Exhibitors Herald (Jan-Mar 1920)

70 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 27, 1920 Columbus Exhibitor's Page Ads Among the Best Being Printed Grinnell Printers Aid Exhibitor Advertisers Exhibitors who read this department, ever anxious tq take advantage of the suggestions offered, run true to form in commenting upon the excellent page advertisements which have come to be looked upon as the usual thing in the advertising of Will D. Harris, manager of the Grand theatre, Columbus, O. There is probably no series of advertisements being printed that maintain a higher average. Mr. Harris' advertisements are, in the first place, well drawn. He is not afraid to give space to figures that he believes are worthy of it. And he improvises figures that rightly lay claim to that merit. To point up these statements we have reproduced two recent pages, each remarkable in its own way, and each representative of the fine work that is done daily and weekly. On Linclon's Birthday, for example, Mr. Harris began at the beginning and booked two pictures that were especially well suited to the occasion. "Soldiers of Fortune," the Realart picturization of Richard Harding Davis' novel, is thoroughly American in theme and spirit. Democracy is one of the strong notes in its make-up. "The Land of Opportunity," the Ralph Ince production distributed by Select as the first unit in the Americanization series recently announced to counteract the general unrest, was another ideal selection for a Lincoln's Birthday program. In this one Abraham Lincoln is one of the characters. Assured, as he obviously was, that his program would measure up to the demands of the occasion, Mr. Harris went into the advertising campaign w:ell equipped. He had confidence in his product, which is the most valuable asset that any advertiser can possess. The full page which appeared as one of the factors in this campaign is reproduced herewith. It is a fine example of well-prepared and well-printed advertising. If designers and printers every where maintained this standard there would be less room for the frequently heard complaint against motion picture theatre advertising. ,. CELEBRATING LINCOLN} BIRTHDAY AT THE GRAND THEATRE WILL O. MAORI i, LESSEE MANACfP ALL WEEK STARTING SUNDAY— The p«cHjre rhai tfmbodteS rr» Spirit ( oP Lincoln— rhe April of America. THE Jand A page bought outright by Will D. Harris, manager of the Grand theatre, Columbus, O., and utilized in masterly manner. SHOWS STAPT AT 1*35-7-9 P.M. PPICES 25< 35<AND50< PLUS WAP TAX. Another excellent page used on Lincoln's Birthday by Will D. Harris, manager of the Grand theatre, Columbus, O. I'pon another occasion, during the exhibition of "Male and Female," Cecil B. DeMille's Paramount Artcraft production, Mr. Harris bought an entire page, used it with discretion, and created the typical amusement section that is also reproduced herewith. A one-time newspaper man, Mr. Harris had little difficulty in preparing the copy for the page. Labeling the page "Picture Events at the Grand," he got the value of the advertisement, the publicity and the page form. It was as though the writer who conducted the amusement section had devoted the whole department to the Grand. And it cost only what the page cost. But Mr. Harris sticks to no set method. A little while ago we reproduced specimens of the double-page spread with which he exploited "Pinto." Mabel Normand's Goldwyn production. That was also typical of the "big man," the man who is not afraid to go to great lengths to obtain great results. His work has long been one of the prominent features of Columbus advertising, and Columbus advertising has long been considered among the best in the country. Exhibitors who read and gain from their reading should not fail to study carefully all that they see written upon the subject of Mr. Harris' Grand theatre advertising. It is of the best. It is advertising that brings results, else it could not be continued upon such lavish scale. The big truth behind all advertising is back of that statement. The test of advertising, regardless of its pictorial or theoretical merit, is its money value. When a theatre is observed continuing big scale advertising week after week and month after month .it can mean but one thing — that that advertising is not only paying for itself, but leaving a comfortable profit besides. The successful exhibitor-advertiser, upon being complimented upon a layout, accepts with justifiable pride the praise offered and feels better for the offering. It is natural to wonder, inasmuch as no exhibitor was ever known to say, "My printer did most of it," just what that advertiser says to his printer when he sees him next. It is natural — and interesting. Unless the general indications are at fault, and they seldom are in such cases, the printers who have in charge the advertising of theatres in Grinnell, la., a representative middle-size Iowa city, are heartily in sympathy with the exhibitors whose work they put in final form. And it follows, since the good work is consistently kept up, that the exhibitors are not ungrateful. We have reproduced, because the whole page was so mutilated that it could not be reproduced in its entirety, one of the single column type advertisements which made up a part of a full page recently used by the Lyric theatre. It is a fair specimen of Grinnell advertising, neither the best nor the poorest, but representative. By the make-up that has been given the advertisement it has benefited greatly. A careful reading of the copy will disclose weaknesses that should not be credited to the printer. They are, doubtless, weaknesses of copy. ® He >\as a bacJc-conntry ® (§) ridler! (§) ® ©) ^ lie became Society I pet! ^ lie eacvtfleed all lor love (Q) Of liis sKtcj •! ((§) How difi he redeem him ^) <§) "el" |§ H| WILLI A M FOX PRESENTS g 9 WILLIAM FARNUM j m IN § © HEART || STRINGS (§) © (g) \ liig Sacrifice of Brother 6=\ lor Sister /^s T VDTf ® ® | Wednesday and § I Thursday g The printer employed stock material intelligently in making up this singlecolumn announcement for the Lyric theatre, Grinnell, la.