The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

14 The NEW in Selling Features "Heart of the North” Batavia, New York Ralph Booth, Family, placed reproductions of colored ads from Sunday American magazine in store windows, hotel lobbies, secured three fur store window tie-ups on fur coats with copy. Lumber company tap ads gave mention of the picture with appropriate tie-in copy. He set up fir trees and evergreen in lobby and on mezzanine for holidays, then tied in cards and copy. Jamestown, New York For Palace engagement, Al Beckerich ordered specially prepared ads emphasizing production, tied up with ten-cent store toy counters on toy "mounties,” camps, airplanes, etc., with appropriate copy, plugged his attraction on regular radio program beginning with playing of "Trees.” "Sweethearts” Syracuse, New York Manager Frank Murphy, Loew’s State, relied upon musical angle to put over the campaign for "Sweethearts.” Maurice, at the console, broadcast hits from the picture for five mornings before opening over the theatre’s direct hook-up, interpolated spot announcements. For one week before showing Maurice also played hits from former Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald pictures, with the songs thrown on the screen, audiences invited to join in the singing. Picture’s coming was announced at each song fest. "Ferdinand the Bull” Gloversville, New York A simple, yet one of the most effective, campaigns staged here in many a day, was put on by Lou S. Hart, Schine Hippodrome manager, to let folks know that the Walt Disney ace short, "Ferdinand the Bull” was playing at his theatre. Lou hunted up a farmer with a real, live bull, had signs made reading, "Hey, I’m Ferdinand and I’m playing NOW at the Hipp” to hang on his sides. Animal was then led by his farmer master down the main street. If you don’t think the sight of a bull in a busy little city walking down the street attracts attention, you should have seen the stares that Hart’s "Ferdinand” won for himself. For wider, faster coverage, Lou had the bull placed in a truck after his main street hike, exhibited him that way. "Stand Up and Fight” Gloversville, New York A broad, general campaign was put over here by Erie Wright, Glove manager, for "Stand Up and Fight.” He sold the daily newspapers a contest based on famous words of famous fighters, with tickets as prizes for those able to identify the right words with the right fighters. He also placed more than 800 teaser cards in prominent store windows, hotel lobbies, clubs, bearing such admonitions as, "Nobody loves a quitter, Stand Up and Fight,” "You may be down, but don’t stay down — Stand Up and Fight!” etc., which soon had everybody wondering what "Stand Up and Fight” was all about. "Little Orphan Annie” Syracuse, New York Manager "Buddy” Freeman, RKO-Schine,Paramount tied up "Little Orphan Annie” with the comic strip appearing daily in the Post Standard by having a line "See 'Little Orphan Annie’ at Paramount now” run daily under the strip. Paper devoted one of their office street windows to stills, theatre cards in addition to running special story on Sunday. "Say It In French” Syracuse, New York Manager Harold Raives, RKO-Schine-Eckel, ran a guessing contest in Syracuse JourniX in promoting his showing of “Say It In French.” Paper published entry blanks for a contest based on the football scores from the Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton Bowls’ football games. "The Dawn Patrol” Syracuse, New York Manager Harry Unterfort, RKO-Schine-Keith’s, arranged tie-up with prominent hardware, sporting goods store, which gave him entire window trimmed with model planes, displaying stills, theatre cards announcing playing of "The Dawn Patrol.” The NEW in National Tieups "Wings”— "Darling” The Warner Brothers publicity department has effected a national tie-up with the Artplus Hosiery Mills, one of the largest manufacturers of women’s hose in the country, on two pictures to be released during the next few months. First two pictures to be included in the cooperative campaign are "Wings of the Navy” and “Yes, My Darling Daughter.” An extensive national advertising campaign has been scheduled by the hosiery company. Ads will be placed in class magazines such as Vogue, having a complete national coverage. A series of mats and counter displays together with a large broadside will be distributed to dealers and exhibitors in cities throughout the country. Artplus has over 6100 accounts from coast to coast which will work hand in hand with the local theatres in this campaign. Supplementing this campaign will be a special window display contest for "Yes, My Darling Daughter.” Sales representatives of the merchandisers will shortly tour the country to coor dinate the campaign between the exhibitor and the local department stores which distribute the hosiery. The NEW in Publicity Ideas Metro’s "The Lion’s Roar” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has instituted a national magazine advertising campaign in the form of a column to be called "The Lion’s Roar.” In part institutional, the column will also mention specific pictures and personalities to be seen currently. Contracts for one year have been signed with five of these publications. Others will participate as soon as they are able to adapt themselves to MGM’s special fixed space requirements. The five magazines that will launch the campaign are McCall’s, Pictorial Review, Red Book, monthlies, the bi-weekly Look, the weekly Liberty. "The Lion’s Roar” has been published in all fan magazines for the past two months as part of a full-page ad. Initial column will appear in the February issues of the first group of three, in issues of the weeklies appearing on the stands at a corresponding date. $1 5,000 per month has been appropriated for this type of advertising. Howard Dietz, who has been a believer in this type of public contact, has experimented with "The Lion’s Roar” idea on several previous occasions. He feels that only a company with a consistent record and a confident future can embark on such a semi-institutional build-up with desirable results. Also, the letters from the public will be of active interest to the studio. 771 USED CHAIRS American — Panel Back — Spring Seat Seat Rebuilt and Recovered • Priced Right • Take All or Part Elevation from level to l1/, inch per ft. • Sample Sent on Request Write or Wire — /// RICHMOND THEATRE SUPPLY CO., Inc. 1207 E. MAIN — RICHMOND, VA. Wagner Multiple-Size Letters & Mounting Units Send for Literature WAGNER SIGN SERVICE, Inc. Chicago — New York — Detroit — Toronto ;/ MUCH ABUSED TERM.' There is Onli/ One VoIgT 12 l MONTGOMERY AVE. PH I LA. PA I DECORATIVE LIGHTING! DRINKING FOUNTAIN/ DIRECT ION /IGN/ January 11, 1919