Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1922)

THE THEATRE iSFPRACTICAk Saunders Fairness Advocate Fairness to all concerned in the local marketing of motion pictures by exhibitors and "eiploiteer," with mutually beneficial co-operation the dominant consideration at all times, is the principle advocated by Claud Saunders, manager of the Famous Players-Lasky division of exploitation. Speaking of increasing prosperity and box office potentialities as related to exploitation, Mr. Saunders went into detail in explaining the working principles upon which his representatives throughout the country work with and for exhibitors. His remarks follow: '"The exploiteers have made this kind of prosperity possible," said Mr. Saunders. ' They get next to the exhibitor and both of them together sell the picture for all its worth. "As a rule, the exploiteer belongs in the small town, not in the large one. The key city, where the exchange is located, is nothing more than his mailing address. This doesn't mean that the exploiteer has no home. He has fifty homes, every one of them a small town in his territory. It is in the small town that the exploiteer justifies his existence. "I have no fantastic showmen on my staff. Only once in a while do we pull something that might be called a great publicity stunt. We do that only when the town needs a swift kick in the shins. As a rule, we devote our labors to sound, constructive work. Furthermore, sensational stunts must be few and far between or they will cease to be sensations. * * * "The exploiteer rarely comes to an exhibitor 'cold' and then presumes to advertise his picture. The exploiteer first cultivates the exhibitor and learns as much about the latter's business as possible. When they both go to work on a picture, the exploiteer has the exhibitor's point of view. "If you ask any of our men about any town or any theatre in his territory, he will tell you {Continued on page 5») "Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood' ' World Premiere Follows Record Exploitation Campaign An exploitation campaign unsurpassed for scope and variety in Chicago film history preceded the world premiere of "Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood" at Cohan's Grand. In no previous drive of similar nature has such wide range of effective media been utilized. Paraphrasing Bamum's memorable line and trade-marking the picture "The Greatest Filmshow on Earth," Pete Smith, directing the campaign, sent his message to the public by way of newspapers, billboards, store windows, taxicabs, street cars, hotels and office buildings. Details up to the point of the picture's initial screening on Sunday, Oct. 15, comprising a story of great interest to theatre and exploitation men everywhere, follow: Pictures on Pages 54-55) THE opening gun of the campaign (two weeks before the opening day) was a teaser in the form of half-sheet cards, half-sheet lithos and onesheets posted along the highways and byways reading "Ro"bin Hood Is Coming — Look Out for His Arrow." The follow-up on this was the distribution of arrow cut-outs announcing the booking of the production, at Cohan's Grand. These cut-outs had strings attached and were fastened on door-knobs, automobiles, windows and anything, that a string could be tied to. In the Loop district, the shopping district and throughout the residential districts twenty-five thousand of these arrows fluttered. The outdoor advertising was then supplemented with 150 twenty-four sheets. 256 eight-sheets, 200 6 x 2s and 200 car cards announcing the coming of the attraction at Cohan's Grand. On the opening day 100 illustrated twenty-iour sheets were added and a full line of new paper supplanted that which had-»been running. The arrow idea was carried through all the new block-paper. The new paper, including cards, one-sheets, six-sheets and twenty-four sheets read: "Follow the arrow. This way to Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood,' Cohan's Grand."" This paper was printed two ways so that at all locations the arrow pointed in the direction of the theatre. Newspapers Follow Teasers The publicity campaign in the newspapers started immediately after the teaser billboard idea had been concluded. Advertising copy in the newspapers started nine days before the opening, averaging 70 lines, two columns, daily until the opening day, when an eighth of a page was used. In view of the fact that the admission was scaled at $2 top, the daily advertisements were altered so that one day the advertisements appeared in the motion picture section, another day in the drama department and another day in the run-of-paper. Tie-ups for advance publicity were made with the Columbia Phonograph stores, the Ford agencies, the Wormser Hat stores, Mandel Brothers, Marshall Field. McClurgs, Rothschilds and other large department stores, the Checker Taxi service and other media. Regular one-sheets of the production, together with stills, were used in one hundred windows of dealers in Columbia Phonograph records. These one-sheets carried a sticker announcing the coming of the attraction at the theatre and listing the numbers of several Robin Hood records on sale at the stores. Photographs showing Mr. Fairbanks on a Ford Tractor were used in fifty windows of Ford agencies announcing the coming of the production at the theatre. Robin Hood feathers were distributed by all the Wormser Hat stores. Cards reading: "Wear the mark of chivalry! The Robin Hood feather. One with every Wormser Hat." appeared in the windows of these stores, together with stills from the production and theatre announcements. A small suction match-holder carrying the advertisement of the production and with a rubber attachment so that the holder could be attached to glass, wood or iron were planted in Checker taxicabs, private automobiles, newspaper offices and wherever a match came in handy. For one week all Ford agencies distributed these holders to purchasers of cars. An average of one hundred Fords a day are sold in Chicago. These match-holders, especially valuable to automobilists, were also distributed by auto club agencies. Blotters Cover Offices Twenty thousand blotters were distributed around office buildings, city hall offices, hotel rooms and writing desks, etc., during the week before the opening. A contest for children for S50 in prizes ran daily for a week in the Evening (Continued on page 57)