Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

52 MOTION PICTURE HERALD June 2 7, 1931 BEST FORMS OF THEATRE ADVERTISING! Frank Whitbeck Gives His Opinion And Tells You Why! The best medium of ttieatre advertising, in my estimation, is that of the newspaper. If the theatre manager were restricted to one, and only one, medium for his box office success then. . . . The newspaper display space would stand high above the effectiveness of the billboards, exploitation, radio and the screen of his own theatre. But . . . display space in a newspaper will not, by itself, insure success to any theatre as it may for a commercial pursuit — the theatre must have the intelligent combination of every medium within command of the manager. . . . The public, through many years of seeking information on theatrical events, has come to look for the "best showing" as indicative of the "best show in town." Since the beginning of things theatrical the press agent has been judged by the amount of publicity that he could land for his attraction. Not the cut-and-dried theatrical notice printed on the drama page as a part of the theatrical rate charged . . . but the amount of news that the press agent has been able to originate and convince the editor to print. . . . The story that broke in the news section of the newspaper, is the story that counted most at the box office. Press agents with circuses, for instance, rank as high as any circus executive in the order of importance. The press agent of a New York legitimate attraction is, as a rule, paid from $50 to $100 a week more than the company manager. It is not unusual for the press agent or advertising man (call him what you will) to be paid a far better salary than the theatre manager. . . . Many times on a par with the salary a division or district manager is paid. Today, especially in New York City, the circuit and distributing company advertising executive ranks with any other position short of general manager and his opinion is sought in story value, in cast and title. . . . Proving the importance that is placed on the judgment and understanding of these men. These things are mentioned merely to impress the importance of . . . publicity in connection with display adtising. Do You Waste Space? But . . . the mere fact that a theatre places an ad in a newspaper, ... a big ad . . .a half or full page — will not guarantee to bring a crowd to the box office. Too much is expected of newspaper display advertising and too little thought is given to what goes into the space purchased, when the ad is carried — in what medium and whether an afternoon or morning paper. Since the day of the theatre manager who wore a red vest and broke every law of man and God in the conduct of a theatre . . . the rule of inch for inch in all newspapers has prevailed. Whv? Because of fear . . . fear of the power of the press. Fear instead of confidence and respect ... of understanding and sympathy. Many newspaper men have encouraged this misunderstanding. ... It was the way out of the smaller circulation and non Frank Whitbeck Writing an introduction for Frank Whitbeck is like trying to tell the average person who his mother is. They already know so well that they would think you were crazy. Well, we're not exactly crazy but we do own up to being a little "nurts" about Frank W hitbeck's style. And since we know of several hundred others who feel the same way we can admit it without blushing. You can count the outstanding advertising men in this country on one hand and maybe have a finger to spare, but you won't get very far in your count before you must chalk off a digit for Frank. His marvelous "Dead-Line" articles in the Fox West Coast house organ, "Now" and later "The Last Word," until he left that organization, were masterpieces of commonsense showmanship. Few men have been quoted as much or as often as Whitbeck, He knows show business and best of all, he knows advertising from beginning to end. Young in spirit, he has never overlooked the fact that one of his own expressions hit the nail of progress right on the head. Said Frank, "You Have to Go Like Hell Now-adays to Stay where You Are," And, since he never was content to stay put in his viewpoint of advertising the theatre, he was constantly injecting new angles into the department under his supervision. With this preamble we pass along for your perusal, Frank Whitbeck's answer to "What Form of Advertising Is Best for the Theatre, and Why? essential newspaper of getting equal space with the leader in the field. The far-sighted newspaper executive encourages any theatre advertising man to buy "circulation" just as the department store buys its space. One newspaper is best for foods and those commodities appealing to the frugal women shoppers. Another newspaper is better for men readers. No one will ever settle the question of whether a morning paper or an afternoon paper is best for theatre advertising. . . . Only intelligent study and the possibility of "keying" newspaper advertising will settle this question in varying situations. Adjectives vs. Dignity Today the controversy runs hot as to what makes the good theatre ad. . . . The ticket selling ad. One authority stands for the typical theatre phraseology . . . the bombast and the high-sounding adjectives . . . the "colossal," "magnificent," "soul-inspiring" and what have you description. Another will adapt his style from the more conservative commercial copy writer and in dignified, imagination-stirring language describe the attraction he attempts to sell. One will go in for big bold type . . . another for art illustration. One will skirt the ragged edge of common decency and another will use the lambskin to cloak the wolf. What should you do? No one can lay down a set of rules for theatrical advertising. . . . What is red fire in one community may be a fizzling dud in another. Your own good judgment after a careful analysis of your own situation is the only possible answer. In what section of the newspaper will big space bring the best results? One will tell you R. O. P. (run-of-the-paper) and another says . . . take it on the drama page, and this, mind you, in spite of the fact that it is every press agent's ambition to crack the news section with his stories. If a story is valuable in the news section ... is not theatre advertising equally valuable in the same news section? You give the answer. Newspaper Space, Sensiblly Used, Will Bring Best Results! There is an old saying in show business . . . "No attraction is any better than you make it — before it opens." Yet . . . many managers will take the same size space on the opening day of a new attraction as they did on the last day of the outgoing attraction. There can only be one answer to that . . . build in space importance as you near your opening date and on that opening day ... hit newspaper readers with everything you have. One good ad on the day after you open . . . then your attraction must take care of itself. If your public is not interested in your advance campaign — if from your sales talk they have not sensed the entertainment they want . . . then all the newspaper advertising this side of hell will not put over a program. This isn't personal opinion; it isn't a weakening of belief in newspaper space — it is the history of show business. All you can do is to create a demand, in advance, for the thing you are trying to sell ; . . . after that — it is word-of-mouth from those who have seen your show. Clever copy and intelligent exploitation will keep alive public interest — but it will not change public opinion. Must Have Reader-Interest Newspaper display space demands, in the theatrical business, the backing of reader interest publicity. Not the story of the kind of tooth brush Greta Garbo uses ; not the breed of dog Lew Ayres likes best ; . . . not Norma Shearer's opinion of the current or coming style in pajamas. But . . . why Joan Crawford was picked for the role she is playing ; . . . what dramatic value the story had to warrant its production — the supporting cast, a brief synopsis of the plot, the director — the high spot of the most dramatic sequence. There is newspaper value in every screen attraction. ... It is this news value that you must sell to your newspaper reader clientele; it is the very news which is too big . . . too wordy — to get into your display space. Stories must tie up with the idea that is back of your display campaign. It is the combination of the two which makes display space the most valuable of all theatrical advertising outlets. The billboard is the reminder . . . the place, the date — the name of the attraction. You can not sell an argument on a billboard . . . you can sell policy and . . . what is more important, you can give your campaign that added punch to back up your newspaper space. The efficiency of billboard space will vary with the seasqns and the part of the country in which they are located. To me the key of an advertising campaign is newspaper display space. It is the foundation— every other form of advertising is merely an adjunct to the newspaper. Every other medium should point toward the newspaper campaign— they should build for and with the newspaper space. Newspapers — the good ones — mould public opinion. You depend upon them every hour of (Continued on next page) When we decided on this series we were well aware that the majority would give the newspaper as the most valuable form of theatre advertising. But we wanted to get the assorted viewpoints on WHY news paper advertising was the favorite. In this series you will find the answer. Bear in mind that in addition to the advertising and publicity directors contacted, we took special pains to also get the reaction from typical showmen who were handling such problems in all sorts of locations and theatres. Some of the best known leaders In theatre advertising work were kind enough to contribute to this series and to each of them as well as the others, we ere extremely grateful. They are helping us get a vital point across to showmen throughout the world and what they have to say will, undoubtedly, prove tremendously valuable to the industry as a whole. This discussion is not restricted to those who were asked to write on the subject. It is as open as any other discussion on the Round Table pages and every member or reader can set forth his views for publication. "CHICK"