Exhibitors Herald (Jan-Mar 1920)

EXHIBITORS HERALD Famous Players-Lasky Suggests Tie-Up With Local Drug Stores v Como m ar.d c/pl two seats FR EE to this beautiful Photo-play. An idea of the manner in which your druggist may decorate his window to tie up with the presentation of "Everywoman" at theatres in your city. This photograph supplied by Famous Players-Lasky. A suggestion which deserves the serious consideration of every exhibitor in the nation, whether or not he is an exhibitor of Paramount-Artcraft pictures ha* been advanced by the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation in connection with the exploitation of ■'Everywoman." According to the announcement received: "The Famous Players-Lasky Exchanges have sent to each of ten thousand leading druggists in the United States a poster and a circular. The poster is in five colors and is embellished with three stills showing Violet Heming as she appears in her boudoir in the photoplay, together with a photograph of the various Hinds preparations grouped at the bottom "The circular says in part: 'Cash in on the exceptional opportunity to secure an increase in sales as a direct benefit from your tie-up with this campaign.' The product of a manufacturer is seldom allowed to register in any part of the photoplay productions. Through an * oversight or otherwise, a bottle of Hinds Honey and Almond Cream was plainly registered, however, on the 1 dressing table of Violet Heming, the I star of 'Everywoman.' This picture.... I ....will be exhibited in about 6.500 of America's finest picture theatres by the I Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, the I producers Now is the time to i boost your sales of Hinds Toilet Cream ' Specialties " Photographs, one of which is repro how the poster may be made the center of window displays. A photograph of the poster also accompanies this article. What do you think of the proposition ? EVERYWOMAN ■ EVERV>'OMANSEE HER Your local druggists will be provided with this poster to aid in trimming their windows to tie up with your presentation of "Everywoman." 73 It is a question every exhibitor must decide for himself. Advertising of this character, the window display tie-up, is valuable. Efforts of producers to aid exhibitors in persuading merchants to cooperate with them in enterprises of the sort are highly commendable. They show that the spirit of co-operation is prevalent in the land and that the day of exhibitorproducer harmony is in the dawning. The point upon which objections maybe hung is the working into the feature of a scene or portion of a scene for the purpose of facilitating such a tie-up. It is a point about which much has been written and regarding which various opinions have been expressed. It is not to be taken for granted that Hinds Cream was deliberately worked into "Everywoman." It is logical to assume that the "or otherwise" in the above quotation from the circular sent to druggists was put there for the purpose of accelerating those merchants' acceptance of the suggestions. As the picture is recalled no deliberate attempt was made to focus attention upon a Hinds product. The casual attendant at a theatre exhibiting "Everywoman" would never notice the fact that the star had a bottle of Hinds preparations upon her dressing table. An attendant that had seen the drug store window display might have a different experience. It is a question of policy. Doubtless every exhibitor will make his own appraisal of its merit or lack of merit. By the reception which the suggestion is accorded will be determined the extent to which similar enterprises are carried in the future. New Theatre Employs 'Informative Layouts Advertising is news. The statement, seemingly incongruous at first sight, will be found true upon consideration. The purpose of advertising is to acquaint the public with the general character of the show which is on exhibition at the time the advertisement is published. That is news to the public. .Advertisements, therefore, should be essentially informative. The Portola Theatre Co.. operating on the West coast, recently opened the California theatre at Santa Barbara. Calif.. Aubrey Stauffer being appointed house manager. The opening, it may be well to mention incidentally, drew somewhat better than a column of news matter in the Santa Barbara papers. We have reproduced and present herewith a page deep two column advertisement that appeared early in the theatre's history. It is highly informative, as well as well designed and attractive, therefore fits well into the scheme of things as required for a display made with this particular purpose in view. Santa Barbara, according to the newspaper report, did not expect a great deal of the rising structure. Considerable surprise was evidenced at the opening because of the general excellence of the institution. The news columns took care of this feature.