Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1960)

wfat t6e S^acomm /ire 'Doiaai MERCHANDISING & EXPLOITATION DEPARTMENT / Millions of Convention Viewers Will Get 20th's Message via TV EINFELD What many consider the coup cle showin an ship of the season is being credited to 20th Century-Fox. With countess millions of Americans looking in on the Democratic and Republican political conventions via television, two of the company's upcoming releases — "From the Terrace" and "The Lost World" — will enjoy what may well be the most glittering important showcase in movie promotional history. Everywhere, the word is out that Fox, in purchasing this prime TV time to plug its product, has scored a startling beat. Reaction to the deal — brainchild of president Spyros P. Skouras and vice president Charles Einfeld — has been typically one of excited admiration. "Everybody's using TV as a selling aid now," said one film executive, "but this is a real national sweep. The idea was there waiting to be tapped. You've got to give 20th credit for exploiting it." • v One extremely happy exhibitor declared: "I'm glad to see one of the film companies finally grab off some national network time. And the conventions to boot! I think it's a sign that showmanship is still very much alive in our industry." Perhaps, it was this comment from a top official in an entirely unrelated business field that best capsuled the response to Fox's big video purchase: "You've got to hand it to those movie people. They're real showmen." What stirred up all the fuss was an announcement by 20th-Fox that "for the first time in history," it would present to the largest American audience ever assembled two of its boxoffice attractions. The deal represents the first national TV buy by a film company on record — the Democratic and Republican national conventions telecast over the full facilities of the ABC network — almost at the time the two pictures are placed into national saturation release. Over 100,000.000 people are expected to watch the big shows. TOP ECHELON PLAN The impressive figures were revealed at a meeting between Skouras; 20thFox TV head Peter G. Levathes; Einfeld; ABC-Paramount topper Leonard Goldenson; ABC-TV network chief Oliver Treyz; ABC-TV programming vice president Thomas Moore, and ABC Western division sales boss Slocum Chapin. The Fox purchase also marks another "first", in that two-minute spots, instead of the usual one-minute-or-less announcements, will promote the films. Three commercials will be presented each hour, and ABC estimates a minimum of 40 hours on the air for both conventions. For this most prime of times, it is reported 20th shelled out a cool S250,000. The anticipated record audience is based on a network guarantee that 87 per cent of the nation's TV "sets turned on" will catch the Eox ads over the course of the broadcast. Statistics aside — although in this case, they point up clearly the scope of Fox's promotional coup — the two pictures are ideal for the convention-TV sell. Mark Robson's "From the Terrace", a sizzling cinema version of John O'Hara's redhot novel, seems a perfect piece of merchandise to promote to such a mass audience. Likewise, Irwin Allen's "The Lost World," an ambitious screen treatment of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's thriller that should capture hundreds of thousands of vacationing kids watching the all-pervading telecast. Few should be the TV watchers who haven't heard Fox's message by the time the parties have chosen their candidates. The enterprising film firm isn't standing still on other advertising fronts, of course, hammering away as it has been at the public via newspaper, radio and the trade press, to name a few . But 20th toppers are firmly convinced that big national TV deals such as the convention buy, are one of the most potent weapons in their entire arsenal. Already, in fact, the negotiating w heels are spinning furiously for Fox to sponsor the election night coverage on ABC, November 8, with another top attraction enjoying the most spectacular of all video showcasing. Having taken the big step in the field of TV advertising, Fox obviouslv is determined to maintain its record pace. Film BULLETIN July II. I960 Page 23