The Film Daily (1935)

Monday, Dec. 16,1935 « « EXPLOITING THE CURRENT FILMS « « Model-Building Tieup Set on Warner Films WfARNERS' home office advertising and publicity department has concluded a national tieup with the Model Builders Guild of Hempstead, L. I., effective on the company's forthcoming major productions including "Captain Blood," "Ceiling Zero," "Anthony Adverse," "The Green Pastures" and others. Model-building is a widespread hobby among many thousands of people, and loads of publicity is expected to accrue from this tieup using motion picture sets. First Warner film which the tieup starts functioning is "Captain Blood." Model-builders are expected to go overboard for the "Arabella," the pirate-ship. Subsequently, it is planned to use James Cagney's transport plane in "Ceiling Zero" and the "Heaven" set of "The Green Pastures." Outlets for this tieup will for the most part be department stores in all sections of the United States. Special displays using stills and ad copy on major productions will be used to sell model-building materials. Prize contests with the cooperation of local newspapers, for best models are also planned in what will definitely be a national campaign to benefit exhibitors. Another feature of this hobby which is expected to attract attention is that, although materials for constructing a model pirate vessel like the "Arabella" probably would cost no more than two dollars, the completed model if carefully and artistically done should sell for at least a hundred times as much. — Warner Bros. Protect Your Home from Tuberculosis BUY Christmas Seals "Bounty" Campaign At the Venetian, Racine 'T'HE campaign for "Mutiny on the Bounty" put on by Morris Abrams, M-G-M exploiteer, assisted by Owen McKivitt, manager of the Venetian theater, Racine, Wis., resulted in three special announcements daily over Radio Station WRJM regarding the picture. And each day at 1:00 P. M. a sidewalk broadcast was given in front of the Hotel Racine asking the people different questions including five movie questions about the pictures playing the Venetian theater. Three questions were asked about "Mutiny on the Bounty." Six thousand tickets were sold for a benefit by the American Ass'n of University Women for a scholarship fund of $400.00 and each woman of the Club called everybody up in regard to same. There are 8,300 telephones in Racine. Four 40 x 60 enlargements of LaughtonGable-Tone-Diggs were ordered by Mr. McKivitt for the lobby. 2,000 screen forecasts were given away with the imprint on back for "Mutiny on the Bounty." The ship model contest was held in all the schools and over 300 teachers told about "Mutiny on the Bounty." Teaser trailers were used by both the State and Venetian followed by the regular trailer. Special display was obtained in the three leading book stores with stills for background. The model of the "Bounty" was displayed in lobby for over ten days in advance. John Hallen, of Manista, Mich., builder of the model ship, gave a lecture on it. It proved a great crowd getter. In three of the largest cafes Mr. McKivitt made arrangements for bottom line on the menu cards for special announcement. The seven libraries gave displays and distributed 15,000 bookmarks. — Venetian, Racine, Wis. * * * Orchestra Tie-ups Aid "Night at the Opera" QRCHESTRATIONS and sheet music were distributed to all orchestra leaders in night clubs, radio stations, hotel dining rooms and restaurants as part of Harry Golub's campaign on "A Night at the Opera" for its showing at the RKO Orpheum theater in Denver. Golub was assisted by an M-G-M exploiteer. Special music displays were also planted with all music stores, the windows featuring numbers from the production. Ten of the leading restaurants and dining rooms had announcements on their menus of the playdate. A tie-up was made with a milk company that has a regular morning radio broadcast. Time on these programs was devoted to "A Night at the Opera." The M-G-M Traveling Studio, in town at the time, cooperated fully with Golub and the M-G-M exploiteer in street ballyhoo. — Orpheum, Denver. New Orleans Campaign On "Annie Oakley" RAKING advantage of the diversity of exploitation and publicity ideas suggested by RKO Radio Pictures' film dramatization of the life of "Annie Oakley," the Orpheum Theater, New Orleans, devised an unusual promotion campaign to exploit the opening. It started one week in advance, with special stunt tie-ups; newspaper cooperative ads contributed by many local merchants; many store displays and a gala midnight preview, which created a great interest for the film. The outstanding phases of the campaign were the stunt tie-ups with Chief Big Bear and his wife, who appeared in the Buffalo Bill Wild West show; and an aerial dance team, Betty and Benny Fox, who performed a dangerous routine above the flagpole of the St. George Hotel in the busiest section of New Orleans. Through a tie-up with the New Orleans "States-Item," the theater derived a great amount of publicity linage, including a front-page story describing the event which took place on opening morning. Thousands of people crowded the thoroughfare to witness the event, and announcements in behalf of the film were made to the crowds. Later that day, the stunters appeared on the stage of the theater together with Chief Big Bear and his wife. The latter's performance was repeated on Saturday and Sunday afternoon in the lobby of the theater, and attracted hundreds of onlookers. Tie-ups were arranged with prominent retail stores of the city, which contributed to the many cooperative ads ballyhooing the film. These included a full-page ad in the "TimesPicayune" on opening day; a half -page in the same paper was contributed by the Burglass Furniture Company; and a fullpage ad in the afternoon "States-Item" tied-up with the Holmes Store, the leading department store in town. Other features of the campaign included a special midnight preview five days in advance of the opening, attended by many notables, with resultant fine publicity. Special invitations with a pair of "Annie Oakleys" inserted created much attention. To ballyhoo the special showing, three men dressed as Indians roved the city distributing heralds. Later they visited local schools handing out an attractive Indian headdress novelty, with plenty of "Annie Oakley" copy imprinted. Special trailers ran for ten days in advance. Many store window displays were arranged, including novel sporting goods displays. Radio Station WWL featured daily spot announcements for one week prior to the opening, besides a special interview with Chief Big Bear and his wife. The campaign was handled by Victor Meyer, manager of the theater, and Gar Moore, director of publicity. — Orpheum, New Orleans Radio Essay Tieup Good Stunt on "Call" A TTRACTIVE window displays and an effective radio contest were among the highlights of the exploitation campaign arranged by Manager Howard C. Burkhardt of Loew's State Theater, Providence, for the premiere of "Call of the Wild," Darryl Zanuck production starring Clark Gable and Loretta Young. An essay contest on "Why I Would Like to Have a Dog Like Buck", was arranged with Radio Station WPRO. This contest got under way with the station giving the idea three six-minute plugs for the first two days and later giving the stunt six spot announcements on other programs. The story broke in local newspapers and the prize dog was on display in front of the theater Two co-operative ads, each mentioning the picture's premiere, were put over. The Outlet Beauty Store got up an ad on coiffure, and used a photo of Merle Oberon. A local hat company got out an ad featuring Clark Gable and giving "Call of the Wild" full credit. More than 5,000 book-marks were distributed at all public libraries in outgoing books. The Sunshine Lending Library distributed 1,500 book covers plugging "Call of the Wild" at Loew's State Theater. Eight hundred menu cards were distributed at local restaurants. Window displays were arranged with the following merchants, each utilizing scene stills and blow-ups: Cashman's, Quinn's, Boston Store, Woolworth's, Biltmore Market and Starkweather & Williams. — Loew's State, Providence.