Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

40 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 30, 1922 Theatre Letters Personal Accounts of Constructive Showmanship Contributed by Readers of "Exhibitors Herald" Patrons 1 Notice I ■ ■■■■■■ ■ ■ j Notice \\ Patrons if People of Fvansviite--Greetings WALLACE REID The Mailing List WOULD YOU KEEP IT— IF IT REACHED YOU IN YOUR MORNING MAIL? OF COURSE YOU WOULD! L Name . Address DO YOU LIKE PARAMOUNT PICTURES? WHICH KIND OF PICTURES LIKE BEST? SUOGESTIONS— DATE OF BIRTHDAY J \ (You Mustn't Forget This— Wc Have n Little Sur \ prise for You). ! The management will be pleased to mail to you our weekly program. Kindly fill in the enclosed questionnaire and return it to the box office. You will get the latest information regarding film plays and players and news about the screen and YOUR favorites. SEND YOUR FRIEND'S NAME POSTAL TELEGRAPH COMMERCIAL CABLES TELEGRAM l "THE DICTATOR" C. F. Lewis, Criterion theatre, Evansville, Ind., describes in the accompanying "Theatre Letter" his patron-interest postcard campaign. The above is reproduction of his card copy as used in a newspaper advertisement. Lewis Gets Addresses Through Exploitation A good mailing list idea, plus a good advertising idea, equals one very, very good exploitation campaign. C. F. Lewis here tells how he effected this combination. also be used along with this by a card in their postoffice window — "Wallace Reid, Famous Paramount Star Uses Postal. See Him In , etc." C. F. LEWIS, Criterion theatre, Evansville, Ind. THEATRE EDITOR, Exhibitors Herald. Dear Sir: It has been some time since you last heard from me, almost three months, and at that time I was at the Lyric theatre, Connersville, Ind. I haven't much for you this time. Am enclosing a mailing list idea which I started here and which has turned out with wonderful results. Three cards were mailed out in a mailing list letter and their purpose explained. The newspaper ad was run two days in all three papers. That "little surprise" stunt is a free ticket. When I send out a letter or postal card and someone's birthday falls on any day during the run of the picture advertised, they get a free ticket. You know, just a little novelty to keep them talking. The telegram idea is not new but it is of so much value that I consider it worth writing about. This newspaper ad was used for two days in all papers. I have a reproduction of this message on beaver board 4 by 6 feet, hanging in the lobby. This stunt has caused much comment and lots of people have come to me personally and remarked about the clever idea. The Postal Telegraph Company can Reproduction of four column newspaper advertisement by which C. F. Lewis carried his telegraph exploitation of Wallace Reid's Paramount picture directly to the public, greatly expanding the appeal of the campaign. DEAR MR. LEWIS: And you say in tlie beginning, "I haven't much for you." We wonder what you consider "much," and we hope when you do have something that you consider worthy of that term you won't hesitate to demand our white space for setting it down. The mailing list idea looks like a sure winner. The big reproduction of the newspaper ad was used because we think showmen everywhere will want to try it out. The telegram ad is easily the best that we've seen of the sort. It beats simply posting the wire in the telegraph company's window by a wide margin. You showed good judgment too, we believe, in giving the message all that white space. If it is worth anything it is worth prominence. Next time you "haven't much" to write, by all means write it. — W . R. W. Whitfield Finds Many "Nice People" Angles When one means fails, many people try another, but the real showmen tries all available means simultaneously. R. P. Whitfield found many available angles for exploiting "Nice People." THEATRE EDITOR, Exhibitors Herald: Dear Sir: I am enclosing two photos, one of the window display and the other of the lobby which we arranged for Paramount's "Nice People." I secured 1,000 of the new Fan Photos of Wallace Reid that are distributed by the Paramount exchanges, and arranged with the Charles Rosner Dry Goods Company to put in a window display of "Nice People" accessories as well as some of the fan photos. With each sale they gave one photo to ladies only, and adver tised the fact in the papers. I also carried a slide on the screen advertising the window display. The store gave out the entire thousand photos during the run of the picture. The ladies fought for them. The lobby display does not show up as well in the photo as it should. The color effects were good, and the brightly colored jap lanterns were effective. Proper lighting effects also brought it out. The dragon was papier-mache and was borrowed, but after a few hours the first day, I decided to take it down although it attracted considerable atten