In December 1949, the public relations company John Price Jones
compiled a report entitled Analysis and Plan of Fund Raising, in
which plans were listed for public relations and publicity for the National
Committee for Free Europe in the United States, with the two-fold purpose: ”To further support for a Free Europe and to
develop financial and working support.”
The public relations company of Hewitt, Ogilvy, Benson and
Mather wrote a section to the Jones report that was “specifically designed to
meet the need of the fund raising campaign ... based on their extensive study
of the needs of the National Committee for Free Europe.” One of the
listed advertising plan aims was: “To capitalize on the public’s anti-communist
sentiment, beat the drum of immediate danger, and paint a bold picture of the
personal loss that is bound to follow Communism.”
The advertising structure was to be based on three major appeals to the American public: Emotion, Reason and Action:
The advertising structure was to be based on three major appeals to the American public: Emotion, Reason and Action:
Emotion
To create emotion, personalized – dramatic
headlines…will be written in terse simple words that speak directly to the
average man
Reason
Point-by-point listings of the concrete things
NCFE is doing and will do to achieve its goal of halting and destroying World
Communism. Once the emotions are aroused, the immediate danger is stated, and
tangible “what can you do”…it is felt that the reader will be motivated to the
action he is next exhorted to take.
Action
To get action, end copy will emphasize urgency
and utilize the “act now before it’s too late” technique.
These three appeals were successful
in the 1950s with the Crusade for Freedom and continued in the early 1960s with
the Radio Free Europe Fund. Here are two examples:
1. Magazine Advertisement
In the May 1961 issue of Reader's Digest magazine, for
example, the advertisement for the Radio Europe Fund, read in part:
“Your grandchildren will grow up under Communism!” –
says Nikita Khrushchev.
Will the Soviet threat come true? Will your
grandchildren live under Communism?
Forget God? Salute the Soviet flag?
“Never!” you say.
But are you sure? How can you oppose Communism? One sure way. Help Radio
Free Europe! What does it do? It broadcasts the news of freedom to 79 million
captive people behind the Iron Curtain.
It helps keep them from turning to Communism.
They poses a major obstacle to the Russians
starting any war.
But Radio Free Europe
depends on individual Americans for its existence. How about it? Will you give a dollar? Give 5 dollars…or
more?
Surely your heart tells you to
give something – so our children – and all children – shall live in freedom
throughout the world.
Give now to Radio Free Europe
The American People’s Counter-Voice to Communism.
Mail your contribution to:
Radio Free Europe Fund
P.O. Box 1961,
Mt. Vernon 10, New York.
2. Television
Television was not an option in 1949 as most Americans did not own a television set. But that changed in 1962, with this televised public service announcement:
Nikita Khrushchev has told Americans, ‘We will bury you.’
His timetable for world conquest is on schedule:
1949 -- China; 1958 -- Tibet; 1961 -- Cuba. Now
Communism threatens Laos, Iran, South America, Berlin.
Can it be stopped? The answer is, ‘Yes.’ In Eastern Europe, you can help fight
Communism through Radio Free Europe, the American people’s Counter-Voice to
Communism. Radio Free Europe broadcasts
news, religious services, the truth to 80 million captive people, who live
under the shadow of Communism.
Right now, Radio Free Europe is working to push back
the Iron Curtain in Russia’s front yard.
But to go on, Radio Free Europe needs your help. Mail
your contributions to:
Radio Free Europe Fund
Box 1962
Mt. Vernon, New York.
