The Exhibitor (Jun-Nov 1940)

Selling Features (Continued from page 20) yer in 10 listed films. Contest was held in Herald-Journal for persons sending in list of the most ridiculous laws on the statute books of the state. Street bally was a mike set up in front of the theatre, with guest tickets awarded to pedestrians who could talk the longest without taking a breath. Other exploitation stunts of unusual merit were also devised to sell the film. "Adventure in Diamonds” Harrisonburg, Va. (Population, 7,000) — Jack W. Fretwell, State, promoted a diamond ring giveaway to take place on the opening night of the picture. Several rings were displayed in the lobby to create interest and the merchant was given credit in the display, a special screen trailer and in the advertising in order to compensate him for the diamond. The stunt was suc¬ cessful with the women patrons and over 3000 ballots were distributed lor the give¬ away. "Our Town” Philadelphia (Population 2,000,000) — A1 Reh, manager, S-W Stanley, tied in with the G. O. P. convention on this film, hold¬ ing a Vox Pop broadcast over WDAS out¬ side of Convention Hall and asking vari¬ ous delegates how they liked our town and what points of interest they had seen in our town during their visit. A plug for the film followed. A downtown depart¬ ment store advertised various special items on sale during the run of “Our Town” as the best values in Our Town. The ads carried the name of the film and playdate. BETTER MANAGEMENT SELLING SHORTS "The Flag Speaks” Staten Island, N. Y. — Edgar Goth’s cam¬ paign for this Metro short at Fabian’s St. George took on special significance be¬ cause the Island is said to be a hotbed of Nazism, and the members of Harry Black’s division are therefore working very hard to effectively sell their patriotic shorts. A promoted display was used in the lobby a week in advance and during the showing of the short. It depicted the evo¬ lution of the stars and stripes, with a replica of every type of flag used in this country. Also featured was the informa¬ tion that every state has its own star on the flag, and the dates when various states were admitted into the union. A flag in a shadow box was kept waving by a blower, giving an animated effect. The display was so effective that the American Legion is borrowing it for their local county con¬ vention. All service organizations on the Island were contacted and told that they were responsible for the showing of the short, in order to tie in with their Ameri¬ canization campaigns. The Legion organ¬ ized a publicity committee to sell the film. Special newspaper stories were prepared and signed by the Legion, which also contacted and interested other groups. The program on the night the short was shown opened with a presentation of county col¬ ors against a backdrop of a huge Ameri¬ can flag, and closed with the audience singing the “Star Spangled Banner.” Other features were speeches, a concert by the state champion Richmond County Ameri¬ can Legion Band, a Ladies’ Auxiliary Glee BM-25 Club and the Fife and Drum Corps of Staats Post. The audience cheered for several minutes after the curtain closed. A 60-piece uniformed band marched through the streets of the town carrying sign, “We are on our way to Fabian St. George to see ‘The Flag Speaks’.” School children were admitted at a reduced price one afternoon, and this fact was much ad¬ vertised in the local schools. MISCELLANEOUS "Maryland” Premiere in Balto. Baltimore — 20th Century-Fox stars Ty¬ rone Power, Nancy Kelly and Brenda Joyce visited here last week for the world premiere of the 20th Century-Fox Techni¬ color production, “Maryland,” at the New and Centre July 10, with the resulting festivities adding Baltimore to the growing list of cities that have had their daily life almost completely disrupted by a gala Hollywood-like premiere. The stars trained from New York to Baltimore. Arrangements for the premiere festivi¬ ties, the most colorful ever held here, were handled by Morris Mechanic, managing director, New, Centre, and Charles E. Mc¬ Carthy’s 20th Century-Fox publicity and advertising staff. Miss Joyce later made an appearance at the New York Roxy. First Anniversary Washington (Population, 487,000) — Claude Land, Warners’ Kennedy manager, com¬ pleted tie-ups with a score of merchants ( Continued on page 26) a National Adverti ser BROADWAY MELODY OF I940.^RED ASTAIRE ^ELEANOR POWELL KING/,-1 LUMBERJACKS JOHN PAYNE YOUR MARQUEE Would Be Worth THOUSANDS of DOLLARS Every Year! Are You Getting THE BEST VALUE Out of Your Marquee? “Eye Monotony v$. Eye Interest” In the above marquee set up with single-size letters there is a monotone of form and color. Only a fraction of the advertising value is being realized. • In the same marquee, shown to the right, the WAGNER Multi-Size-Letter display gives a variation in form and “weight of color," creates “eye-interest" and greatly increases the advertising value of the marquee. • This is an Exclusive Patented Wagner Feature WAGNER SIGN SERVICE, Inc. 218 S. Hoyne Avs. 123 W. 64th St. 706 E. Hancock Ave. 6 Britain St. CHICAGO NEW YORK DETROIT TORONTO July 17, 1940 THE EXHIBITOR