Building theatre patronage : management and merchandising (1927)

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Co-operative Advertising 249 Contests. — If a contest can be arranged for the window display, it becomes doubly effective. For instance, a pair of theatre passes can be the prize offered to the one who estimates most correctly the number of candy kisses in a glass case — the number of beads on the gown worn by a picture star illustrated in the window — the size shoe worn by a star — the number of stitches in a costume — the length of the silk thread used in a pair of hoisery — how long it will take for a keg of water dripping in the window to empty — how long it will take for a cake of ice to melt, etc. If the contest requires that contestants enter the store and leave their estimate with one of the employees, the merchant realizes that the window display has actually brought possible customers into the store who otherwise would not have entered. If the contest in the window is closely related to the theme or to the title or to a situation in the photoplay, the display becomes that much more effective for the theatre. Miniature displays and animated displays which were discussed for the lobby (consult pages 191 and 192) can be adapted for window display. It is evident that the window display with movement is more effective. Further interest can be won for the window by displaying relics, or trophies or medals loaned by the local museums or the American Legion or the local college. Certain possibilities of co-operative advertising as arranged between the theatre and others where the plan has individual details not generally applicable are discussed in the following: 1. Book Stores. About twenty years ago the popular stage play, "Quincy Adams Sawyer," and the novel were jointly advertised with the phrase — "Read the book and see the play." Since then co-operative advertising between publishers and book sellers on the one hand and producers on the other has been common. It was successful in advertising the stage plays, "The Garden of Allah," "The Lion and the Mouse," "Within the Law." The photoplay and the novel, "The Mill of the Gods," suggested first attempts at advertising photoplays in co-operation with publishers and book stores. Nowadays so many photoplays