Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1956)

MERCHANDISING & EXPLOITATION DE V&kH M E N T Cw'i%% Metro Cuts Herald Shipping Costs To Spur Availability Those big full-color M-G-M tabloid heralds are being placed within reach, literally thousands of exhibitors who were formerly prohibited from using them because of high shipping costs. Beginning with "Bhowani Junction", vice-president Howard Dietz revealed, the so-called CATO heralds (identified by the printing company in Cato, New York) will also be printed in Chicago, thus reducing express costs to theatres in the Mid-West, Deep South and Far West, a major factor in their availability. Commenting on the new setup. Dietz said: "We are always willing to undertake — often at considerable expense to our company, as in this instance — any new project which makes it possible for our customers to do a better job. We hope that enough additional showmen will order our heralds from Chicago to justify the undertaking." Under the arrangements, made between Exploitation Director Emery Austin and Printing Industry Corp. of America, Chicago, Metro will underwrite the cost of supplying duplicate negatives so that the heralds will be identical. Exhibitors may order from either supplier. METRO'S DIETZ \Jiewpoint Help 'Em Help The enthusiastic response from drive-in theatre operators to Columbia's innovation of a special drive-in exploitation section in its pressbooks, and Metro's new arrangement of having heralds imprinted closer to the source of use to cut down shipping charges, are welcome signs that the film companies are showing greater interest in their customers' basic merchandising problems — and that the customers appreciate it. The Columbia move represents the first material recognition that the increasingly important segment of the industry — the drive-in theatre — has it own promotional facets. It is sincerely to be hoped that the other distributors will put their showmanship experts to work to help develop ideas and augment them with accessories for the drive-ins. The Metro decision will make those big, handsome heralds available to thousands of exhibitors who were reluctant to make use of this vital promotional tool because of prohibitive shipping costs. The fact that this is being done at considerable expense to M-G-M indicates a more than token move to aid exhibitor merchandising. The drive-in men were quick to acknowledge Columbia's progressive action. A similar response to the herald innovation will encourage further distribution moves in that direction. Phone-Fun The gimmick of answering the boxoffice telephone with a provocative line pertaining to a current or coming attraction is usually a good stunt, like Omaha Theatre manager' Carl Hoffman's instructions to his phone girls to answer all calls with "See You Later Alligator" for "Rock Around the Clock". Similar greetings can be turned for films like "The Revolt of Mamie Stover" ("Why did Mamie Leave San Francisco?"), or "The Birds and the Bees" ("I'll be a dirty bird"). And what about an Indian yell for a western or a long, low wolf whistle for any Marilyn Monroe picture? [More SHOWMEN on Page 24] Columbia To Sponsor 'Duchin' On Top Network Air Shows Eight top CBS radio network shows will carry go-see messages on Columbia's "The Eddy Duchin Story" beginning June 24, as a feature of the big-scale promotion planned by Columbia Pictures for the Tyrone Power starrer. Some 25 segments of the popular air shows, said vice president Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., will plug the film for a three-week period, with Columbia sponsoring. The deal, announced jointly by Lazarus and Arthur Hull Hayes, president of CBS Radio, includes such top-raters as "The Edgar Bergen Hour", "Bing Crosby Show", "Amos 'n Andy Music Hall", "Jack Carson Show", "Galen Drake Show", "Peter Potter's "Juke Box Jury", "Mitch Miller Show". Estimated number of listener impressions for the commercials tops 85,000,000. "We have decided to use network radio", said Lazarus, "as a supplement to our other advertising media — newspapers, magazines, billboard and TV — because we feel that a vast audience will hear our advertising messages for the 'Eddy Duchin Story' and that many millions in that audience will be attracted to motion picture theatres throughout the country." COLUMBIA'S LAZARUS Film BULLETIN May 14, 1954 Page 23