Chapter 176: : Beasts, have the ability to come to me!
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The scene opened with the host's introduction and the frenzy of the call-in buying room. Twenty minutes seemed to fly by.
"The time is up! No more new calls," the host announced, his voice booming with authority.
"Director, do we have the final numbers?" the hostess eagerly inquired.
In no time, the director handed over a slip of paper.
With excitement brimming in her voice, the hostess declared, "Dear viewers, I'm thrilled to announce the results of our rush sale! We received a total of 516 orders, with many customers ordering two or more bottles, bringing the total to 688 bottles."
"It seems people are really enthusiastic!"
"Next up, we have Estee Lauder's gold tube No. 305 red pear lipstick. This lipstick, with its rich, retro dark red shade, exudes a gem-like luxurious charm—a single swipe delivers relaxed, yet stunning beauty."
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Meanwhile, NBC and CBS executives were astounded by this revolutionary sales approach.
They hadn't felt pressured during the morning show, but this afternoon TV shopping segment completely upended their understanding of television's potential. Direct TV sales? It was a stroke of genius.
Each bottle of skincare cream was priced at $5.80. With 688 bottles sold, that's $4,000 in just 20 minutes. And that was only the first product of the day, with more than four hours still to go. If this trend continued, $40,000 in sales for the afternoon alone seemed entirely within reach.
The implications were staggering. If TV shopping became a daily occurrence, the potential annual sales could hit a staggering $14 million.
For context, that's higher than the turnover of many large chain stores. Even with just a 20% profit margin, ABC stood to earn $3 million annually from this program alone—more than NBC and CBS's advertising revenues combined.
It wasn't just the NBC and CBS executives who were floored. Other industry leaders, like MGM's Meyer, Paramount's boss, and the president of RKO Pictures, were equally stunned. These seasoned business veterans could immediately see the power of TV shopping.
There's no need for physical stores, no workers to hire, no overhead costs—just a couple of hosts selling products on TV. And as for inventory? The U.S. market was overflowing with products that could be sold this way.
Moreover, TV shopping also served as a five-hour advertisement for these products, far more impactful than a mere commercial. Beyond just selling goods, ABC could easily charge companies for the privilege of having their products featured.
MGM boss Meyer watched as the host introduced a liquid foundation, originally priced at $12.60, now discounted to $7.90. Even Meyer, a savvy businessman, was tempted by the offer. Imagine the appeal to the average housewife watching at home.
Post-World War II, the U.S. population stood at 150 million, with 30 million households. Around 55% of these were middle-class, and among middle-class women, 70% were full-time housewives—approximately 11 million potential customers.
This TV shopping show on ABC was clearly targeting this demographic. These women, who had ample time in the afternoons, found TV shopping to be the perfect pastime, especially when they couldn't make it to the stores. Capturing this audience meant tapping into a vast market.
Meyer recalled Hardy's words and couldn't help but acknowledge his business acumen. The guy was a genius, coming up with such a brilliant idea.
Now, Meyer felt a twinge of regret. ABC surpassing the other two networks seemed inevitable. Hardy had offered him a 20% stake in ABC just days ago, and he hadn't taken it. Was it too late now?
He decided to wait and see how the evening show performed. If it matched the afternoon's success, he'd find a way to buy some ABC shares, no matter what.
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In the NBC meeting room, an executive suggested, "President, we can replicate this show. All we need are a few hosts and some merchants to promote their products."
But another executive countered, "It's not that simple. ABC likely registered the copyright for this business model. They wouldn't overlook something so crucial."
The president narrowed his eyes. "Get someone to check on that."
A team was dispatched immediately.
CBS executives were having similar thoughts. With such a lucrative business model, who wouldn't be envious? They, too, considered the possibility of copyright.
Checking copyright was easy—a quick call to the Copyright Office confirmed their worst fears. ABC had indeed registered the TV shopping program's copyright, covering it from multiple angles and levels, leaving almost no loopholes. Any attempt to create a similar show would infringe on their rights.
"That's cunning!" the NBC president fumed, slamming his fist on the table.
Now, all they could do was watch as ABC raked in the profits.
The TV shopping event continued until 6 p.m., just as men were returning home from work, kids were getting back from school, and women were starting dinner. The final tally showed $80,000 in sales—far exceeding their initial projections. The cosmetics set, which sold out during the climax of the program, contributed significantly to this total.
If sales like this continued daily, it could mean $30 million annually—a staggering number.
NBC and CBS executives watched with greedy eyes.
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At 6 p.m., ABC aired the children's show "Sesame Street."
Kids who had just come home were immediately captivated by the adorable puppet performances. This time slot was also when NBC and CBS began their news broadcasts. The three networks had high viewership competition, but many parents chose Sesame Street to keep their kids entertained.
At 7 p.m., as families finished dinner, ABC aired its first musical segment, featuring Ava Gardner's rendition of "Scarborough Fair." Many households enjoyed the music while dining.
At 7:30 p.m., the financial program began.
A hostess sat beside Andy, discussing the current economic climate. Andy encouraged viewers with extra money to invest in the stock market, promising returns of 5% to 10%, far better than what banks offered.
This prime-time slot attracted many viewers, especially men who were often the financial decision-makers in the household. Women might be obsessed with spending money, but men were all about making it. Financial programs like this piqued their interest.
"Mr. Andy, do you have any stock recommendations?" the hostess asked.
"I can analyze a few stocks," Andy replied. "Let's start with the first one—have you heard of 'Playboy' magazine?" Andy glanced at the hostess.
A hint of shyness crossed her face. "I've heard of it."
"Playboy's quarterly financial report showed sales of 5.25 million copies and profits of $1.8 million. If this trend continues, their annual profit could reach $7.2 million. That's an impressive profit margin."
"Right now, Playboy's stock is priced at $24.60. In my opinion, this is far below its actual value, with plenty of room for growth."
"Mr. Andy, how high do you think Playboy's stock could go?" the hostess asked.
"I believe it will break $50 within two years. Mark my words," Andy said with unwavering confidence.
Everyone knew "Playboy" magazine was one of Hardy's ventures, and Hardy also owned ABC TV. Some viewers thought Andy was merely flattering his boss.
But more people were intrigued by Andy's analysis. Playboy was so famous and profitable—how could its stock not rise?
Andy's prediction of Playboy reaching $50, more than double its current price, had people doing the math.
A 100% profit. If you invested $10,000 now, it could be worth $20,000 in two years. Investments like this don't come by easily.
Many viewers decided they should buy some Playboy stock.
At this point, anyone paying attention understood the power of this program. If Andy praised a stock, it would undoubtedly attract a crowd of buyers. In a short time, a large influx of buyers could drive the stock price up—this was the power of media influence.
Andy went on to recommend two more stocks: a construction stock and a consumer goods stock.
Two years after World War II, the U.S. was in a period of rebuilding. Construction and consumer goods stocks were bound to be strong performers in the future—an easy bet.
Andy himself had invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in these two stocks. He wasn't aiming too high, just a modest 20% gain over three months.
"Are there any stocks Mr. Andy would avoid?" the hostess asked.
"Military stocks and defense contractors. The war just ended, and everyone knows there won't be another major conflict anytime soon. The U.S. military has shrunk from 11 million troops to 1.5 million. With such a surplus, many defense contractors are out of business. They're not making money right now," Andy explained.
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Meyer was still glued to his TV, surprised to see Andy.
Isn't that Hardy's financial advisor? Why is he on TV as an economic expert? But to be fair, he is an economic expert.
After watching Andy's entire segment, Meyer realized Hardy could use this show to subtly influence stock prices.
With Hardy's shrewdness, he wouldn't miss this opportunity to make a fortune. Meyer could already predict that the stocks Andy recommended would go up tomorrow, and those he dismissed would go down.
After the financial show, "The Elaine Tonight Show" aired.
Elaine stepped out in a stylish outfit, with dozens of audience members seated opposite her. They greeted the host with enthusiastic applause.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Elaine, and welcome to the premiere of 'The Elaine Tonight Show.' On this show, we'll invite some of the brightest stars for interviews, ask them questions you're
all dying to know, and even offer lucky draws with fantastic prizes," Elaine announced with flair.
"For the first episode, we have a special guest: Hollywood's heartthrob, Tyrone Power!"
Tyrone Power, one of the top stars of the 1940s, known for films like "The Mark of Zorro" and "Blood and Sand," had an enormous fan base. When Elaine introduced him, the audience erupted in excitement.
Tyrone stepped on stage, and Elaine invited him to take a seat.
"Welcome to the show, Tyrone! Could you share with us what you've been up to lately?" Elaine asked.
"Well, I've just finished filming two movies and am currently preparing for a stage play. Plus, I'm doing a lot of charity work," Tyrone replied with his signature charm.
For the next half hour, Tyrone and Elaine chatted about his work, his interests, and even some funny anecdotes from his life.
The show flew by, with the audience captivated by Tyrone's stories and Elaine's engaging style.
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Meanwhile, MGM's boss Meyer was impressed. He knew that Tyrone Power was under MGM's contract, and it was a smart move for Hardy to feature such a high-profile guest on the show. The public loved Tyrone, and this could only boost ABC's ratings.
After Tyrone's segment ended, the program continued with a performance from a popular singer. The hour passed quickly, with viewers entertained by a mix of interviews, performances, and comedy skits.
Meyer thought to himself, "With a lineup like this, ABC is going to dominate the ratings."
By the end of the evening, it was clear that ABC's new programs were a huge hit. The network had managed to capture a broad audience with its diverse content, ranging from shopping and finance to entertainment and news.
NBC and CBS had their work cut out for them. The television landscape was changing, and Hardy's ABC was leading the way.
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