the sox (Clark’s picture is on the package) during the products first three weeks on the market.
Rating-wise, Clark’s “American Bandstand” continues to clobber the competition. During the year ending in September, the show ranked among the five top-rated daytime programs, with an average Trendex rating of 8.3 (48 per cent stronger than the average daytime rating of 5.6 per cent) and an average share of audience of 40.8. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; November 10, 1958).
