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From Strachan to Haldeman and Klein. RE Media Consultants. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 11/20/1970
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From Strachan to Haldeman and Klein. RE Media Consultants. 4 pgs. [Subject: Campaign] [Memo], 11/20/1970
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
54
3
11/20/1970
Campaign
Memo
From Strachan to Haldeman and Klein. RE
Media Consultants. 4 pgs.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Page 1 of 1
DOCUMENT WITHDRAWAL RECORD [NIXON PROJECT]
DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT
NUMBER
TYPE
SUBJECT/TITLE OR CORRESPONDENTS
DATE
RESTRICTION
N-1
memo
Strachan to Holdemant Klein,
11/20/70
re: media consultants
C (nifor)
[92]
(attached to memo, Strachen
to staff see, dated 11/20/70]
FILE GROUP TITLE
BOX NUMBER
WHSF GORDON STRACHAN
10
FOLDER TITLE
midsen Ratings - '72 Campaign
RESTRICTION CODES
A. Release would violate a Federal statute or Agency Policy.
E. Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
B. National security classified information.
financial information.
C. Pending or approved claim that release would violate an individual's
F. Release would disclose investigatory information compiled for law
rights.
enforcement purposes.
D. Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy
G. Withdrawn and return private and personal material.
or a libel of a living person.
H. Withdrawn and returned non-historical material.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
NA FORM 1421 (4-85)
Presidential Materials Review Board
Review on Contested Documents
Collection:
Gordon C. Strachan
Box Number:
10
Folder:
Nielson Ratings - '72 Campaign
Document
Disposition
92
Return Private/Political
November 20, 1970
MINORANDUM FOR:
H. R. HALDEMAN
HERB KLEIN
FROM:
GORDON SERACHAN
SUBJECT:
MEDIA CONSULTANTS
You asked me for some additional information on the media con-
sultants mentioned in my memorandum of November Ith: Norman
Wilkens, Rick Potter, Jim Bezdek, and Jim Brady. Two other
consultants, Pat Magel of Agora Group and Ray wilner of the
Robert Goodman Agency should be considered.
Morman Wilkens
McQuade, Wilkens and Bloomhurst, Indianapolis, age 30.
The firm's political work is primarily for the city of
Indianapolis on special PR projects. Norman Wilkens did
all of the TV work for the Republican's statewide campaign
in 1968 and some TV work for Roudebush in 1970. The firm's
political clients have been exclusively Republican since
Mayor Lugar's election. Keith Bulen supplied such of the
impetus and direction for the firm. Bulen has "great respect"
for Wilkens' ability and thinks he is "damn good." Bulen
noted, however, that Norm Wilkens is the strong business
member and is not as creative as some of the other members
of the firm. Robert Beckman, Mayor Lugar's press secretary,
"think (s) very highly" of Morman Wilkens.
Wilkens purchases the time for his TV spots and so is compensated
by the 15% commission. However, the firm's commercial business
is expanding rapidly, so figures as to his personal income range
are merely estimates.
Bulen will send samples of Wilkons' work.
-2-
Rick Potter
Teletape, Inc., New York, age 25.
In addition to working with Treleaven and Rietz on the Brock
spots, Potter worked with Ailes on the President's 1968 spots.
Most recently he worked with Al Scott on the five-minute
President Nixon Sunday half-time spots. Al Scott reports
that Potter is "good...young-type fellow..." (Scott is)
"enthusiastic about him." Whenever Al Scott does work at
Teletape, he specifically requests that Rick Potter work
with him. Potter is similar to Scott in that he does
primarily production as distinguished from creative TV work.
However, Potter worked in San Diego for KFMB-TV, where he
vas Producer and Director of Newscasts. In San Diego, he
also did creative and production TV work for the Mayor and
City Council officials there.
Potter is a Republican and salaried in the low $20,000 range.
I have a videotape sample of Rick's work from the 1970
campaign and have requested additional samples.
Jim Bezdek
Creative Services, Inc., Denver, Colorado, age 31.
Mike McKevitt, newly elected Republican Congressman from
Colorado's 1st, considers Bexdek "very capable." Bezdek
did all of thmproduction work for McKevitt's campaign. He
charged a set fee, which slightly exceeded the 15% commission
cost of all the media placement. Besdek did all of the media
work - not just radionandTTV, but newspaper, buttons, bumper
stickers, etc. When asked if Bendek's PR firm would scontinue
to do political work, McKevitt said, "he will do my re-election
campaign."
McKevitt did not disclose Bexdek's salary range.
Bexdek has mailed samples of his work to me.
-3-
Jim Brady
Campaign Group, Inc., Chicago, age 30.
Brady did ten Jay Wilkinson TV spots for $20,000 in the 1970
campaign. Brady also did Senator Smith's TV spots during
the 1970 campaign and it is the view of Jerry Marsh, Henry
Cashen's brother-in-law, in Governor Ogilvie's office, that
it was "good within the purview of the objective." Governor
Ogilvie's staff feels that Brady "executed his assignment
(hard line, Smith ads) very well."
Brady has mailed samples of his work to me.
Acora Group
Cliff White formed the Agora Group in New York to do the
media work for Buckley. of the Group, White feels Pat
Magel, no, is "the best." White says that he retained
complete control over the creative input but that Magel's
production and creative suggestions were excellent.
White did not indicate what he paid the Agora Group for
their services.
I will ask White this afternoon for samples of Magel's work.
Ray Wilner
Taft's campaign manager, John Kelley, used the Robert Goodman
Agency. Kelly vas "very impressed" with Ray Wilner, 38, from
the Goodman Agency.
Goodman received 12½ of the 15% commission for all media
placement as full compensation. Kelley did not know what
share Wilner received.
Goodman is based in Baltimore, Maryland, so ve have ready access
to samples of their work.
&
Should the group to review the work of each of the consultants
include:
Chotiner
Dent
Safire
Buchanan
Chapin
Finch
Al Snyder
Wednesday, November 25th, could be a good day to review the
material because I have some of it now and have received
assurances of the other samples earlier this week.