Saturday, September 17, 2011

SELLING TELEVISION ON TELEVISION - PROMOTING THE YOUNG MEDIUM - ABC-TV - CIRCA 1958



When fledgling ABC-TV was viewed as 1/2 a network in the mid to late-1950's, programming and promotion executives decided that the best way to grow their audience was to entice new viewers into using television, in general.

To find those new patrons, they designed an affable, yet aggressive , on-air campaign.

They created an animated avatar dubbed Peter Rabbit Ears ( named for the set-top antennas that helped bring home a weak broadcast signal in the Eisenhower-era ) who extolled the virtues of video in family-friendly,60 second adventures.

As always, the alphabet network was also cultivating a younger audience than the firmly entrenched competition at the NBC and CBS networks.

Peter Rabbit Ears was a memorable advertising icon of the time, who helped grow ABC-TV's audience, with a little assist from Mickey Mouse, Dick Clark, Frank Sinatra,The Maverick Brothers and a couple of hip Private Eyes who worked out of 77 SUNSET STRIP.

From the TVDAYS YOU TUBE site, meet Peter Rabbit Ears. Enjoy!!!

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