Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

CONTEST SETS NEW SALES RECORD Continued from preceding page opened his contest displays with one promoting the “Coke and Popcorn Go Together” theme. An oversize popcorn bag was made up for the Westminster out of three five-pound bags by Harlan Fairbanks Co., and this was mounted on a giant plastic display cup with blinker light above the popcorn machine in the front of the cafeteria line. Patrons purchasing jumbo Cokes (25-cent-size) with buttered popcorn received ballots to guess the number of kernels in the popcorn bag; the answer in a sealed envelope was decided by Jack Senior of Harlan Fairbanks. Prizes were promoted for the winners: four L.P. records from R.C.A.; Coke cooler; double pass to Cave Theatre Restaurant (top local night club); also ten theatre passes. Results of the four-week contest put buttered corn and jumbo drinks over at the Westminster with jumbo drinks now outselling the large completely. Sales totals for the weeks were 660, 457, 301, 1,222 for drinks, and 370, 263, 306 and 566 for buttered corn. A FISH 'N CHIPS WEEK A second display at the Westminster featured “Fish ’n Chips,” with the cafeteria decorated with fish net holding cutouts in tin foil of fish, with a fishing rod and line holding cutout of a large fish with a card reading “You Don’t Have to Fish . . . We have Fish ’n Chips, 50<t.” Catch nets held new price cards in shape of a fish. Attendants wore lapel pieces, made by attendant Dorreen Spratt, consisting of miniature fish pole and net with small tin foil fish with card reading “Fish Week.” All the fishing equipment, rod, nets, etc., were promoted from Watson’s Sporting Goods Store. There were two reasons for this display — first, to help sell more of a top-priced item to help the cents-per-person take, but mainly to soften the impact to the patron of the increase in price of fish and chips from 40 to 50 cents, due to increase in fish prices. A p.a. announcement was made prior to the show and intermission asking patrons to support the British Columbia Fish Industry, and saying that this was drive-in theatre fish week. One in every 20 trays had a lucky star which gave the patron one single pass to the drive-in. Result; No complaints over price increase and more fish and chips sold than ever before during the week — 379 orders — previous high was 249. MANY OTHER IDEAS TRIED Some of the other theatre managers with good promotional ideas included the following : Dan Jardine, Odeon, North Sydney, offered a month of free movies to a lucky patron. All they had to do to participate in the drawing was to purchase either a large drink or large popcorn. At Odeon in Peterborough, Bob Cleminson pushed large drinks, paying particular attention to aisle sales. Julie Marshall, Circle Theatre, Vancouver, stamped every 20th Coke at the Movie Club matinee with a free pass to the child for the following week. During regular performances fresh popcorn was placed in a glass bowl for customer sampling. A 15-pound bag of popcorn suspended above the cafeteria line between Coca-Cola pennants and over the popcorn machine was a focal point of interest in this display at the Westminster Drive-In Theatre, North Surrey, B.C. Patrons who purchased jumbo Cokes and buttered corn were given ballots to guess the number of kernels in the bag to win some fine prizes which the manager promoted. Sign beside the popcorn machine at the Westminster announces the prizes in contest. Concessions girls wore lapel badges labeled "CoStars, Coke, Popcorn," and composed of a paper red heart and Coke cup labeled "Jumbo Coke," plus a tiny cellophane bag of popcorn. Results of the tiein promotion at the Westminster were absolutely terrific. Dorreen Spratt, an attendant who made the lapel pieces, also made other novel lapel bodges for the fish week promotion. Popcorn was the big item at the Odeon, London, Ontario, with the special round easel sign at left informing the public of the many lines in the popcorn field. At right, on the counter, is shown a pyramid of 25 -cent boxes topped with a buttercup to attract the passing trade. On each tier of the pyramid fresh popcorn was added as a "come-on," permitting patrons to try the popcorn before buying — with excellent results. The large Coca-Cola cups around the canopy each had lights inside them to give added flair to the Odeon's refreshment stand. 8 The MODERN THEATRE SECTION