RICKY McMOUNTAIN BECOMES LAWMAN
By Adnews Staff
The man behind the Ricky McMountain catalogue is planning to homestead on the turf of Toronto's battered Better Business Bureau. Richard Hirtle says he will have World Business Marshals Inc. operating in the spring. On March 30 and 31 next year the company will distribute 1.5 million copies of a directory listing companies that have the Business Marshals seal of approval, to homes in the Toronto area. To obtain a Business Marshals membership, a company must pass scrutiny and pay a fee of $9,000. In addition to the directory, Business Marshals is setting up a call centre that will start taking inquires in April about the reputation and reliability of companies. Business Marshals will advise consumers not to deal with any firm with an complaint against it that has not been dealt with. Member companies will get a quarter-page color ad in the directory and will be recommended to consumers who inquire at the live call centre. Radio commercials launching the new service will air for a week before and after the directory is distributed. This will be followed six weeks later by a radio and newspaper campaign. Advertising will be created by freelancers and the media buying will be handled in-house. The budget for advertising this year will be between $350,000 and $400,000. Next year, it could reach $500,000, says Hirtle. The opportunity for Business Marshals arose when the Toronto BBB fell into disrepute this year and the Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus cancelled its licence. The Council is now embroiled in a court action with the Toronto BBB which is seeking to regain its licence. Hirtle has not yet decided on the fate of the Ricky McMountain Buyer's Guide which has been languishing lately after several years of publication. It may become an annual and Ricky McMountain could even get a brother. On the other hand, Hirtle may just shelve it. The literature for the new service shows Ricky McMountain sporting a 10-gallon hat and lawman's star.