Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1957)

TV&at t&e Sfaxwtw /tie 'Dowyi Do-lt-Yourself Promotion Plan Offered by AB-PT's Hyman I Edward L. Hyman, Paramount Theatres vice president, has come up with a promotional idea that merits consideration by all segments of the industry. The exhibition executive last week proposed to every major distributor that a monthly promotional project, like 20th's "The Big Show", be undertaken by each distributor in an effort to stimulate and maintain public interest in motion pictures. "With each company contributing its own individual effort," Hyman declared, "and with the exhibitors making their theatres available, we can call this a 'do-it-yourself promotion, so that in a manner similar to the orderly distribution of quality product throughout the year, we >.an assign a month to each distributor and would have something going each month to focus attention upon the industry." Hyman offered these six points as a guidepost in setting up the project: 1) Each film company should work out an original presentation in accordance with its own ideas and thoughts; 2) behind-the-scenes footage be included in each presentation, because such material is fascinating to the average moviegoer; 3) special public showings can be arranged for invitational audiences, with all exhibitors making their theatres available; 4) by sponsoring the promotion in cooperation with the local press, disc jockeys and other radio-TV personalities, each showing should draw a full house, with teenagers likely to predominate; 5) the showing should be at a time convenient to the public; 6) extra enthusiasm could be generated by the appearance of stars and starlets to meet with the moviegoers personally. Take A Double Crack At Friday the 13th This Year Showmanship-w ise managers w ill get a doublecrack at Friday the 13th this year. This gimmick date arrives twice this year, in September and December, presenting wonderful opportunities for horror programs. Filmack*s "Messenger", house organ of the Chicago trailer outfit, has a batch of good ideas for grabbing-off some of that extra business always available from this type of promotion. Some suggested sure-fire business-getters: Anyone who brings a black cat to the theatre is admitted free. If a person's full name as shown on their social security card has 13 letters, he is admitted free. A ticket to a future show will be found in every 13th box of popcorn sold. Some Filmack punchlines: "Bring a friend, because you'll be afraid to go home alone" . . . "More horrifying than a night in a haunted house" . . . "More petrifying than finding a spook in your bed" . . . "Designed to make your knees knock, your blood curdle and your hair stand on end" . . . "Your blood will freeze, you'll gasp for breath, your head will jump and your feet will grow cold." ROBERT S. FERGUSON Ferguson Takes Over As Head Of Columbia Advtg.-Publicity A 17-year veteran of the Columbia promotional department, Robert S. Ferguson, was named director of advertising, publicity and exploitation, following the resignation of Howard R. LeSieur from that post. Ferguson's appointment by vice president Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., marked the high point of a steady rise from the press book department, where he started as an advertising copywriter in 1940, then to press book manager in 1946, and assistant to the ad-publicity director in 1950. Prior to his association with Columbia, Ferguson served in the advertising promotion department of the Scripps-How ard newspapers, entered the industry in 1938 with Warner Bros. LeSieur's sudden resignation followed a sixyear tenure in the ad-publicity directorship. His contract, which was to run to December of this year, w as settled "amicably ", LeSieur said. LeSieur's future plans have not been announced as of this date. Tie-Ups Galore Set for Warner Bros.' 'Pajama Game' Warner Bros, has set so many tie-up campaigns for "The Pajama dame'' that showmen may have a hard time deciding which of them to take advantage of. The comprehensive merchandising program to drumbeat the merits of the WarnerColor musical and the products of ten national advertisers are varied enough to suit the tastes of all theatrcmen — and patrons. Weldon Pajamas are going all-out to sell the Doris Day starrer. To beef up the bally drive, Weldon is taking display spate in seven national magazines, in addition to providing ads for placement by dealers on a local level. The pajama manufacturer has also designed a special "Doris Day Pajama", and is circulating a special pajama box carrying copy plugging the film. They are distributing WB one-sheets to all their retailers for use as display cards, are sending p. j.'s to radio, TV and newspaper opinionmakers throughout the country and have prepared a 12-page brochure outlining all details of the co-op in which store and theatre can cooperate for maximum penetration. Hollywood Bread will spotlight the film via ads in over 1,100 newspapers on a national scale. Ads will be timed to local openings. Every Hot Point television dealer in the U.S. will receive a giant-size blow-up of a doubletruck full-color ad, to be run in the September 16 issue of Life Magazine. Over 6,000 platter spinners will be serviced with a copy of the Columbia LP sound track album. The record concern has also prepared fifty-inch, four-color window standee of Miss Day to be used by all dealers. Movie Ads in Boston What do exhibitors use for their primary advertising medium when newspapers are not available ? In Boston, where six dailies are shuttered because of labor difficulties, theatremen are turning to radio and television to fill the gap. First circuit to hit the airwaves — and paving premium prices for time — was the Sack Circuit. Other exhibitors immediately jumped into the swim, with the result that most of the first runs are spending their full ad monies on radio with only a smattering going to television, primarily because of prohibitive time rates. There were some weird sights and sounds at the New York Paramount Theatre's "Screamiere" of WB's "The Curse of Frankenstein", which opened at the stroke of midnight and continued in a "Horrorthon" throughout the night. Flanking the headless Frankenstein monster in lobby are Paramount managing director Robert K. Shapiro and Julie Newmar of the "Lil Abner" stage cast. At right, members of the "Theatre Macabre" arrived at the theatre in a hearse for this lobby shot. Film BULLETIN August 19, 1957 Page 23