Masonry Magazine November 1961 Page. 8
MCAA CHAPTER
PROJECT SHEET
NO. 1
Minneapolis Chapter "Prize Of Your Life" Home Contest
All-Masonry Home Excellent Promotion Effort
The masonry industry participated in what was one of the largest single promotions of their products in a local market this summer in Minneapolis. Thru an excellent example of cooperation, an all brick and masonry cavity wall house was built an donated as the grand prize in the Foremost Dairies Summer Sweepstakes. The contest ran thru the summer, with Foremost providing the advertising.
To be eligible to win, all that was necessary for a contestant to do was to register at one of approximately 1,000 stores selling Foremost ice cream in the Twin Cities area. As an added incentive to visit the home, a Dodge Dart was also donated for someone who registered at the home during a three week open house. If the winner of the house had also registered at the home they received the car. Otherwise another drawing would be made from those who registered at the home to determine the winner of the Dodge. A number of other prizes were also given during the contest as additional incentives. Three monthly drawings were held, ench awarding the following prizes: 3 Viking sewing machines, 22 Waring drink mixers, and 10 In-Sink-Erator garbage disposers.
Over 400,000 Entries
The total number of entries submitted during the three month promotion was over 400,000. Over 2,000 entries were submitted at the open house.
The cooperating groups were attempting to show the public, thru the use of the house as an exhibit, the type of quality home which can be built in the middle-to-lower price field. Branstrom & Branstrom, architects, used masonry materials to their best advantage in the design of this display home. The walls are Zonolite insulated cavity walls, brick exterior and block interior, with an SCR brick attached garage. Partitions and bedroom walls are of brick, plastered by the Minnesota Lathing and Plastering Bureau.
Minneapolis chapter of the Concrete & Masonry Contractors Association was the general contractor, with the Bricklayers' Union Cement Masons' Union No. 557, and the construction and General Laborers' Union supplying the labor for the house's construction. Structural Clay Products Institute members furnished the brick and the Twin Cities Concrete Products Association supplied the block. Materials
Mrs. Joseph L. Grear, winner of the "Home of Your Life" Contest receives the keys to her all-masonry home from Rodney Antonsen, president of MCAA's Minneapolis Chapter, Looking on is Charles Wetzler, Field Engineer, Structural Clay Products Institute, Region #6.
for the stone fireplace were donated by the Twin Cities Stone Suppliers. Additional features include heating and plumbing fixtures by American Standard in a bath finished by the Ceramic Tile Association. The Minneapolis Gas Co. cooperated to make this an all gas "Blue Star" home, Floors throughout the house are by Armstrong Cork Co, and the kitchen was furnished by Youngstown.
In addtion to the contest itself which was conducted by Foremost Dairies, there was much attention centered on the home through an organized publicity program. Each Friday afternoon one or more of the sponsors of the home appeared on the Arlie Heaberlice TV show (local women's about town program) to tell of their product and how it was used in the home. Rod Antonsen, president of the Minneapolis chapter of the Concrete and Masonry Contractors Association, appeared on each of these shows and told of the construction progress made each week. Appearances on other WCCO television programs were also scheduled.
Chapter Officers
Rodney Antonsen President
Ernie Olson Vice President
Jim Lundquist Secretary
Sid Mosman Treasurer
Allen Benzick Executive Secretary
ROUTE TO
The climax of the contest, the casting for the winner, was also held on the Arlie Heaberlie show on September 14, 1961. Two weeks later the keys to the house were presented on this program to the winner, who had also registered at the house and therefore won the Dodge Dart.
During the final weeks of construction, Open House was held, and an entry box was placed at the home for persons to register for the car. Many persons visited the house during this period as attested by the number of entries there.
A special open house was also held for architects and homebuilders of Minneapolis and St. Paul for a two day period, September 19 and 20. Additional publicity was obtained by the decision to also hold the open house during National Home Week, September 24 October 1, 1961. Hundreds of persons who were visiting homes during this week went through this all brick and masonry home.
Foremost Dairies advertising program was well rounded, and at the completion of the three month campaign a vast majority of the people in the Twin Cities were well aware of the contest. Over 1,000 outlets selling Foremost products displayed banners of the house and the contest, these stores also handling the registrations.
In addition to this "point of sale" promotion, 12 ads were run in the Minneapolis and St. Paul newspapers depicting the home, features of the home, sponsors, and the contest itself. Throughout the contest period TV and radio spot commercials were given daily maintaining a high degree of interest in the program.
A breakdown of the publicity follows:
Media-Newspaper
Number of Lines or Spots
12 ads-9504 lines
Impressions
1,819,000 total homes reach
Media Television
Number of Lines or Spots
300-1 Minute Spots
Impressions
14,400,000 Homes reached
Media-Radio
Number of Lines or Spots
1368 Spots (30 & 60 Sec.)
492 Promotional Spots (10-Sec.)
Impressions
17,857,176 Total homes reached
*33,682,884 Total impressions
"These are not unduplicated figures.
MASONRY - NOVEMBER,