Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1921 - Mar 1922)

56 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 25, 1922 WELCOME! BOYS S&FE1Y CONVENTION rnx-UBFRTY THFATRE WisJvn w fk' wafel possible smtess. *. 4 *S '1 4' JV/JORE than 3,500 boys were guests of Harry Greenman, manager of the Liberty theatre, St. Louis, "'on Washington's Birthday, as related in the story presented herewith. "The Mysterious Rider," a Hodkinson attraction, was the feature picture advertised. Wins Confidence Through Welcome To Boy Society (From Staff Correspondent) More than 3,500 boys attended the organization of the first chapter of the Junior Safety Cadets of the United States at the William FoxLiberty theatre, St. Louis, on Washington's Birthday. Manager Harry Greenman of the Liberty, when he heard that the convention was to be held, donated the use of his theatre for the gathering. He realized the advantage of this move in offsetting the unfavorable impression in the public mind that resulted from the Knickerbocker theatre disaster. He figured that the theatre-going public would conclude that the Liberty must be safe, otherwise a safety convention for boys would not be held there. The meeting was arranged by the St. Louis Safety Council, and similar bodies will be formed in other cities under the auspices of the National Safety Council. The members of the St. Louis Board of Education, leading school officials and many other prominent business and professional men helped make the gathering a success. The chief speaker was City Judge George E. Mix, noted for his safety work. His subject was "The Boy's Interest in Safety." Cooperates Only On Merit Basis HARRY E. BROWNE, manager of the T. & I), theatre at San Jose, CaL one of the houses operated by Turner and Dahnken. First National franchise holders, has attained an enviable reputation in the field of cooperative exploitation. He attributes his success mainly to a policy of cooperating with other Sau Jose business men exclusively Otl a merit basis. His statement of this policy is of general interest. It follows: "It it a very easy matter to get your local merchants to tie up with you if you if you have something to offer them. The first rule that I have always observed is this: 'Do not tie up on a picture that has no merit, for if you cannot back up what you tell a man about a picture you can never go back.' "Our merchants know that when the T. & D. theatre asks them to tie up with a window display or on a full page spread we have a picture that is going to do both them and us proud. Honesty in advertising is of the most appeal both to the public and the merchants, ?nd they know that we are not giving them something with which they will be ashamed to have their names connected. "It it not hard to get co-operation with the merchants who help you, and the only way to keep it is to 'shoot square' with them. Keep your mind as busy with exploitation as you do with the thought of the rest of your busi ness and you won't have so much cause to growl about bad business. "Don't be a pessimist and kick because there are thorns on roses; be an optimist and rejoice because of the roses on the thorns. Spread optimism and greet every one of your clients with a big, contagious smile, and it will soon spread. In other words, give them a run for their money, and they will go fifty-fifty with you all the way through. "Once you have planted in the minds of the merchants that you play square it is an easy matter to keep them with you, for they rely on your judgment and will work right with you." Saunders Lays Feature Series Campaign Plan (Concluded from page 53) half clone. This is an instance where we not only have to sell the picture to the exhibitor, but have to use means of selling it for him to his public, showing him how to do it and aiding him in doing it. 1 promise you that if you sell him a generous quantity of this teaser paper, his work will be more than half done and the public will be waiting anxiously for the arrival of "The Mistress of the World." * * * Second, we have the open letter method of interesting the public. These letters are addressed to anybody in the public eye, from the president on down. They are written in such manner that the reader is interested from the start and is not apprised of the fact that he is reading advertising until he has quite finished the letter. They are always to be signed by an actual individual, but never by the exhibitor nor a local personage. Better to sign the exploiteer's name, or salesman's name, to them, and always give his address as the leading hotel in the city. It would detract from its actual value if the exhibitor or some local man stood sponsor for it, as the natural assumption would be that he was merely tooting his own horn. And that's an assumption we are trying to avoid. Newspapers should be open to essay contests on "Who is the Mistress of the World in your mind? Is it your mother, your wife, your sweetheart, or your sister? Or is she some vague, idealistic person that you have carried in your heart?" This would create no end of interest and would create discussion, one of the best modes of advertising. Double trucks can be easily effected on this by tying-up with the merchants. They might proclaim to the public that "even if you possessed the wealth of "The Mistress of the World" you could buy no more staple merchandise and secure no greater values than might be secured at their store. Surely in every town you will find amateur wireless enthusiasts both using code and the telephone. It would he very easy to frame up with someone whom you might take into your confidence to receive messages from some mysterious source which can not be determined, proclaiming the coming of "The Mistress of the World," saying that "I am coming to (town) (date) Watch and Wait." If handled adeptly, I am quite sure that newspapers would pounce upon this as live news.