Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1961)

Plant Full-Page Newspaper Spreads To Reap Holiday Boxoffice Harvest Film company executives who constantly urge exhibitors to roll up their promotional sleeves, pitch in and follow through with carefullyplanned campaigns at the local level would do well to mention the National Theatres showmen in their pep talks. For them, extracting every ounce of merchandising potential from their playdates, and distilling it down to the juice that powers successful b.o.-boosting drives, is just the beginning. When they think the time is ripe for expansion and improvement, they whip up a business-building storm all their own. Latest tub-thumping effort, timed perfectly to kick-off the winter holiday season, resulted in a smart big-city coup — all four major Los Angeles dailies (Times, Examiner. Herald-Express and Mirror) came out with a full-page spread on the coming holiday season of new film product. In addition to the large circulation newspapers, the Hollywood Citizen-News, Beverly Hills Citizen and Valley Times Today prominently featured the special holiday salute to screenland and local theatres. Having already brought the entire industry up sharply with a clever, hard-hitting institutional advertising push titled, "Something Wonderful Is About to Happen" (Film BULLETIN June 12, 1961, issue), which depicted the pleas ures and rewards of movie-going, the National Theatres admen joined forces with Pacific Drive-In Theatres in a promotional plan designed to alert the public to the joys of the cinema. Slated for planting in metropolitan and local papers immediately prior to the beginning of each of the seasons, the publicity first took the form of a Summer Movie Preview, a splashy, 12-page rotogravure tabloid mapped out by Paul Lyday, of NT, and Pacific Drivein's Jack Case (FB July 24, 1961, issue). Once again obtaining the cooperation of the major studio publicity directors, Case this time teamed with NT's Pete Latsis to compile a raft of eye-catching material, then proceeded to coordinate the assignment with the newpapers, who proved only too willing to liven up their amusement sections with attractive movie stills and interesting, catchy copy. LInder the slogan, "Holiday Movie Season Is Here Again" (each paper employed a variation of the theme, to avoid duplication), nine major studios were represented by some 26 pictures, played up to the best advantage via dramatic art layouts and arrestingly-worded stories. The excellent choice of scene stills is amply evidenced in the spread shown on this page. The copy also is equal to the occasion, match ing the art in crispness and originality (a far cry from the usual grist that emanates from publicity mills). A choice example of the smart, informative leads accompanying the spreads is this one by Harold Hildebrand, of the Examiner: "As the samplings illustrated on this page indicate the fare is diverse. There will be action epics and light adventure, high adventure, comedies, romance, drama and musicals. The cinematic entertainment is geared to keep regular fans as well as capturing new patrons. "Traditionally, Christmas week was saved for the biggies and the goodies. This has been changed. Theater owners, anxious to demonstrate that 'Movies Are Your Best Entertainment,' have jumped the gun. They want to distribute their entertainment over a longer period to make their offerings a continuous and lasting gift. "So, instead of a surfeit during Christmas week, the releases have been spaced over the entire holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Year's." Both circuits are sufficiently sold on the idea and are following through by arranging fot similar breaks in numerous other cities and towns where they operate hard-top theatres and drive-ins. Spring should uncover another fresh variation from the NT-Pacific team on this invaluable institutional theme. In the meantime, theatremen all across the country seeking to hypo business would do well to take a closer look at how a couple of enterprising circuits have built showmanship into a boxoffice aid. U-Decca Promote 'Drum' Album Universal and parent firm Decca Records are presenting a powerful display of the promotional energy that can be generated when a film and record company join forces to plug a motion picture sound track album. The album enjoying the campaign is "Flower Drum Song." Keyed first to the film's world premiere at the Music Hall, the tuneful push is being adapted to key city openings slated to begin Dec. 22. The music is being featured in U's national magazine ads and its local newspaper campaigns with the copy line, "The Year's Most Magnificent Score — Hear! Decca's Sound Track Album of 'Flower Drum Song.' " Decca will play up the best features of the album in a special magazine, newspaper and trade drive. In addition to providing for cooperative advertising on the local level, U is offering Decca dealers 20 promotional pieces. November 27, 1941 Film BULLETIN Page 9