Business screen magazine (1938)

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themselves, 'Well, maybe these perfumes can do something for me.' "In setting out to do this film, we saw immediately the analogy between music and perfumes. We made that our theme. Both produce moods, you know. And very real moods." Air Spun is shown along with Symphonies in Fragrance. To the latter picture was assigned an additional task. "For the past few years", Mr. Neuburg pointed out to a Business Screen representative, "women have been fairly deluged with literature from the Guinea-pig people. Various Consumers" bulletins told them that the cosmetics for which they pay a dollar actually cost the manufacturer but a few cents — five cents for a container, six cents for contents. Of course these folks completely forget many items — such as the imposing expense of labor, research, and processing. The impression they seem to give is that cosmetics — even of the best sort — are turned out in the second story of a garage. "Thus was our problem outlined for the picture Air Spun. We were faced with the very realistic problem of showing people what goes into our product, how it was actually made . . . impressing them with the fact that Coty uses a special process of manufacture — the Air Spun process, which, incidentally, cannot be duplicated by any other manufacturer. One way to have done this would, of course, be to have invited people to \'isit our factory. A simpler, and certainly a more sensible way, was to bring our factory to the people. And that is precisely what we have done in A ir Spun." Air Spun i.s a graphic screen portrayal of the part played by science in the evolution of new aids to beauty. Produced within Coty's own hospital-clean laboratories, it shows how scientific research has brought about important innovations in the creation of new and superior cosmetics. "Our special machines are shown which spin powder in the air-floating process at the rate of 1^200 miles per hour . . . demonstrated in operation." Hmv Coty Films Are Shown ♦ The Coty films, each a reel long, are .shown together on one program. Both are definitely sales films, with the company's name and the identity of the packages clearly but appealingly portrayed, the films being pervaded with a consistent air of femininity throughout. The films are distributed by Modern Talking Picture Service. There are twenty-six prints of each available, in 16mm. sound — placed in key cities throughout the country. Coty, Inc., pays the expense of distribution. Projectors and operators are furnished by the distributing people. Monthly at tendance and showing-reports being furnished. Large department stores are the principal exhibitors of these films.' The jHctures are generally fitted into a regular store program, the twenty minutes of film being incorporated in a fashion show, a lecture on home economics, or some other suitable presentation . . . offered in the auditorium, lobby, or special exhibition-place of the stores. Audiences are primarily, but not exclusively, composed of women. "Any organization which put intelligent effort into the promotion of the show drew good crowds," was Mr. Xeuburg's comment. "The effect of the pictures was invariably soon made evident. Tie-ins were in many cases effected — such as the announcement, diu'ing the film showing, of free samples at the toilet goods counters. These directed the crowds from the showing place to a Coty display, with definitely-increased sales resulting." Typical examples of the film's reception and its eft'ect may be found in the following reports: At the Wm. H. Block Co. I Indianapolis ) the film was exhibited for three consecutive days before audiences averaging 2700. Standing room only remained in the Block Company's auditorium. At the H. Lee & Company's store in Allentown, Pa., the Coty films were viewed by more than 4,000 women. An audience of 1500 remained after a fashion show — specifically to see the pictures. In the Stern Brothers' large New York department store, the film was presented for an entire week as sales-educational material for the staft' — presented during the half-hour period before the store opened in the morning. Other shows have been arranged for women's clubs, church organizations, home economics clubs, schools, college classes. King Cole — handling the distribution in New York City, gave a premiere showing in a certain New York City .school — and was subsequently deluged with requests for showings in a dozen other New York high schools. . . . All of which proves that sales appeal in a film is not in the least objectionable, provided that sales appeal is subtly and interestingly handled. No one can measure the exact amount of goodwill created by a worth-while, fascinating sales film. Nor can any one measure the exact effect of goodwill upon sales volume. But if "the honesty and integrity of its maker" is truly the Priceless Ingredient, then it appears that motion pictures have ahead of them a most important job, as in the Coty films, of showing the true-worth of this ingredient, thus creating the immeasurably strong sales stimulus of goodwill. 1. Department store showings and layouts for motion picture exhiljitions were discussed and illustrated in the inauRural issue of Business Screen. tiuu mm %mumu*4m n mi»m iii ^tam 20