20th Century-Fox Dynamo (October 7, 1939)

NEW DYNAMO 7 WOBBER REITERATES BRIVE PLEDG E TO THE C OMPANY! Follows Up Personal Letters Of Appraisal To Branch Managers With Move Mirroring His Confidence In Field’s Ability! General Manager of Distribution Herman Wobber Friday informed Messrs. Kent and Schenck in New York that his field force will in the second half of the Drive not only absorb the defi cit of the first half, but deliver a revenue that at the end of the campaign will show a return equal to the stipulated 18-week quota. He reiterated his statement of confidence in the field's ability to hit its set figure as a climax to a week marked by a succession of moves that left no doubt that the second half of the Drive will be the rip-roaringest affair in company history. He broadcast personal letters to all district and branch managers in which he frankly outlined to them exactly what their offices must do in the 1 remaining weeks of the Drive. These letters were sent out COAST KEEPS TEASING ITS RIVALS A comparison of Drive delivery to date with advance rentals indicates a battle royal among the Coast, Mid- west, South, Atlantic and Lakes. Washington continues to be the Coast’s most stub- born opponent, as well as most dangerous. But, Midwestern and Southern offices threaten not only the Pacifies, but the Washingtonians, as well. Every Dixie office, ex- cept Charlotte, has been consis- tently stepping up on advance, according to the official returns. Coast, though, remains strong, with Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and San Francisco ranking exceptionally strong today and in promise of future delivery. Longest place jump on ad- vance since the first listing was made by Tom Young’s Memphis which upped 17. Salt Lake gained seven places and Dallas, gained six. j i SALESMEN WHO LEAD BRANCHES ON DRIVE TOTAL DELIVERY AND ADVANCE Delivery Sliter Laseter Alexander Branch Albany Atlanta Boston Buffalo Kempner Charlotte Holst on Chicago Grohe Cincinnati Cleveland Dallas Denver Des Moines Detroit Indianapolis Kansas City Los Angeles Memphis Milwaukee Minneapolis New Haven Bugie Lichter Miller Paulson O’Neil Westcott Neger Ivubitzki Wall Wyse Edgerton Mussman Wright New Orleans Shallcross New York Blumstein Oklahoma City James Omaha Ironfield Philadelphia Tolmas Pittsburgh Interrante Portland Robinette St. Louis Williams Salt Lake City Dugan San Francisco Erickson Seattle Spear Washington Norris Advance Sliter Laseter Alexander Dickman Holston Grohe llurkart Lichter Miller Rennie O’Neil Westcott McCleaster Ivinser Robison Wyse Edgerton Mussman Wright Shallcross Blumstein James Ironfield Tolmas Interrante Robinette Williams Tidwell Bernard Spear Norris I Week-To-Week Summary Of Branches’ Dri ve Delivery And Advance Moves ADVANCE RENTALS NATIONAL GROUP Atlanta 7 Huston 16 BnH'alo 15 Chicago 3 Cincinnati ... 11 Cleveland .... 12 Dallas 5 Detroit 13 Aug. Aug. Aug. 12th 19th 26th Sept. Sept. 2nd 9th Indianapolis . . Kansas City . . Los Angeles . . Minneapolis . . New York . . . Philadelphia .. Pittsburgh . . . St. Louis . . . . San Francisco. Washington . . 9 I I I 10 18 I 7 6 •» .s l 13 15 1 9 11 5 16 10 12 8 18 17 6 3 11 4 15 12 3 JO 11 16 11 6 13 8 18 17 14 16 5 J) 15 6 12 10 13 8 18 17 4 11 3 14 15 5 9 16 6 11 12 3 13 8 18 17 4 10 1 Sept. 16th 16 14 6 10 12 13 8 18 17 4 3 9 I Sept.. Sept. 23rd 30th TOTAL DELIVERY NATIONAL GROUP 6 14 15 5 12 16 11 10 3 13 8 18 17 6 13 16 7 14 15 4 11 s 3 12 9 18 10 I Atlanta Boston Buffalo Chicago . . . . Cincinnati Cleveland . . . Dallas Detroit Indianapolis . Kansas City Los Angeles . Minneapolis . New York . . Philadelphia . Pittsburgh . . St. Louis . . . San Francisco 1st Week J1 . 10 . 18 13 12 6 8 1 15 I 7 14 IG II 2nd Week 16 3 8 13 10 12 6 1 1 1 15 18 14 3rd Week 8 16 6 10 14 9 12 3 11 1 13 18 4th Week 5 6 17 9 10 13 8 11 3 12 l 15 18 14 16 5th Week 18 J) 10 14 6 11 4 12 1 15 16 13 8 3 6th Week 5 9 18 10 11 16 12 I I I 15 13 I 7 G 3 7th Week 5 10 18 8 11 17 6 4 12 1 15 14 13 16 9 3 after he had made a personal analysis of every office’s report on estimated advance rentals. Fully appreciative of the field’s vigorous efforts to maxi- mize revenue, Mr. Wobber stated that he will continue to make a personal weekly analysis of all branches’ and sales- men’s reports. He is particularly anxious that the field effect an immediate improvement in the booking situation, which, while not as healthy as last year, is the key to the suc cess of the Drive. Realizing that the field and ex- hibitors are fully aware of the superiority of the product, the Herman Wobber marked his lead ership of the first two c a m- paigns. H e is confident that w ith “The Rains Came” and others now rolling and “Hollywood Cavalcade” started, plus increasing speed in sale of unclosed situations, the Drive’s prospects are brighter than ever. HIS ANALYSIS Following conferences with Messrs. Kent and Schenck this week-end and next week, Mr. Wobber expects to be able to head for the Coast, preparatory to making some of the larger branches during the third Drive tr'n. That a general speedup of bookings will substantially en- rich future weeks Mr. Wobber ascertained after comparing ter- ritorial standings on delivery with sales. He complimented branches that have been re-issuing past hits in a manner that has kept “extra” revenue maintaining a steady stream. In the field this week there was greater enthusiasm than at any other time in the Drive. This resulted largely from exhibitors’ reaction to “Hollywood Caval- cade.” To enable the field generally to increase its earning power the sales chief this week worked overtime passing on a batch of important deals. He personally found basis for his optimiism in reports that led him to believe that the Drive’s eighth week’s delivery would ex- ceed that of the corresponding period last year. From their offices the Division Managers received information that prompted Mr. Wobber to i-e- iterate the departmental pledge of 100 per cent delivery to Messrs. Kent and Schenck. The division pilots instructed their managers to “cut loose with any ‘kitty’ you may have.” How- IWIVE s !> Ml I I 15 16 IS I!) •iO •Jl 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 36 16 23 6 9 28 21 8 34 18 3 31 10 32 35 12 1 14 30 20 37 29 33 K-7 Branch Sales Oklahoma City 8 Salt Lake City 3 Washington 2 New Orleans 30 Toronto 32 St. Louis j) Denver 26 St. John 28 Calgary 36 Kansas City 19 Memphis 4 New Haven 22 Milwaukee 21 Dallas 3 Pittsburgh 1 Montreal 37 Atlanta <; Chicago 34 Indianapolis 47 Minneapolis 15 Vancouver 33 Albany San Francisco 13 Charlotte 11 Detroit 31 Winnipeg 10 Des Moines 20 Seattle 25 Los Angeles 12 Boston 44 Portland 27 Cincinnati 24 Omaha 23 Cleveland i« Buffalo 29 Philadelphia 7 New York City 35 any ever, few, if any branches, have been able to accumulate “kitty” in this Drive. An analysis of branches’ standings on a Drive delivery and advance and on K-7 sales status shows that of the top 15 offices whose advance rentals rank highest against 18-week quota, only seven are to be found in the corresponding group on circulation so far written on the 1939-40 product. Best compara- tive showing continues to be made by Washington, which is second on sales, second on accu- mulated delivery among the Nationals and first in the latter category on advance rentals. Pittsburgh, first on sales, is showing improvement as are Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis and St. Louis. Oklahoma City, and Salt Lake City l’ank high in every calculation.. Philadelphia, on the other hand, is seventh on sales, but 36th on advance de- partmentally. In contrast, New Orleans and Toronto, 30th and 32nd, respectively, on sales are departmentally fourth and fifth on advance.