Exhibitor's Trade Review (Mar-May 1925)

April 4S 1925 Page 49 Period Exploitation for "So Big' Local Tie-Ups Help Kerrigan Boosts Book Sale on "Captain Blood" When J. Warren Kerrigan visited Buffalo recently, appearing in person at Shea's Hippodrome in connection with the run of Vitagraph's "Captain Blood," produced by David Smith, Vincent R. McFaul, the Hippodrome's manager, arranged a publicity barrage that attracted much attention and lengthened the lines at the box-office. Mr. McFaul effected a tie-up with the William Hengerer Co.'s Department Store, by which Mr. Kerrigan appeared in the book department one afternoon and personally autographed every copy of Rafael Sabatini's "Captain Blood" sold. In return, the store devoted a large amount of space in its page advertisement in the Evening News to an announcement of this arrangement and also furthered it with a big Main Street window display. It was the first time that this company had ever consented to a tie-up on such a proposition. Not another person could have got near the book department with a shoe horn and hundreds of copies of the Sabatini novel were sold in a few hours. The Springborn store, near the Hippodrome, arranged a window display of "Captain Blood" ties, with Mr. Kerrigan's photograph and his endorsement of this apparel on a large card in the center. Noted Confection Will Boost Johnny rimes' Latest Preparatory to the release of Johnny Hines' latest, "The Cracker Jack," C. C. Burr, managing director of East Coast Films, Incorporated announced that arrangements have been completed with the Cracker Jack Candy Company of Chicago, whereby the latter organization has agreed to arrange for a nationwide tie-up with Johnny Hines' picture. According to the plan entered into, the Cracker Jack Candy Company will print 250,000 counter cards and window displays showing Johnny Hines with the famous confection. Twothirds of the cards and displays will show a picture of the star with appropriate billing of "The Cracker Jack." Arrangements have been completed whereby all the exchanges handling Hines' latest production will supply the Chicago office with the play dates on "The Cracker Jack," who in turn will First National has arranged a unique tieup for "So Big" in the shape of the "SoBig Gro-Meter" manufactured by Doty Company, Morristown, N. J. The invention is an accurate measure for children. The success of the novel campaign was still further augmented when Every book dealer in the city was asked to put on a "Captain Blood" window display and there were many attractive exhibits, notably in the downtown district. Arrangements were made also to place a Cleveland sedan at the disposal of Mr. Kerrigan, and the local agency placed photographs of the actor and the car in the automobile section of the newspapers. notify the jobbers in each territory where the picture is to be played. The jobber in turn will get into communication with the local exhibitor and arrange for local window displays and counter cards in the exhibitors territory previous to and concurrent with the run of "The Cracker Jack." These lithographed cards are being made on a large and artistic scale and will afford an excellent means of putting both the picture and the confection over in big style. Burr's advertifing department is co-operating to its fullest extent with the candy company and the result should be a campaign that will probably find big response on the part of the exhibitor with favorable results to all concerned. The East Coast people report that they are now negotiating for other exploitation tie-ups that will be of material benefit to those booking the picture. If they are all as good as this one. They will guarantee big profits for anv exhibitor. Old Costumes Cause Crowds to Crane Necks The days of 1800 brought back in 1925. When Loew's Warfield Theatre in San Francisco played Colleen Moore in "So Big" two of the chorus girls of the Fanchon and Margo stage presentation "Ideas" were made up in the character of Selina Peake of the Edna Ferber story and sent into various department stores, restaurants, onto the trolley cars and to parade up and down the principal shopping districts. Wherever a traffic policeman was encountered the girls stood in the middle of the street with him asking questions. In the shopping tours the girls bought simple little articles costing a few pennies and then left one of the "Loew's Warfield Newsette" programs with the salesgirl and those who had gathered round. The stunt made each of the San Francisco dailies and this, after all, is what the press department wanted. A teaser stand was used on "So Big." It will interest the big city exhibitors who will play this First National Picture. Two weeks in advance of the play date, the stand was posted with only the words "SO BIG" with an exclamation mark showing under where the four sheet date is now posted. Four days later the words "Edna Ferber's" were posted on the top section and then, again four days later, the bottom section reading "Colleen Moore" were posted with the four sheet date when the regular lithograph stands were posted on the regular locations. The teaser was used as an extra feature of the campaign. A Real "Still" for "Those Who Dance" Thousands of people in Philadelphia who have read volumes about moonshine stills and never saw one had the opportunity of inspecting one at close range during the week of the showing of "Those Who Dance" at the Victoria Theatre, where the Stanley Company, through the courtesy of the police department were able to obtain and display in front of the theatre, a 500 gallon moonshine still which had been seized and made unfit for use by the police. A huge printed sign attached to the still bore the following inscription : "This 500 gallon still was seized by the Philadelphia Police. Whether you believe in the 18th Amendment or not see 'Those Who Dance.' " A Real "Cracker-Jack" Tie-Up