Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

48 y^LL available accessories are utilized by A. B. McCullum, Blackstone theatre, Dwight, 111., to produce an impressive lobby flash for current attractions. Witness his billing for First National's "Scrap Ircn." Crowds follow crowds. The first crowd is most difficult to attract and most worth attracting. It attracts the second and thus launches a succession. A really attractive lobby often draws the first crowd. That is why so many are reported in the present season of crowd scarcity. Several especially attractive displays of the "flash" type are reproduced herewith. The flash school of lobby decoration, frowned upon somewhat by conservatives in more opulent periods, has been revived by many showmen seeking solution of not insoluble current problems. The step is a logical one and its taking is wholly in line with sound business practice. It is getting good results for those who have used the more elaborate forms of frontal representation wisely. First National attractions have been advertised in this manner recently by exhibitors in Knoxville, Tenn., Sandusky, O., Portland, Ore., Dwight, 111., Hillsboro, O., and Syd QUTOUTS from "The Idle Class" were used plentifully in the lobby display of the Forum theatre, Hillsboro, O., in a recent engagement. Although the material was grouped for the purpose of photographing, the illustration gives a good idea of its effectiveness. X H I BIT O R S HERA Crowds Follow Crowds J7 LASH display is probably more highly de veloped nowhere than at the Crystal Palace, Sydney, Australia, where "Back to God's Country," an old picture but representative of a large class, was billed in the manner shown above. •yEN dollars is the reported cost of the colorful display produced by Wm. Drum bar for "Her Mad Bargain" at the Riviera theatre in Knoxville, Tenn. The picture was one of the attractions used in a recent First National Week. "yHE LOTUS EATER" was exhibited at the Columbia theatre, Portland, Ore., as the Christmas attraction. The street appearance of tlx* tin at re is shown in the illustration. Due to the nature of the attraction a foliage display of the type suitable for the season likewise served adequately for purposes of picture representation and the creation of atmosphere. 1) February 18, 1922 QEORGE J. SCHADE'S frontal exploitation methods are well known throughout the trade. A typical flash is seen in the photograph of his marquee during the engagement of "Lying Lips," a production not generally advertised by elaborate methods. ney, Australia. The latter is included to show that lobby appeal and treatment are universal. If you exhibit "Scrap Iron," "The Idle Class," "Back to God's Country," "Her Mad Bargain," "The Lotus Eater," "Lying Lips" or "One Arabian Night" this page will be helpful to you in your advertising. If you do not exhibit any of these it should be helpful to you in preparing similarly attractive lobbies for related attractions. All are essentially of the flash classification. All are qualified to stop the not too hurried passerby and make of him an advertisement to stop others. It is necessary to detain but half a dozen at a prominent location to assure the perpetuation of the crowd for as long a period as the quality of the display warrants. In the tendency to reinstate this type of advertising where it has been abandoned to some extent comes good news to those real showmen who really know people, the veterans and the gifted beginners who know that people believe what they see and very little else. It is upon this phase of human nature that the value of pictorial advertising is dependent. XTOU would not recognize the above lobby as that shown above decorated for "Her Mad Bargain^" Mr. Drumbar, Riviera, Knoxviue, altered it to conform to a very different attraction, "One Arabian Night." The Oriental semilight is accountable for the lesser clarity of the second photograph.