Exhibitors Herald (Jan-Mar 1920)

EXHIBITORS HERALD NOW... jau nmi an. "THE MIRACLE OF LOVE" "NIGHT Of THt " win fo»m A novel and wholly desirable type of illustration, introduced by Stanley Chambers, Wichita, Kans., in a threecolumn display for the Palace theatre. Chambers' Night Scene Lends Tone to Type Ad A practically unshakable argument for the use of type instead of drawn lettering might be built up without great difficulty by one so inclined. It cannot be denied that the eye reads a greater quantity of type than drawn matter. It must follow that it reads type more readily. Variety's sake is the only peg upon which an argument to the contrary might be hung. Stanley Chambers, whose advertisements for the Palace theatre, Wichita, Kans., have attracted national interest, seems a staunch advocate of type. The great majority of his advertisements are made up chiefly of that material. Long practice has made him master of the faces available and his compositions are always highly readable and effective. But Mr. Chambers has never lost sight of the value of adequate illustration. His advertisements are always equipped with something in the way of pictures that lend them tone, something that attracts as drawn lettering is supposed to attract. This something, today a still, tomorrow a well-chosen ornament or series of rules, practically never fails of its purpose. In the reproduction of a three-column display for "The Miracle of Love," which is presented herewith, that something is a night scene, artistically mafV up in a tall black strip, with a young moon adding the striking touch of the romantic. Night scenes were well employed in theatre, Indianapolis, the same being Night scenes have been used before, Ramsey's "Thank You" A Lesson in Subtlety The subtle is always more effective than the obvious. You don't resent half so strenuously the outand-out insult as you do the delicately implied deprecation. The cleverness of the thing stings. But subtlety is not confined to insults. It may be employed with excellent results in advertising. H. G. Ramsey, proprietor of the Royal theatre, El Dorado, Kans., is a fervent worker for better advertising. His is an earnest desire to raise the standard of theatre advertising to a level high above that of the general store and the mail order house, a desire that he has voiced in personal communications and evidenced in his advertising. He has lifted it considerably in his three-column advertisement used the second day of his engagement of Hours Leave," the Douglas MacLcanDoris May comedy which has been one of the sensations of the current season. The subtle appeal was his agent, where other exhibitors, feeling the urge for extra effort born of a picture that pleased greatly on its opening night, might have overstepped in shouting obvious phrases in big type and extravagant space. Read the copy in the reproduction. Place yourself in the position of one of those who read it at the dinner table. If it would not at once bring you to a resolution to attend the Royal that night, and in the event of your being inclined Thank You FOR YOIR GENEROUS PATRONAGE YESTERDAY If You Liked THIS SOLDIER COMEDY 23'2 Hours Leave TELL YOl'R FRIENDS. WE ARELSflOWING IT AGAIN Today A Wfll of ftATunn ft 4 A clever type argument advanced in four-column width by H. G. Ramsey of the Royal theatre, El Dorado, Kans. 70 to the theatre it doubtless would, it would at least convince you that this man had confidence in his show. Had he felt uneasy about it he would have covered this uneasiness with extravagant phrases and great ado about short subjects. The subtle served Mr. Ramsey excellently. There should be more of it in theatre advertising. There must be more of it if theater advertising is to take its rightful place upon a plane above the advertising of all other products. The box office of the Electra theatre, Electra, Tex., masked to resemble a log cabin in the snow country, during the run of "Back to God's Country." A Romantic Appeal There is romance in a log cabin. Despite current sentiment, there is still romance, also, in the heart of every man, woman and child in America. Logical then, and effective, is the log cabin decoration which was given the box office of the Electra theatre, Electra, Texas, during the run of "Back to God's Country." Down deep in the heart of all there is the belief that it would be an especially pleasant experience to live, at least for a time, in a log cabin in the wilderness, close to nature, away from the crush and jam that accompanies the struggle for gold which is modern life. Of course practically nobody gets to indulge this very natural desire. The sight of a cabin like the one used at the Electra is, however, a pleasant one. It breeds pleasant thoughts. It lingers in the memory. The commercial value of a decoration which will effect such a phenomenon is obvious.