Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

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50 .1/ o ti on Picture N e w s J ii I v 5 . / <> 3 0 MANAGER!' ROUND TABLE CLUB Theatre Management and Patronage Building in Holland H. A. FOL, Rembrandt Theatre, Arnheim, Holland The Club pages have brought you slants on foreign showmanship and theatre operation from many isolated and distant points. Now we take you to Holland where one of our most enthusiastic members relates, for the benefit of his brother members and thatre managers, how Management and Patronage Building is handled in his country. We are grateful to Mr.,Fol, and hope that he favors us with manymore interesting letters. "Theatre operation in Holland brings difficulties specific for our country. The Dutch are no theatregoers by nature and they do not like bragging publicity. I remember a few years ago, when we had the picture "THREE NOBLE BANDITS," we sent three men through the town dressed like the principal figures. Results . . . the worst week we ever had. We run two shows a night at 6.45 and 9 o'clock. Matinee performances every Wednesday and Saturday. Sunday and Holidays four shows. Our program which changes every Fridav. consists of FOX MOVIETONE NEWS, SILENT LOCAL NEWS, one or two SHORTS— according to the length of the feature — VARIETY and FEATURE. Our principle is good publicity all the year round and special exploitation for special pictures only. As a result of this we have a large regular patronage and with special pictures we draw more people than we can seat. When we do something unusual everybody knows that the "REMBRANDT" has a picture which they must miss on no account. Our campaign starts on the preceding Monday with two-column ads. We have a quarter page on Thursday and continue with teasers until Wednesday. For special pictures we run advance ads from two weeks before the opening. Only on Thursday our ads are headed by the name of the theatre. On that day people are looking for the ad of the "REMBRANDT" and of the other theatres. The other days, however, they are not a bit interested in what we have to say. Therefore, we have headings which arouse people's curiosity. Owing to the lack of a choice of cuts we do not always illustrate our ads. For every picture we, build a display in a corner next to the stage and find this a very good way of interesting patrons in next week's program. We run trailers on special features only. The same applies to the dressing of front and lobby. In the windows of all important shops, cafes, hotels, etc., in town and in the surrounding villages we have small posters announcing the program of the week. We frequently .use heralds, throw-aways and occasionally tie-ups with music stores and others. The latter is rather difficult as this is nearly never done in Holland as the merchants seem to be unaware of its value for their own business. We just finished a tie-up after a suggestion in the "ROUND TABLE CLUB' pages. The largest store in town packed in all its parcels a numbered card. On one side we advertised our coming attraction and on the other side informed them that the customers of that particular store would have a free entree for the opening show if the number on the card corresponded with one of the hundred numbers we were to publish an hour before the show started. This worked splendidly and we had to call in the assistance of the police to clear the street. Every important event is filmed by our own cameramen. On their car we have an announcement reading as follows: "SEE THE AND YOURSELF ON THE SCREEN OF THE REMBRANDT. COMMENCING TO-MORROW." It is our main purpose that wherever they go, people will always hear or read of the "REMBANDT." It is a custom in Holland that house programs are paid for by the patrons. We have a special parking rate for our patrons in the nearest garage. Among our new promotion plans ranks first a combined ticket or bus or tram and a visit to the theatre sold by the guards. This is done to draw people from out of town to the theatre. Therefore, we give a reduction on the entree. And the company gives a reduction on the fares as well. THE FIRST RULE IN SELLING OUR SHOW IS: WE NEVER PITCH EXPECTATIONS TOO HIGH AND THIS IS WE BELIEVE, THE MAIN REASON FOR OUR SUCCESS." In a very short time I am coming to the States to get better acquainted with the excellent showmanship of the American exhibitors and I hope to meet many of the "CLUB" members in person." ^ ~ A sweet campaign that went Robert E. Hicks over nke a bouse afire was t» L Tf t*» -i m turned out by Robert E. rUl rllS rOOd bhOW Hicks, manager of the Para /^v T t-^ q,. i mount Theatre in connection Uver 111 J^ine btyle with his merchandising of ■" " "Honey," when he decided to stage a food show along with the picture. The food show and the picture received a break in the local newspaper due to the fact that the paper was sponsoring a plan to select a Miss Maxwell House, typifying an old-fashioned girl who would act as hostess during the run of "Honey." This of course, was engineered by Hicks. When the girl was selected, the food concerns represented in the show agreed to pay her salary for the time she worked and in addition ran some big ads in the local papers plugging the show, the girl and the house. One of the local bakeries put out a special "Honey" cake, slices of which were given away free to patrons entering the theatre. Fre« coffee was also distributed along with the cake. The cake company arranged for ten window displays plugging the show and also permitted the use of banners on twenty of their fleet of trucks. Practically every type of food that could be prepared in the theatre with the electrical equipment furnished by the Power Company was offered to the guests and patrons. Exhibits and demonstrations in the preparation of over 35 nationally advertised food products were given in the main lobby and on the mezzanine floor. The preparation and use of such food products and beverages included Maxwell House coffee and tea, Jell-O, Hellman's mayonnaise products. Minute tapioca, Sanka coffee, Frosted food products and Baker's cocoa and chocolate. The food show drew to the theatre many of the employees of the products' manufacturers, since a number of locals were represented as well as the nationally advertised products. And with "Honey" for a title and a honey of a campaign to put it over it can be seen that all was milk and honey when Hicks checked up the b.o. receipts. "All For One And One For All " With all these miniature Mahonev Placed His golf courses springing up iviaiiuney r i<*ceunis> around the COUntry it was Bid In For Space only logical to suppose that /~v -iv/r«j r> showmen would hop right to On Midget COUrseS it and take advantage of them .^^=^^==^=^^^^.^ in the way of securing free publicity. So W. H. Mahoney, manager of the Strand Theatre in New Orleans, La., went to work to take his share of free advertising. Signs were planted at the entrance and at one or two other places on the miniature golf course; the signs carrying copy relating to the picture, theatre and playdates as well as offering three passes daily to the lowest scores. The tie-up was in effect throughout the entire week and from indications it seems to us that Mahoney is going to repeat every time the opportunity presents itself. The stunt proved to be of value, not only for the house but the golf course as well, as it was observed that a number of crack golfers were playing the course in order to secure the free tickets which were offered for the lowest scores. We don't know whether you have any of these courses around your section of the country as yet but if you have, remember that it is an excellent opportunity for you to plug your house and any special features that you may be offering. Another idea that a Round Table member has brought to light is supplying the course bosses with a number of score cards carrying an "institutional" plug for your house. We want to thank Mahoney for passing this one along to us and we hope to hear from him again very soon and when he sends us in his next contribution it will be a pleasant surprise to find that lie has included his photo and a little note telling about his career in show business. NTER THE STRAND sf>em/s //£/?£*> 3P*SSiS MILY TCWttSI SCWS NO H&h K-te