Knowles Will Gain in Promotional Film
Part 1 of 2
Date: November 21, 1965
By: GORDON L. RANDOLPH
Of the: Journal Staff
Interpretive Report
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Knowles Will Gain in Promotional Film Date: November 21, 1965 By: GORDON L. RANDOLPH Of the: Journal Staff Interpretive Report |
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A one hour film boosting Wiconsin as a great place to live will deliver for Gov. Knowles one of his campaign promises. To try to sell Wisconsin to Wisconsin people as part of a program to make the state attractive to business and industry.
The governor announced last week that the film would be shown on all of Wisconsins commercial television stations from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 28. The film, in color, will be telecast on a special network. Such a television blanket of the state is usually reserved for the nation's president in times of crisis. The show, "We Like It Here," promises to inform and entertain, sometimes in Broadway musical style, sometimes like a movie travelog. It is aimed at reaching Wisconsin's four million residents with an emotional impact that will make them ambassadors of good will for the state. Dividends Expected The film is nonpartisan, but it will very likely produce political dividends for Knowles. He makes the introductory remarks, sitting in the governor's office. If nothing else, the films positive emphisis might make It harder for Democrates to remind voters in 1966 that Knowles in his 1964 campaign, was frequently negative about Wisconsins industrial climate. He said high taxes were driving industry out of the state and the Wisconsin economy was stagnating "on dead center." The film cost about $50,000. The state department of resource developement paid $10,000 and the University of Wosonsin, the agriculture department and conservation department $5,000 each. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin gave $250. The remaining $25,000 was subscribed by business and industry. Labor co-operated in production of the film. |
Shot 80,00000 Feet Swanson Productions of Appleton and Milwaukee produced the film, shooting 80,000 feet which will be reduced to about 2,000 for the hour show. General supervisor of production was Kenneth R. Boyer, assistant vice-president in charge of public relations fot the Wisconsin Telephone Co., who first proposed the film. H. B. Groh, telephone company president, is chairman of the governor's board of economic developement. A subcommittiee developed Boyer's suggestion. David Kennedy, who runs a Milwaukee recording firm, wrote the music and lyrics for a catchy, lilting opening and closing by an orchestra of 37 and a chorus of 20. At one point an Indian intones, "How We Like it Here." The opening musical background is keyed to a quick trip around Wisconsin by land and air.
Shows Good Points
The participants play real life volunteer roles. There are no professional actors, although Ray Scott, Minneapolis, announcer of Green Bay Packers football games, is the narrator.
In his introductory remarks, Knowles says all Wisconsin governors have worked for the good of the state. The camera shifts from his office to views of the capitol and a session of the state assembly, showing Assembly Speaker Robert T. Huber (D-West Allis) on the platform.
The nonpartisan tone may not satisfy Democrates, who feel that "We Like It Here" will be closely identified with Knowles, if not in a campaign slogan, in 1966. The department of resource developement has been distributing "We Like It Here" buttons.
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Started by Comment The slogan is derived from a statement made last year by Malcolm Owings, Milwaukee district sales manager of the Continental Can Co. In the 1964 gubernatorial campaign, it was Democratic Gov. Reynolds who emphisized the positive about Wisconsin, frequently referring to Owings' statement. Republican Knowles, seeking the governorship, complained of attitudes toward business, though he did acknowledge that generally the Wisconsin econemy was good. He promised to make it much better. The business community has enthusiasticly rallied behind Knowles' economic developement efforts. The televison stations' donation of one hour of time Dec. 23 is but on demonstration of the support the "We Like It Here" campaign is getting from the communications media.
Disturbs Democrates
The Democrates have contended all along, of course, that the climate for industry has been good, particularly because of reductions in the personal property and real property tax burden on industry inaugerated under Democratic Gov. Nelson.
Paul A Pratt, Knowles' director of the department of resource developement, recently told the Milwaukee Advertising Club that the "We Like It Here" campaign was aimed chiefly at getting Wisconsin citizens to feel that way.
The theory is that residents can do a lot to sell the state and a salesam must be sold on his product before he can effectively sell to others.
Asked whether the film would be shown outside the state,
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Knowles Will Gain in Promotional Film Part 2 of 2 Film May Be Selling State And Knowles Date: November 21, 1965 By: GORDON L. RANDOLPH Of the: Journal Staff Interpretive Report |
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Page 4, column 3 Continued..
Boyer said it was intended mainly for Wisconsin consumption. He said businessmen made decisions on locating industry on more specific facts, though he saw possible use of the film by employers moving to Wisconsin to show their employees what a good place it is.
Pratt, however, said he hoped that the film could be used outside of the state, at exhibitions and the like, to attract businesses. He saw considerable value in the recreation segment in attracting tourists.
Democrates can be expected to raise the issue that a project of this magnitude should be aimed primarily at persons outside the state to draw them to Wisconsin.
It seems like a fair question to ask that if Wisconsin business is now sold on Wisconsin as a good place to do business, and people here know what it is like, why a film directed at them?
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Benefits Pointed Out The obvious conclution to Democrates, is that any happy glow among the citizens that will result from the film can only benefit the man most closely identified with it on the eve and in the early part of the 1966 campaign year-- Republican Gov. Knowles. On the other hand, one Republican knowledgeable about economic developement and recruitment of industry fears that the film may boomerang politicaly on the Republicans if many people share the Democrats' feelings. He, too, is one who feels that out of state businessmen would prefer less emotion and more hard facts than a film produced for popular consumption. Pratt told the advertising club that it was not true, as some have said, that industry was leaving the state because of taxes. He said taxes might sometimes be a factor, but just one of several affecting a particular business.
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Baffled by Feeling As for talk of a poor climate for industry in the state, he said, "Why this attitude has persisted through the years I don't know." In campaign speeches, Knowles had said the climate for industry was not good because of what he called the unsympathetic attitude of Democratic administrations. In one speech he was quoted as saying that the "excessive tax burden" in Wisconsin depressed industry and induced companies to move to other states. The Democrates, of course, have made much of the fact that both taxes and expenditures have increased under Knowles, whatever the causes. |