Building theatre patronage : management and merchandising (1927)

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316 Building Theatre Patronage only attracts attention but really sells. Reliable advertising does not require that the manager condemn other photoplays. However, C. J. Latta, of the Empress Theatre, Shenandoah, Iowa, used a newspaper advertisement which prepared the way for his personal endorsement of other programs. An instance of this is seen in the following: "AN APOLOGY AND A FAIR WARNING.— We endeavor to please at all times and are perfectly willing to admit our mistakes. It is impossible to see in advance every program we present. We must base our judgment of a production on the story, the author of the story, the producer, the director, and the cast. All of these were taken into consideration when we booked * ' for our showing yesterday and to-day, but, much to our disappointment, we feel it is one of the weakest pictures we have ever shown in Shenandoah. The balance of our program was up to standard, but we are not happy unless we have a 100 per cent program. " ' ' was taken from 's stirring novel, -/ one of the best sellers of the year. It is a production, produced by the with two great stars in the cast. "We thought this should make a splendid picture, and from the splendid patronage we had yesterday it is evidenced that you felt the same way. But it is just one of those cases that happens once in a while where a good story fails to make good screen material. "We can only hope to succeed through good, clean, honest advertising, backed with the GOODS. This is one time we failed. We apologize and beg your pardon. "We have no other program to substitute to-night; therefore, rather than have a dark house, we must finish the engagement; but to those who have not seen ' * we warn you that in our opinion it is a very weak attraction. The International News Reel is always good and our Comedy is unusually good; so govern yourselves accordingly." The discussion of whether or not announcements like the above are ever justified is not considered here. The example was given only to show how certain policies of theatre advertising can prepare the way for an added effectiveness to the personal endorsement advertisement.