The film daily year book of motion pictures (1938)

Pie Contest Here is a pip for a picture with the kid slant. Two or three small boys are seated at a table loaded down with pies and cakes. The kids are told to wade in and help themselves. The average will be about two pies and a big gob of cake, and the average kid will then call it a day. Can be used advantageously with a restaurant touting a new dish. Or in any store for a Thanksgiving special. Just a matter of being a little different and making people talk, but sometimes a freak will draw more money than straight stunts possibly could. Take a PeeU Here's one that can be worked immediately following a nationally interesting prize fight. In a window of a main street store fix up a peek-box. Have the small opening up close to the window and about the height of a medium sized person's eyes from the street. Display a sign stating, "Look! See Why.,., lost the Fight!" When they look in the hole they see a card on which is printed. . . ."Lost the Fight because he had seen .... (name of picture). ... and He Couldn't Stop Laughing." It's not new but worked with a fight should get more attention than worked without any special tieup. Expert Make-up Adapted either for a furniture store or beauty shop. The window setting is that of a boudoir, with a beauty specialist during noon hours giving demonstrations on expert makeup. This one ties in with some cosmetic being advertised heavily, with the window-card stating that this cosmetic is used by the star in your feature. Modelling If you can make this one authentic by securing from the studio the gown worn by the star in her current picture, then it is perfect. Otherwise the stunt can be worked with the replica of the gown. You secure a girl whose proportions approximate that of the star, to do the modelling. This should be good for a nice newspaper break with photographs of the star wearing the gown, and the local model alongside for the comparison purposes of the femme readers. A natural for the fashion page, and the store naturally comes in for a big slice of publicity. iVett? Btthies This one can run indefinitely in any furniture store window. Each week the theater obtains from the local bureau of vital statistics the names of all babies born the previous week. Each week the name of one child is selected for display in a cradle in the window. The card advises that the parents can obtain passes to the theater good any time within the next three months. Most of the parents will visit the store while they are still cradle minded, and the dealer cops in sales. Star Fashions A neat window display in a men's haberdashery or a woman's gown shop can be worked this way. Have the merchant select from stock a suitable tie, collar, cape or garment, similar to the one worn in picture by the star. Surround the article with stills and plenty of reading matter regarding your theater. Have one card read: "This is a duplicate of the garment worn by (star) in (title of film). Sealed Bids A novelty stunt to help the dealer dispose of two or three trade-in radios that he has on hand. The dealer announces a "silent auction," with anyone interested requested to drop a sealed bid in a box provided for that purpose at the theater lobby. On Saturday evening the bids are opened, and the sets delivered to the highest bidders from the stage. This stunt can be worked on a variety of articles that any dealer is trying to move off his shelves. Hobbies Here is a dandy that will attract a wealth of attention. Stage a hobby contest by inviting entrants to supply you with exhibits. You'll get miniature ships, stamp collections, all sorts of things that you never had thought could be classed as hobbies. Have each write a short note on a card regarding the hobby. Display the collection in a nearby window and also display a card telling at which performance the winner will be announced. Give some attractive prize. Have local newspaper people as the judges. Your Vacant Store If you have a vacant store in your building, you can turn it into an asset with neat and attractive displays of stills and other press matter. Sloppy windows have the opposite effect. Give the spaces a little thought and a lot of time in the dressing. Call upon some feminine mind to give the essential touch to the display that will attract women. It is also advisable to include some of the moving displays mentioned in this Manual from time to time in the window. rules A good clown can hold the afternoon shoppers in suspense with this one. In the store window the clown attendant affixes cut-out 865