Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1917 - Jun 1918)

Immense Advertising Campaign Is Planned By U. S. Exhibitors Booking Corporation An advertising and publicity campaign nation wide in scope and embracing the use of billboards, magazines, daily newspapers, trade publications and special circularization, is being arranged by Frank Hall, president and general manager of the U. S. Exhibitors' Booking Corporation, as an exhibitor aid in the exploitation of the special feature, "The Zeppelin's Last Raid," "Those Who Pay" and "The Belgian." It is the intention of the Booking Company to bombard the populace from billboards for a period of three months, but the other advertising will continue indefinitely, and will cover the United States and Canada. A supplementary campaign will be inaugurated soon by the Robertson-Cole Company to cover the foreign field. "The success of special productions such as we distribute," declared Mr. Hall, "depends largely upon advertising. We have made it a point in the selection of our subjects to take only such productions that readily lend themselves to intensive exploitation. "For instance, 'The Zeppelin's Last Raid' is built around a most timely subject— the Zeppelins with which Germany has been waging ruthless warfare upon the Allies on the west front. It is readily apparent that an exhibitor can put a maximum amount of advertising behind such a production and reap a profit. 'The Belgian' Timely "Our second production, 'Those Who Pay,' while possessing nothing of a spectacular nature, is founded upon a subject of unusual heart appeal and lends itself to extraordinary advertising. The third, 'The Belgian,' inasmuch as it is a subject of momentous timeliness, is excellent exploitation material and it is our intention to promote these productions to the limit. "Special productions, even more than program subjects, require special adver U. S. Booking Corp. Adds to Sales Force John K. Grier, who recently resigned as Canadian sales manager of the Famous Players-Lasky Company, has joined the sales staff of the U. S. Exhibitors' Booking Corporation and will supervise distribution in the Cleveland territory. Mr. Grier formerly served as manager of the Triangle exchange in that city and has a wide circle of friends among Ohio exhibitors. Homer Howard, one of the most popular film men in the upper New York State district, has resigned his position as Buffalo representative of Paramount to join the sales forces of the U. S. Exhibitors' Booking Corporation. He will be in charge of the Buffalo district, making his headquarters in the HoffmanFoursquare exchange of that city. Max Cutler also has joined the U. S. organization and has been assigned by General Sales Manager Lynn S. Card to the Chicago office. Cutler has had long experience in the film business in the middle west. Another recent addition to the U. S. distributing organization is Charles Berman, well known in Canadian film circles. He will represent the Hall organization in Toronto, in which district the U. S. subjects are handled by the Superfea tising. For instance, in "The Zeppelin's Last Raid' there is a most spectacular scene in which a Zeppelin, an exact counterpart of the types used by the Germans in Europe, is dynamited by its commander in midair and goes to pieces among the clouds. That is the big advertising angle and all our billboards material and other accessories feature this unusual scene. "It is my belief that most productions, in order to be an extraordinary success at the box office today, must of necessity possess a big scene, a climax about which all the advertising may be built. Advertising Pays "Despite disquieting reports from quarters, I find that the exhibitors who book special productions and are advertising them liberally have no cause for complaint. The advertising appropriation is the last item of expense the exhibitor should reduce. Advertising, in my opinion, both as an exhibitor and a distributor, of motion pictures, is well nigh as important as the picture itself. "The exhibitor who books a picture that lends itself to big advertising and then fails to take advantage of the opportunity for exceptional exploitation is lacking in showmanship." The United States advertising campaign also will extend into the foreign territory, in which phase of work it will co-operate with the Robertson-Cole Company of New York and London, to which the foreign territorial rights have been distributed. It is the intention of the United States officials to establish their concern firmly in the foreign markets ancl it is planned at present to utilize many of the leading newspapers in England, France, South America and South Africa in the effort to acquaint photoplay devotees in foreign lands with the United States pictures. tures, Ltd., of which Charles Stevens is president. Branch offices are maintained in Montreal and St. Johns, the latter of which covers the maritime provinces. Two Jester Comedies Sold in Many States William Steiner, founder of the Jester Comedy Company, who is now on tour with the first two comedies, "The Recruit" and "His Golden Romance," giving special screenings announces the sale of the following territories: NewYork to Photo Drama Company, 220 West Forty-second street, New York City; New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania to the Masterpiece Film Attractions, 1225 Vine street, Philadelphia; Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia to the United Business Association of Pennsylvania, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio; the State of Michigan to the Strand Features, Detroit, Mich.; Southern Ilinois and Northern Wisconsin to Unity Photoplays Company, Chicago, 111.; Minneapolis, Minn., to the Standard Film Exchange, Minneapolis, Minn.; Omaha, Neb . to the S'andard Film Exchange, Omaha, Neb.; Kansas City, Mo., to the Standard Film Exchange, Kansas City, Mo., and St. Louis, Mo., to the Standard Film Exchange, St. Louis, Mo. Gaumont Company to Change Method of Publishing Weekly The recent announcement that the world famous news service of the Gaumont Company will shortly be published under a new arrangement which will make it more valuable than ever to exhibitors and to the public has caused, it is said, considerable comment in film circles. In the midst of the pessimism caused by the war and the shortage ot coal comes the rumor that this pioneer company will soon increase its activities in this country. Gaumont officials refuse to confirm this report, but admit tha they will soon have an interesting state ment to make public. Far from believing that the war wil have a harmful effect upon motion pic tures in the United States, the Gaumon Company is optimistic in believing tha the greatest year the industry has eve' known is due in 1918. In France and England, countrie which bear the brunt of the war, th Gaumont Company is not only activel; engaged in producing, but is running it own exchanges and theaters. When it i realized that not only is this compan; now making serials and other elaborat productions in its foreign studios, bu that it has found it necessary during th past few months to build a number c additional exchanges in the British Isle to handle an ever increasing business, will be appreciated that motion picture have become a necessity even in the wa zone. Western Territory Offers Good Field For Road Picture There was never a better time than tl present for road show picture attractioi in the west, according to J. L. Adams ■ the Desert Film Company of Salt Lai City, who is making his headquarters the Arrow Film Corporation while he in New York looking over the new pr ductions. "Picture conditions are, general speaking, good out in my part of t country," said Mr. Adams. "War has h very little effect on the majority of t picture houses — in fact most of them a making more money than ever. We ha been listening to the calamity bowk and their predictions that because economic conditions the entire moti picture industry would be severe crimped, but we haven't paid any atte tion to them and I haven't seen any the predictions verified as yet. "Some of the prophets of dismalni warned me especially against handli road attractions while the war lasted a told me if I did I would lose everythi I owned. I immediately booked W. Clune's feature, 'The Eyes of 1 World,' which up to the present ti has made three rounds of the inter-moi tain states as a road attraction and is s going strong. This is not only a trib to the picture itself, but will serve as illustration of picture conditions out cuir part of the country." 36