20th Century-Fox Dynamo (February 11, 1956)

ALL-MEDIA PUBLIC PRE-SELLING CAMPAIGNS ARE UNDER WAY OR PLANNED TO FACILITATE FIELD’S DRIVE FOR AN $80,000,000 YEAR! As Dynamo went to press the ad- vance campaign plans announced for releases through "The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit” were crystallizing, with most of them actually put into practice. The scope and objectives of the campaigns are indicated by the fact that, as Charles Einfeld said and as several of his aides echoed at sub- sequent divisional meetings, a "total of $2,000,000 is being spent in ad- vertising this first quarter’s releases in every medium.” That amount rep- resents more than 11.4% of this quar- ter’s quota. With "The Man Who Never Was” the first challenge, the advertising, publicity and exploitation forces, cognizant of the fact that pre-selling is a decisive factor in determination of rentals accrued from public patron- age of motion pictures at their key- city first-runs, are themselves apply- ing an enterprise and effort certain to make effective c apital of the fact that their promotional responsibilities con- stitute a vital part of the merchandis- ing machinery geared to develop - 12- month revenue of $80,000,000 in the domestic market. None who has listened to Mr. Einfeld and his aides pin-point the advertising, publicity and exploitation campaigns on releases through "The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit” will doubt that, carried out as detailed to the dollar delivery crew, they promise a maximum boxoffice impact for each picture from its very first engagements. Never have so many influential national magazines been utilized as they will be this quarter on particularly such pictures as "Carousel” and Darryl Zanuck’s first personal 1956 production and Easter Week release. Never has this com- pany in any entire year invested so vast a sum as it will spend penetrating millions of homes with its sales messages, via television and radio, this quarter. In the case of "The Bottom Of The Bottle,” Ed Sullivan’s publicists have been lining up advance magazine publicity for several months. In that time, that exciting screenplay exposing "ranch jungle society” in the Southwest has, in one form or another, received mention as the "Picture Of The Observing that *'in this first quarter I see no problem pictures, no controversial pictures, no documentaries. I see only mass-appeal, solid entertainments,” Charles Einfeld (above, right), Vice-President in charge of advertising, pub- licity and exploitation, pledged his organization to back every picture with national and local-level promotions “the like of which no company in our industry has ever undertaken.” He added: “This we pledge you because, as a member of this company’s merchandising force, we realize you will need maximum advance exploitation to develop the year’s do- mestic quota of $80,000,000.” Seated at left is Executive Assistant General Sales Manager W. C. Gehring. What between the trade demon- strations of the 55mm CinemaScope process and the spectacular cam- paign that has been directing the industry s attention to it since the Allied convention in Chicago, "Ca- rousel” will unquestionably be the most effectively sold motion pic- ture since "The Robe.” That is the only conclusion one can draw from the momentum the advance cam- paign on this Richard Rodgers-Oscai Hammerstein musical has been gain- ing. With its gala world premiere at the Roxy theatre in New York vir- tually "around the corner,” the fact remains that already "Carousel” has been the receipient of wide publicity from the nation’s most influential sources. For example: the recent two-page "spread” in The New York Times alerted hun- dreds of newspapers and motion picture writers and editors not only in this country, but in foreign lands that "Carousel” represents another important advancement in superior motion picture entertainment. Month” in such widely circulated maga- zines as American, Redbook, Pageant, Good Housekeeping, Parade and American We ekly. These publications have a com- bined circulation in excess of 27,450,000. A local-level advance teaser campaign, em- bracing over-sized teaser-ads ranging be- tween 400 and 500 lines, is ear-marked for "The Man Who Never Was”and should start 10 days before opening of key-city en- gagements. The United States Defense Depart ment and specifically its Air Force are eagerly looking forward to a screening in Washington of "On The Threshold Of Space.” But, even before that screening, the Public Relations Division of the Air Force is mobilizing its far-flung personnel to assist in that picture’s ballyhoo in key cities. This will take the form of parades, glamor- (Continued on page 26, column 3) The trade demonstrations them- selves, even before the first ones were given, attracted thousands of requests for admission tickets to them. Several hundred thousand viewers, representing every segment of opinion-makers, exhibitors, educators, local leaders in all walks of life, were to attend the 59 demonstrations in the United States and two in Canada. Every one of these viewers may be counted on to subsequently spread news of the greater entertainment wonders accrued from 55mm CinemaScope and single out the first picture filmed in that process for high acclaim. But, the trade demonstrations equalling in their potentialities those when the new CinemaScope process was first exhibited in 1953, is only a part of the over-all advance campaign on "Carousel.” Moreover, for the first time in years this company is resorting to a national billboard campaign on this musical. Upwards of $1,000,000 is being spent by the company in advance all-medium promotion of "Carousel.” Heralding it is (Continued on page 26, column 1) Page 9