The film daily year book of motion pictures (1937)

offer prizes for the best drawing within the outline fo the picture in the half-tone. You can get most from the stunt if the half tone is a bit larger, or smaller, than the outline, thereby forestalling anyone Irom tracing the picture. Juvenile organizations and drawing classes in local schools should go for this one. Ad Judges if A good booster for the classified section. The newspaper asks readers to select from the classified section one ad each day for three days which they consider the most attractive worded. In submitting their selections they state briefly why the consider these the best. The merchants can be promoted to offer prizes, for they all benefit. Juvenile Athletes if With the vacation season many cities devote their school yards to recreational centers to keep the children off the streets. It is a simple matter in most instances to tie up to this project with an athletic league, sponsored by the theater and conducted by those having charge of the playgrounds. A few medals just before school opens again gives a talking point that will last all summer. Often this stunt can be broken into a newspaper where contests and similar hookups have been done to death. The circulation manager and the editor may see nothing in a wek's contest, but they will appreciate an eight or ten weeks' feature that will appeal to parents and children alike. With the paper in, it may also be possible to promote other prizes from the merchants. If it can be arranged, talks by athletic coaches at matinees should further build the kid patronage. Theater parties each week for the playground showing the best results is another help. Lost and Found if Tie in with the newspaper, which offers two tickets to each person who finds an article advertised in its lost-found columns. Finder first returns the article to the owner, who identifies if and gives a voluntary reward. Then he calls at the newspaper office for the deuces. The paper of course plays this double reward up as a talking point. Easter Awards if Easter corsages for careful women drivers of automobiles are awarded in a newspaper tie-up. Ten license numbers are noted each day for five days and printed in the newspaper. Drivers thus designated call at the newspaper office for the bouquets. Classified Ads if For a classified column gag. Theater contributes 10 tickets as prizes for the best answers to five questions about classified ads in the current issue. Used for the merchant advertisers rather than for the job seekers, and of more permenant benefit. Sample set of ques tions for instance calls for identification of three slogans, the name of a firm handling weather strips, and the name of the auto dealer who is going to move on the first of the month. In return for the ducats the house gets a flash as for the current attraction. Personal Touch if Good angle to use in your advertising where the feature is big but has no particular boxoffice strength, yet you know if you can get 'em in they will like it. You can't do it with adjectives in your ads. so do it along these lines. Copy might read: "I can't tell you how good this picture is. You'd think I was lying. Come and see for yourself if it isn't a real treat." This method of approach leaves you in a nice position for your next anonymous feature with class, for the public knows from experience that you haven't fooled them. Special Extra if This ad stunt is only good at long intervals, since it is the unusualness that gets if over. Run your formal ad for the picture with usual pressbook cut. Alongside that ad another double column in which you talk somewhat like this: "We hasten fo place this addition to our ad before the newspaper goes to press." The remainder of your talk is all straight type set in bold italics, in which you jubilate over the excellence of the show and the picture. It must be done in a natural tone of selfcongratulation and modest pride that rings true. It's that "something different" that catches the reader's eye and impresses with its sincerity. And of course the feature must have the general strong appeal to back it up. Picture Titles if This one can be used one or two weeks in advance of your particular picture. The idea is to select ten stills from the coming attraction and have the newspaper run one a day. For the best titles for each still, a prize of one ticket is offered. Of course, each winner will bring one or two friends to hear his, or her name read from the stage as a winner. This is particularly fine advance advertising. It will interest all who enter the contest and everyone who sees the stills. It will plant situations and stars in their memory, and also the name of the feature. Mystery Stories if Well in advance of the playing of thrilling mystery film, offer a season pass to the person sending in the best story under the heading "My Most Horrible Experience." Advertise that all articles will be published by the newspaper, and if you desire, have the winning article read from the stage when the presentation to the winner is made. This makes for a series of comic and thrilling articles in the newspaper. Of course, all articles submitted should first be read by you and any undesirable propaganda or unusable matter eliminated. 893