Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

50 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 25, 1922 Exploitation Letters THEATRE EDITOR, Exhibitors Herald. Dear Sir : I am sending you under separate cover a photograph of the Pumpkin Pie Contest, also story and special advertising page, which we put over recently for "Way Down East." We had a story every day and a nice story the day after the contest closed, giving the details of the winners, etc. The contest was a great success; 239 pies were hrought into the San Angclo Standard office and the local grocery stores sold out pumpkin. A representative of a wholesale office told me they were indebted to the Lyric and the newspaper for splendid business in canned pumpkin. The contest created no end of comment and good business was the result. Please note the two pies in the center of the photo. Two ladies contributed the original idea of laying a thin layer of crust across the top of the pie and cutting out the letters as shown in the photograph. Last Wednesday and Thursday I played "Creation,"' the first release from Sacred Films, in conjunction with Gloria Swanson in "Under the Lash," and put in the window shown in the enclosed photograph to help give us a start on this picture as we intend showing the entire series as they come out. I gave a special preview for ministers, Sunday school teachers and public school teachers and all were delighted with the picture. It is our idea to make aneffort through these pictures to try to draw into our theatre members of various churches and also to create a good feeling for our theatre. With best wishes, R. P. WHITFIELD, Lyric Theatre, San Angelo, Tex. * DEAR MR. WHITFIELD : Apparently we didn't fully grasp the magnitude of that pie contest when we printed your first letter on it and the reproduction of a page from the ncivspaper. At any rate, the second installment is even better than the first. In fact, tile story complete is one of the few worthy of serial treatment. You can't send us too many of that calibre. Your remarks relative to the use of "Creation" and similar pictures for institutional IN addition to powerful newspaper advertising of co-operative nature and window displays shown *■ in other illustrations herewith, R. P. Whitfield sent the unique conveyance shown above about the streets of San Angelo in the interests of his "Way Down East" engagement. purposes are especially interesting. lie hope the subsequent units in the series prove rp to standard. As a suggestion we'd like to call your attention to exhibilorial comment in "What the Picture Did for Me" on "The Inside of the Cuf>," "The Stealers," "Over the Hill," "The Little Minister," "The Old Nest," and a number of other feature length productions especially suitable for similar treatment. We do not belicz'c it is possible to give too much thought to the type of endeavor which you have un C"RED S. MEYER, Palace theatre, Hamilton, O., tells in his letter ol tho above lobby display * obtained through co-operation with a Hamilton merchant during the run of Metro's "Peacock Alley." dertaken. We hope you will feel free to call upon us for any assistance or information that we can give you in this connection. W. R. W. * * * THEATRE EDITOR, FxHiniTORs Herald, Dear Sir: I am forwarding under separate cover what I consider an unique display. In connection with the presentation of "Peacock Alley" we made arrangements with one of the leading department stores in our city to exhibit latest spring styles in a corner of our lobby and gave him permission to put up a card reading as follows : "Not all the beautiful creations are worn in 'PeacockAlley.' Here are a few of the latest spring creations on sales at Ahman's. Don't miss <mr Spring Style Revue of live models at this theatre next month." "Peacock Alley" did a very nice business. Everybody stopped and looked at the display. The merchant was well satisfied because he traces directly to his display four sales made. So everybody was happy. Verv truly vours. FRED S. MEYER, Palace Theatre, Hamilton, O. * DEAR MR. MEYER; As an exploitation stunt your lobby decoration is all wool and at least a yard wide. As an example of foresight, vital ingredient of successful showmanship, it is something finer than tlwt. You describe it so well we will not bedaub the lily; but we do want to point out to other showmen who will read this reply that you've put down a mighty firm foundation for that forthcoming style show. Others can folloia