Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

50 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORL October 11, 1930 w BOX OFFICE PROMOTION Small Town Theatre Needs Consistent Ad Policy, Says Wisconsin Showman \The folio-wing article was written by Ken W . Thompson for Exhibitors HeraldWorld to place before the exhibitor practical infortnation on newspaper advertising gathered by one who has had continuous and direct contact with the field. The discussion deals especially with effective advertising methods for towns of 1,000 population, more or less. Mr. Thompson, a former newspaperman, is located at the Hancock theatre, Adams, Wis. He has been in the motion picture exhibition business for a number of year, has studied its problems and — but let him speak for himself.} By KEN W. THOMPSON A consistent advertising' policy pays best for the theatre in the small town. Spasmodic newspaper advertising, as for example taking a large space one week, a medium space the next and nothing the next, usually does more harm than good. Patrons are led to believe a theatre is in business one week and out of it the next. T do, however, want it understood that I believe an exhibitor should regulate his space and copy according to the exploitation value of each individual picture, but keeping the weekly spaces as consistent as possible, with plentv of variety in makeup and copy. This will keep the readers out of the rut of thinking you have the same entertainment to offer them at every show. Urges Variety in Ads If it is important that the exhibitor provide a new film program at set intervals, why shouldn't it be just as essential to vary the advertising makeup from time to time. Many showmen in small towns are prone to let their advertising "slide" and then turn around and place the blame for lack of patronage upon the newspaper, not realizing where the real trouble is. I have had outside experiences which I believe have enabled me to see advertising problems from perspective. For 10 years I was actively engaged in motion picture exhibition, and previously and concurrently in the newspaper business. In the fall of 1927 I was forced by bad health to drop my active connections and go to California. At that time the first sound camera shots were being made in Hollvwood. The requirement for silence in sound production had not yet been enforced and visitors were permitted on the lots. I visited the First National and Pathe studios and picked up considerable information on production angles of the industry. Study Exploitation Angles Hollywood may be a long way from "main street" of your town or my town, but talking pictures bridge the gap. And part of the results you have with selling the finished product depend on how well you are acquainted with it from its beginning until the time when you show it. By this I mean that the man who has a broader knowledge than what he picks up in his own little town will better know what exploitation possibilities a picture P0SSr Being a newspaper man as well as an ex AMERICAN NOW THE HOME OF VITAPHONE TALKING PICTURES THEATRE Saturday Night, September 13th Two Shows at 7:00 and 8:30 P. M. One Of The Greatest Events In American History Actually filmed at the "bottom of the world." The amazing drama of this wondrous feat before your eyes. See courage conquer the last frontier — and a real story with a smashing climax — that's p#%T <^ WITH BYRP AT THE SOUTH POLE d Qbrmmmnt Qicturc Also Mickey Mouse In A Riot of a Comedy Special Reduced Prices 10c and 25c to. All Teachers and School Children. — Others 10c and 35c. 44-frilll'tlM III I'l'l 111 I************************* Sunday Night, September 14th One Show at 8:00 P. M. RICHARD DIX In His Latest Success 'Shooting Straight' It's always a good show with this actor TALKING COMEDY. ■m i miiiiniiHtiini *********************** Next Week — Fair Week Shows TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY "THE DAWN PATROL" THURSDAY "SO THIS IS LONDON" With Will Rogers FRDDAY AND SATURDAY "SONG OF MY HEART" With John McCormick When tliere is no artist at hand to lay out display ads it takes headwork to prepare display with only printer's type and mats and make it carry selling appeal. Ken Thompson, author of the article appearing on this page picked the above ad as one example of what he believes is good show advertising in a small town. It was inserted in a country weekly at Wautoma, Wis., by the American theatre. hibitor I observed a great many things about the studios that otherwise might has been obscure to me. Also in connection with the newspaper work hundreds of weekly newspapers have come to my close attention, and naturally enough the "movie" and "talkie" advertisements of various theatres contained therein were studied and analyzed quite thoroughly. Some of the conclusions arrived at regarding this type of advertising are going lo form the major part of this article. Cuts Carry Real Appeal During my ten years in the exhibition field I found newspaper advertising a valuable necessity to the business. The first "movie" ads that I inserted in the weekly paper were probably crude affairs, considered in the light of present day methods, but served well for a beginner. However, after a few years of experimenting, accompanied by the customary ridicule from the stick-in-the-ruts, we felt that a paying type of newspaper advertising had been achieved. As one philosopher has so aptly remarked, "The first hundred jeers are the hardest." For the most part my ads were well illustrated. Nothing will catch the eye and hold it to the subject in a newspaper advertisement so well as a picture illustrating some part of the subject matter — a picture of one or more of the stars or a scene from the play. Once the eye of the reader is attracted by such an illustration, the text matter will do the rest, and another patron is created for that particular entertainment. Cold type alone, if properly arranged, can be effective, but never so completely as when accompanied by illustrations. Some Need No Advertising The writer does not want to be misunderstood in regard to other forms of advertising and exploitation for talking pictures. Each has its place in the theatre business and the value of any of them can not be discounted in the least for newspaper advertising alone. The writer realizes that there are some theatres so situated that they do good business without newspaper advertising. However, this does not disprove the value of such advertising, but in some cases proves it. Those theatres are no doubt benefiting from the result of newspaper advertising done by other exhibitors, or more likely by merchants in whose locality the theatre is situated. Consequently, the merchants and other advertisers have provided the theatre with prospective patrons. There are, of course, reasons, other than the one in which they claim that newspaper advertising does not pay, why some exhibitors do little or no advertising in their local papers, some being of a personal nature, which need not be discussed here, and some owing to misunderstandings between exhibitors and editors. Conservatism to Win Confidence Newsnaper advertising in the small town should be essentially a conservative type of advertising. Leaders of a newspaper have a right to expect authentic information from a newspaper and from the ads contained therein