Cable-TV Firms Launch Joint Ad Campaign to Lure New Subscribers

To bolster the number of cable-television subscribers in Southern California, area cable companies are hitting the airwaves with 1,000 television ad spots over the next month to attract new customers.

The pitch: Call 1-800-CABLE-85.

The idea, according to the Southern California Cable Television Marketing Council, is to make it simple for the 1.6 million non-subscribers to get cable TV by calling one central number.

Industry experts cite Southern California’s good weather, the large number of VHF and UHF channels and videocassette recorders as some of the reasons why more residents have not signed up for cable TV in the areas where it’s available.

Robert Goldstein, a spokesman for the council, said that of 2.8 million homes that can get cable in Los Angeles, Orange and parts of Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, only 1.2 million, or about 42%, of those households currently subscribe.

“There is a lot of competition for the viewers’ time,” says Trevor Goodman, vice president of Asher/Gould Advertising, which designed the 30- and 60-second spots for local network affiliates and independent TV stations.

“Beyond that,” Goodman adds, “the No. 1 problem is people don’t know who to phone to get cable.”

The council, made up of 13 cable companies and nine programming services, such as Home Box Office and Showtime, are sharing the $800,000 tab for air time, English- and Spanish-speaking operators and an electronic mail service to put prospective customers in touch with the right cable company.

Ten different versions of the commercial feature the 800 number set against a black screen, interspersed with quick visual teasers of baseball games, popular movies and concerts--some of the attractions that come with a cable subscription. A 15-day money-back guarantee is also being offered to those who sign up during the five-week ad campaign.

A spokesman for the council said it will be several weeks before it is known whether the commercials, which began Thursday, are a success in drawing new subscribers.

Stay tuned.