Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

May 27, 19?o S II M !•: N • S TRADl'. R l". V ! W Page IS REMEMBER ONLY ANGELS HAVE WIN6S/ Don't race against the lights.... and don'ttry to dodge automobiles... even thougih you're in a hurry to see GRANT -ARTHUR in, "ONLYANOELS HAVE mmv I M POINT Here's a hanger for door knobs and outos. Why not make up cards like it to place on telegraph poles ond main traiiic lights? nuTcIiaiU t i c 11 |) s, and oilier stunts. What can we do in the way of a contest ? Wei!, there are some swell ideas in the press book. Suppose we add another or two. Suppose we take the title as a basis for a game to be played by newspaper readers. You could have them see how many words they could get out of it. Or you might specify that only names of motion picture players could be taken from the title for one's entry to be considered for a cash prize. No matter what your requirements, so long as one must form wor.ds from "Only Angels Have Wings," you have a contest that will send a lot of reade r s s c u r r 3' i n g around in an activity of research. It has just occurred to us that the names of famous pilots might be derived. Anyway, it's an idea you won't war.t to pass up, so jot it down. We like the cooperative page suggestion in the press book. The streamer at the top says that "Not 'Only Angels Have Wings' . . . Monev Flies— Unless You're Wise!" Then follows several ads from different types of merchants. We want to impress on you that this is one of the best forms of promotion — one that you should by all means include in your campaign. H we were a judge, we'd hesitate in judging a campaign complete unless it were included. Besides, it means window tieups, too. Ask Public These Questions Complications pile on each other in the story as enemies meet. Suppose your brother had been killed through another's negligence, and you were to make a flight with the person responsible. What would you do? Would you avenge your brother's death? What possible circumstances might arise that would cause you to forgive your enemy? These are questions you can point at the general public in a short letter contest, the person writing the most logical and convincing letter in answer to the questions to receive a handsome cash prize. To a lot of us, and the writer is no exception. South America is somewhat of a land of mystery. Although it is so close to us, few of us know more about its geographical features than those of Europe and Asia. For this reason, school geography classes should be more than willing to tie up with you. Several questions might be prepared concerning outstanding features of the continent, and given to students as a special test. Those passing the grade would get extra points added to their semesters' average, and in addition would receive a cash prize from you. You could make it a requirement that the picture would have to be seen before any student would be eligible to participate in the test. And even if a student happened to fail, nothing should be subtracted from his scholastic standing. The poetry contest in the press book l)riiigs tn our mind llic idea for another. Let the budding poets in your cominunity enter a contest to see who can write the most stanzas for a poem in which the rhyming words must correspond with "wings." Of course, "wings" doesn't have to be used in every line; but in the second and fourth lines of each stanza the rhyming word must be something like "sings," "things," "rings," etc. Entries, aside from the requirements, should be judged according to the cleverest and most original poem. "Winged" Aviator Street Stunt There's a "wings" idea good for a gag street stunt, too. Get a man to dress as an aviator, and attach a pair of large white wings to him. He carries a sign which reads: "There's something wrong with me." When crowds collect around him, he reveals a hidden sign or scroll to the effect that "Only Angels Have Wings," and that only at your theatre can onlookers see the stirring adventure epic co-starring Gary Grant and Jean Arthur. An automobile rigged up as an airplane is always effective street ballyhoo, even if you've used it before. A parade with the local drum corps and several pretty girls could be staged opening day. Although, as far as we know, there is no national tieup with the manufacturers of "Wings" cigarettes, it's possible that you could induce your local jobber to go along with you on window displays for drug and cigar stores. The basis for the tieup could be that "it isn't true 'Only Angels Have Wings' — folks who enjoy a cool, clean smoke always have 'Wings' ... if you haven't tried tliem, step in and buy a package now." Since this is our own suggestion, and inasmuch as there may be hindrances to such a tieup, we suggest that you get full permission from your "Wings" cigarette jobber before proceeding with it. Need we tell you the value of these stunts? — airplane model contest and display, sky-writing, dropping free passes from the sky, dressing your ushers as aviators, plastering the town with poster accessories, distributing the beautiful rotogravure heralds available from Golumbia — well, there BIG as the fogshrouded Andes! POWERFUL as the fury of a tropical^slorm! THRILLING ■ MITCHELL •lit HATWORTB aicnAiin BARTHELMESI • R BOWABD BAWKS PiodaclloD /] CoUutdda pitUttv A Smashing Ad Layout This is only one of the many ads, but it's typical of the electrifying catchlines and vivid illustrations to be found in the entire group. Romance? Adventure? Epochal thrills? Star drawing power? Not an angle is missing in this smashing layout. And what goes for it, goes for all the other ads. are so many we haven't room to list them here. We're sure you'll include 'em, however. Get action, adventure and romance in your front displays. On page 7 in the press book you'll see an animated flasher display which you can rent at a nominal fee from your Columbia exchange. If you wish to arrange your own, use the illustration as sort of a guide. Large cut-out heads of Gary Grant and Jean Arthur against a background of flying planes and a majestic, snow-capped mountain would make an ideal display for the sidewalk or for the marquee. Cardboard airplanes suspended from the marquee, or a miniature plane animated so as to whirl around and around would attract attention. You have every incentive to put over a smashing campaign. Get busy now, determined that first of all you're aiming for the best grosses your theatre has had in months, and that you'll win one of those big prizes. Grab These Photographs For Cooperative Windows For sure-fire window displays, these stills are just what the smart showman ordered. At the extreme left are bride's apparel and music store tieups; in the center are stills on swim suits and women's sport wear, while looking at you from the extreme right are possibilities for cooperative windows 't' from men's and women's shops. Your campaign won't be complete without these promotional aids. 4 Always bear in mind that if you get a window, you're also likely to get a plug in dealer ads.