Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1959)

MERCHANDISING V EXPLOITATION DEPARTMENT f Univ. Lavishes Large Ad Budget on 'Pillow'— Lipton Taking a showmanship cue from the great success enjoyed by extensive national magazine advertising campaigns to "pre-sell" "Imitation of Life" and "This Earth Is Mine," Universal is lavishing one of the largest ad budgets in company history for the upcoming "Pillow Talk," vice president David A. Lipton announced. "Universal's own enthusiasm and confidence in 'Pillow Talk,' augmented by the overwhelming trade-press reaction and that of U-I's sales department and exhibitors who have seen its early screenings," said Lipton, "are responsible for the decision to earmark an even larger national advertising budget than was accorded 'Imitation of Life' and 'This Earth Is Mine.' " Over 160 million readers will be reached by the drive for "Pillow Talk" in 20 national publications, magazines and Sunday newspaper supplements. And, as in the past, Lipton noted specially tailored ads for particular media, with an eye toward specialized readership, have been prepared. Weston Named Assistant Advertising Manager at UA Continuing its system of promotions and new appointments, United Artist recently named Robert Weston assistant advertising manager, it was announced by vice president in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitationtion Roger H. Lewis. Weston, who comes to UA from Donahue & Coe, where he had been an assistant account executive on the Columbia Pictures account, will work under the supervision of advertising manager Joseph Gould. Previously, Weston had been a copywriter for Columbia Pictures. Rosenfield Sees Worldwide Promotion Starring Unit Man Promotion has gone international, and as a result, the unit man is "finally coming into his own," Columbia executive in charge of advertising and publicity Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., told a trade press conference after returning from a three-week trip to Europe. The plan to raise the status of the unit man, Rosenfield pointed out, stems from an experiment Columbia conducted with "Once More, With Feeling." An American publicist skilled in every phase of his job was assigned as unit man to the film. The results were "so conclusive," according to the Columbia executive, that the plan "will be standard operating procedure" from now on. "We are attempting to give our producers based abroad the same promotional treatment as those based in Hollywood," he said. The unit man sent abroad will be learning new methods at the same time he puts American angles to work to promote his picture, Rosenfield declared, adding that many foreign stunts are "imaginative and daring." Selig to Chairman Showman Session of TOA's Convention "The Show in Showmanship," the program of the 12th annual Theatre Owners of America Convention devoted entirely to business-building and ticket selling, will be chairmaned by Robert W. Selig, president of Fox Intermountain Theatres, Denver, TOA head George G. Kerasotes announced. The showmanship program is slated for Nov. 10, the third day of the five-day conclave in Chicago. Kerasotes also said that he had appointed Myron N. Blank, president of Central States Theatres and chairman of the Great Plains States Business-Building Council; himself, and Albert Floersheimer, TOA director of public relations, as a three-man committee to aid Selig. 'Movie Month in Detroit' Means Oct. Showman Harvest October will be "Movie Month in Detroit." Plans recently were formulated there for a heavy advertising and promotional campaign on a co-operative basis, with indications that all — or most — of the major houses will participate. To date, the United Detroit Theatres, the Wisper and Wetsman circuit, the Cooperative Theatres of Michigan and Community Theatres have promised support. The Solomon-Sayles advertising agency will handle advertising in radio, television and newspapers. Participating theatres will run a series of trailers, and plans are in the works to book big pictures during October to allow for a concentration of promotional effort. In addition, there will be a substantial number of personal appearances by stars and personalities. Wilson Elliott, manager of the Jewel Theatre in Mount Clemens, is covering part of the co-ordination with theatremen for Solomon-Sayles. WALKING 'MUMMY'. Some theatremen carry the notion of energetic showmanship to the limit, and Nick Semos, of Detroit's Broadway Capitol Theatre is a fine example. Semos devised the costume and acted out the silent horror of his screen counterpart, "The Mummy." The result was top flight business Film BULLETIN August 31. 1959 Page 29 A