Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

74 MOTION PICTURE HERALD April 11, 19 3 1 TYING UP A WHOLE CITY! FRANK B. HILL PROVES THAT IT CAN BE DONE! There is in the motion picture industry a class of showmen who are never satisfied unless they can be doing something progressive along the lines of showselling. Picture after picture attraction after attraction, and show after show is sold in a high caliber and high powered style. Not a civic event goes on but that a progressive showman is in some measure a participant. The mere mention of a benefit show, a project to aid the unemployed, or a call to help the distressed is all necessary to secure the hearty co-operation of an alert showman. The public notices these things, whether it appears to or not. How can one help but see work that reflects towards betterment, and the benefit of the city or town itself? That is why the type of showmen on whom we are discoursing find their houses doing good business at all times. And not only is business good, but the good-will that is tendered the theatre by the town assures the certainty of the house and the showman procuring one hundred percent cooperation whenever such co-operation is needed. Small wonder then that we find most of the progressive showmen holding down fine positions, jobs of trust and responsibility ; and find them also to be a credit to their community. One such showman whose name can be found in the above mentioned group is Frank Hill, of the Liberty Theatre, Walla Walla, Washington. Hill is employed by the Inland Theatres Circuit Inc., a chain headed by Senior and Junior Mercy, operating houses in Washington and Oregon. Frank Hill is very well known among the show circles of the Pacific Northwest section. Followers of the Round Table Club pages in Motion Picture Herald will immediately recall, upon mention of Hill's name, the wonderful work he has turned out in the past along the lines of showselling by newspaper advertising. Hill has so throughly studied conditions existing on his circuit that he knows to a "T," the type of ad that will best click for the house plugged. This same system is current in all of the houses of the circuit. Realizing the value of knowing local conditions, the local likes and dislikes of their respective public, the other showmen on the chain have been quick to adopt Hill's line of work. The weekly results prove the plan's value. "CIMAR RON ^YS" SPECIALS BHhdtv Sik N<n> On "Gnurron DayV' Tallman Drug Co. Sweat CoatB $2o!98 Frank Jackson Just 10 Dozen Soft Span ToweU Turkish Towds PoQyaima Cafeteria J^. "Cimarron. /Swro Dayt" ^ \ CriterioD Martin Drug Co. 49c 81.25 The Bee Hive Store 75c Ti-a Room i W. P. Fuller Go. SpccUtISc SPECIAL *"Z 11 SPEOAL IIJS SPECIAL ",' He Hendrick & Zaring .. S5<; BRONCHAIN Fitzgerald's When Hill planned his campaign on "Cimarron" he probably never thought It would develop into so thorough a community proposition, but it did and we felt that it was deserving of special mention, not only as a tribute to Hill but as a guide to those who want to know how other managers engineer successful campaigns. And, incidentally, there is one attractive slant to all of Hill's exploitation; it rarely costs the theatre any money. Now much has been said about Hill's advertising. But little has been said about his other work, very important work to be sure. This work is his exploiting of shows. Advertising a picture to the nth degree does not necessarily imply that the said picture is going to click for excellent box-office results. If such should be the case, all necessary for a showman wouldbe for him to sit down and figure out his advertising campaign, and that concluded, sit back and take his ease. Of course, there would always be the distressing thought that his job was in constant jeopardy by the presence of advertising men or advertising agencies. So perhaps it's a lucky thing that a showman has to do more than advertising to sell his show. Hill has been represented on the Managers' Round Table Club pages with but one or two examples of his exploitation work, that part of his campaigns which form a mighty important contribution to the success of any show. But exploitation, as has been shown before, is worthless unless the show can deliver the goods. Exploitation might bring them in, but it can't bring them back unless the picture reached the value set by the superlatives hurled at the public by the showman. This is an inevitable and foregone conclusion, and explains why the wise showman is careful to either see the picture he is plugging, or lay out his campaign in accordance to what he has heard about the picture read about it in newspaper and trade paper reviews, and thinks about it himself in terms of local public re-action. Frank Hill was given "Cimarron." This film, he was sure, would prove one of the biggest ever yet seen in Walla Walla. Everywhere the picture played it had been given unanimous and enthusiastic acclaim. Trade papers, newspaper, radio, prominent authors, playrights, and persons in political and public life lauded it. So Hill decided to give it a campaign to equal — if not surpass — any that had ever been given a picture in Walla Walla, Washington. Hill knows his public, therefore he seldom wastes any expenditures on exploitation. His first move was to tie-up forty local merchants and gain their assent to his plan which consisted of inaugurating a Friday and a Saturday as "Cimarron Days" during which the local merchants were to ofifer bargains to the persons of Walla Walla and the surrounding towns. The merchants were duly impressed by Hill's _ statement that the move, in addition to publicizing the products of the merchants would do much to combat the depression that at the time was recorded as sweeping the country and give to the merchants besides good-will, a volume of business that would perhaps make up for any losses suffered during the dark days when persons rather than spend money, preferred, in the true precautionary manner of country folk "putting it aside for a rainy day." The merchants got behind the "Cimarron Days" idea wholeheartedly. They gave it plenty of plugging through every possible medium obtainable. Hill used the regular channels that the theatre offered. The local newspapers, always willing to help the showman and the merchants placed its stafif of workers on call for any special work that might be found necessary. Advertising was done in profusion. THEATRE. MERCHANTS AND NEWSPAPERS ALL CASHED IN! Full page co-operative ads, double truck cooperative ads, individual ads, placards, banners strung across the streets — all informed Walla Walla and the surrounding communities of the special value being offered in the Washington city in conjunction with the showing of "Cimarron." The picture, too, was plentifully plugged, receiving daily space on the front page along with the mention of "Cimarron Days." Then Hill pulled his crowning stroke. He secured from Dorsey M. Hill, the Mayor of the town, an official proclamation setting aside the two days of the showman's designation as days signifying "a very laudable project." The Mayor's proclamation, published in both Walla Walla newspapers the day before the event broke, stated: "It has been brought to my attention that the two days, Friday and Saturday of this week, have been set aside as 'Cimarron Days' in Walla Walla and that on these days the merchants of the city are co-operating in a very laudable project to attract buyers and to stimulate and encourage retail trade in general. As outlined to me this plan entails the offering, by the cooperating merchants of certain articles of their best merchandise at greatly reduced prices which should mean a tremendous attraction to the people of surrounding communities and to the people of Walla Walla. "The event ... is being held in connection with the showing of the great motion picture, 'Cimarron,' which I believe to be one of the outstanding talking pictures in the history ot that industry. "I wish to state that this project meets with my heartiest approval and I urge the merchants of the City to enter into it with the greatest enthusiasm as I feel that it will act as a great stimulant to the business of the Community as a whole. Also I wish to congratulate the management of the local theatres for its sponsorship of the event and for the wonderful cooperation that the Merchants are giving. "Through this message, I wish to extend a most hearty welcome to Walla Walla on 'Cimarron Days' to all of the people of this section of the great Inland Empire." That Hill and the merchants found the campaign a financial success goes without saying. {Continued on next page) FRIDAY AND SATURDAY HOSE 'ese. Pure Rnyon Non-Run Vnt. JfM JENSEN CO "GnuuTon Day*" Book Nook Miuic Electric C«. kc. FREE rXl^ NcwCiDHIcRuor&BUdt GRON S JACKSON DRUG CO. Seil't .Shoe Specials Pauoik Pi«|B HIS Seil'i Shoe Store XIMAKBON DAYS" 55.00 Becl&WinawCroyyCo. Vitarl Studio """" ^'^^va "CouiTon Dayi'' K. Falkenberg Cimtrron BujIUM BEHDCi MUSIC SHOP 8 '.war BENDK MUSIC SHOP "Cimarron" SpcciaU 59c DAVISj(ASt-R Ca Genuine Black Horschide Leather COATS •6^22 ^ n-"" While Hooit Oolltmg Co. Eir»dJ ry'^omid Coal' "CimAmin D>yt" I'rriP'"!., CRESCENT DRUG