Paramount Press Books (1919)

How To Use A Press Book THE successful use of a press book can be properlj likened to the selection of a delectable meal. You eat from “soup to nuts” according to a definite plan. Break up that plan, eat your cheese before you drink your cocktail, and you’re in for indigestion. Pick here and there in a press book without a definite campaign in mind and the result — well, it won’t give you business indigestion, but your exploitation repast won’t be very appetizing. So before you use any part of the wealth of material in this book of helps, consider your plan from “soup to nuts.” On your bill of fare you have advertising, publicity, posters, letters, post cards, program material, etc. Select them with care, use them in their proper order and you’ll have an advertising repast fit for a king. YOUR NEWSPAPERS WHICH and how much of each should you use? When that is determined you have your plan and you can turn to the press book, confident that the material to make your plan an accomplished fact can be found there. The lirst thing you consider in planning an exploitation campaign is, of course, its cost. That can be determined only by you. You know better than anyone else the revenue producing possibilities of your stars. Knowing those possibilities it should be easy for you to decide wriat percentage of that revenue can be turned to making tnem bigger revenue producers. Your next problem is to decide what part of that percentage snail be devoted to each of the exploitation avenues open to you. You will, no doubt, place your newspapers head and shoulder over everything else, because upon this depends the succes of your publicity. Then you will consider your billboards and poster advertising. Also your direct-by-mail matter. The amount of money that you put into each depends, of course, upon which experience had taught you is the most profitable in your locality. WHICH “ADS” TO USE ■fyl J HEN you have made up your mind how much you * » are going to spend in the newspapers apportion that amount among them so that your whole territory will be covered with as little duplication as possible. On “Allas, Mike Moran” it would be well to distribute your appropriation so that a “Alias, Mike Moran” advertisement will appear in the papers you select, over a period of several days preceding the showing. There are enough ad cuts illustrated in the press book to carry you through three days’ advertising. It would be profitable for you to use a one-column advertisement two days before showing, a two-column advertisement the day before showing, and the same advertisement or one of three columns on your opening day. AT the same time that you order your paid advertising take your press book to your editor and ask him to select from its pages those publicity stories that he thinks best for his pages. Don’t send him stories picked at random; he’s human and naturally would like to select his stories — the same way you select your pictures. Don’t fail to point out to him the fact that the press book contains material to be printed in advance of the picture’s showing, material to be printed while the picture is being shown and reviews to be published immediately after the first showing. Don’t overlook this feature of the book yourself, and take full advantage of it. . „ THE PRODUCTION CUTS T F you get publicity in a fixed ratio to the amount *you spend tor advertising you’ll probably get better position by allowing the editor to use his own judgment in selecting material; if you are dependent upon his generosity you certainly will get more space by nattering him to the extent of consulting his wishes. Also, be sure that your editor knows what you have in the way of scene cuts. The surest way to let him know is by showing him the full size reproductions on pages 1-2-3-4 of this book. He can then select what he thinks will look best in his paper. PART of your plan will, without doubt, take in billboards and posters, there is no need to tell you that these should go up wen in advance ox showing, properly sniped. One suggestion, nowever, will not oe amiss, helore you orcier paper Irom the press book take a trip out to your stanas and see wnac Kind 01 company your boards are going to keep, men consult your press book and seiect tnose posters that are in sharp contrast with tnose tnac are aoout them. Hy making your paper stand out from tnat about it you will secure a ciecided advantage. THE MAIL CAMPAIGN NOW for your mailing list. The way you handle this depends, of course, on local conditions, and we cannot offer anything but general suggestions in the way of amount of postage, quality of stationery, etc. You will, however, find in the press book letters and post cards that, in wording, will appeal to all classes. uSut take this hint: When you mail letters, mail them so that they will arrive on the day of showing and if there is more than one mail in your town, send your letters so that they will arrive in the mail nearest to the showing that you want the recipients to attend. That is, make your letters timely. Everything that has been said about letters applies with equal force to post cards. No matter when or how you advertise or what form your advertising may take, advertise according to plan, that plan being carefully thought out to reach every theatre-goer in town. And remember, no matter how complicated or extensive your plan may be, the press book lists the material to make it a successful plan.