The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

"That’s Right, You’re Wrong” New York City — Manager Charles Moss and publicist Phil Laufer, Loew’s Criterion, effectively used a lobby quiz during the engagement of “That’s Right, You’re Wrong.” Lobby and theatre-front shoppers were quizzed somewhat after the manner of the Kyser broadcast program and a loud speaker system carried the conversation to those outside of hearing distance of the loud speaker. "Tower of London”"The Flying Deuces” Syracuse, New York— Manager Pat McGee, RKO-Schine Paramount, emphasized the fact that his double bill served scares and thrills, with laughs as dessert, on his sidewalk boards. Marquee featured the Screens’ Master Maniacs. Five thousand heralds were dropped from plane over the city, included in which were 50 printed in red, good for admission. Special Selling "Gone With the Wind” New York City — Some information on “Gone With the Wind” promotion plans was gleaned recently at the Metro offices. Promotional expense of “Gone With the Wind” will be determined city by city as the picture plays. There are seven cities which are playing the picture on either reserved seat or non-reserved seat policy. In New York, $25,000 minimum will be spent in newspaper advertising; in Los Angeles, $8,500; in Boston, $8,500; Atlanta, $5,000; Cincinnati, $2,500; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, $1,000; Reading, Pennsylvania, $1,000. In addition there will be certain expenses for exploitation, lobbies, programs and in some cases billboards. If this program is carried out logically, the distributing company’s expense will be in the neighborhood of $200,000. The campaigns themselves, generally speaking, avoid “reason why” copy. Concentration is on the admission price, the times of engagements. The exploitation will not employ stunts, although the large ballyhoo in Atlanta and the television opening at the Capitol may be so classified. Rather a form of idea posting will be used. In some cities on the entering roads, there will be billboards reading: “You are now entering where ‘Gone With the Wind’ is playing.” In addition to nation-wide hookups arranged from Atlanta by both the NBC and Columbia, each town that plays “Gone With the Wind” will have a radio program which is done largely on the tie-up system. Lobby displays for the most part will avoid the use of stills. Paintings have been made of prominent scenes in the picture and those will be used wherever possible. Practically all advertisements will carry the phrase: “ ‘Gone With the Wind’ will not be shown except at advance prices at least until 1941.” At least 37 major tie-ups have been made which involve co-operative advertising on “Gone With the Wind.” BETTER MANAGEMENT "Pinocchio” New York City — Several million copies of a beautiful 16-page “Pinocchio” brochure are currently being distributed to prospective screen patrons by merchants throughout the country, it was announced last week. The full-color booklet tells the story, with illustrations, of Walt Disney’s new screen hero and carries space for local imprint devoted to store parties and theatre playdates as well. In addition to being a box-office feeder, the brochure is being widely advertised in newspapers by merchants and many department stores are announcing the gift over the air. A list of stores which are distributing the brochure has been placed in the hands of the RKO Radio field force for following through locally so that theatres may co BM-27 operate with the merchants and benefit directly from newspaper advertising and the imprint space. Selling Shorts "Drunk Driving” Cleveland, Ohio — Library displays on short subjects are not only a splendid medium for promoting the particular film to which the exhibit is devoted, but are proving an excellent method of increasing reader interest in books dealing with material allied to the picture’s theme, in the opinion of Frederick L. Myers, publicity director for the public library. He points specifically to Metro’s Crime Does Not Pay short, “Drunk Driving,” the RL WILL HA' HAPPY CHRISTMAS Tuberculosis is still the greatest killer of youth . . . and takes fifty per cent more girls than boys between the ages of 15 and 25! Two modern aids that help the physician detect tuberculosis in its earliest, curable stage are the tuberculin test and the chest X-ray. Your purchases of Christmas Seals make it possible, not only to teach people that tuberculosis is preventable and curable, but to look for early stages of this dread disease among children who seem to be in good health. So from now ’til Christmas, mail no letter — send no package — unless it is decorated with the Christmas symbol that saves lives! BUY CHRISTMAS SEALS The National, State and Local Tuberculosis Associations In the United States December 20, 1939