Associated First National Franchise (1921)

1 8 First National Franchise Se mi-Monthly MAN-WOMAN-MARRIAGE STARRING ALL£N HOLUBAR' This is probably the most significant twentyfour sheet yet designed for motion pictures. It is om of the M. Leone Bracker series for the drama-eternal which had its try-out in Paterson at the Regent Theatre, where it broke all the house records for the week. This poster has both magnetism and meaning, in addition to being artistic. Unusual Ad for Norma Talmadge Subject Herbert H. Johnson, manager of the Luna Theatre, Lafayette, Indiana, used a striking and unusual advertisement in connection with "YES OR NO", starring Norma Talmadge and distributed by Associated First National Pictures, Inc. The space used was a full page. Down the center of the page an inch wide black rule was placed dividing the space into two parts. .At the top of the left-hand space the word "YES" was printed in heavy black letters, and the word "NO" was used in similar position and type on the right-hand side. Under the word "YES" was this reading matter: "She had everything the world could give her — money, social position, magnificent gowns, a palatial home and a money-making husband. She was beautiful, talented and accomplished, as a butterfly, hoyering amid artificial flowers. But she lacked true companionship, the tender influence of children and above all the confidence and sympathy of her husband. So when the other man came with pleadings and vain promises she answered 'Yes' thus bidding tragedy to enter." Under the word "NO" was this reading matter: "She had no wealth, no social position, no gorgeous frocks, nor a splendid home. Her life was one continual round of drudgery — scrubbing, washing and cooking. But her threshold was blessed with the tread of children and she possessed the greatest of all things; devotion to and love of her husband. So when the other man came with pleadings and vain promises she answered 'NO' thus bidding happiness to enter." At the bottom of the page was a streamer: "See Norma Talmadge in the dual role of the 'YES' and 'NO' girl at the Luna Theatre." That was all, but it was sufficient. I Evansville Makes Teaser Campaign Profitable ft mi i ni. inin tot it miniH iHiiiiiiifi mi i iiiiiiiiti mini nuT Teaser campaigns have proven their usefulness when conducted in newspapers; but H. E. Green, manager of the American Theatre, Evansville, Ind., gave the teaser campaign a new wrinkle (and incidentally showed that such a campaign can be put over just as effectively at a smaller cost) when he applied all the lure and human-interest and curiositybaiting to the United States mail recently. First, be it said that Mr. Green has a mailing list of 10,000 names. This list is as giltediged a certificate of public approval as an exhibitor could desire, for during the. past two years Mr. Green has been compiling this list of motion picture fans by a method explained further on in this story. Mr. Green picked Constance Talmadge's picture "GOOD REFERENCES", released through Associated First National Pictures, Inc., as the feature upon which to try his mail-teaser campaign and thus it occurred that io.ooo inhabitants of Evansville found this sort of puzzling letter in their respective mail boxes on a recent morning: "Where are your references? "Can you give references? Whom have you worked for? How did your services suit them? If you have no references, how do you expect to succeed?" This letter was sent out a full week and a half before the picture was scheduled to be shown. A week before the showing, another letter was sent out, this time reading as follows: "Be ready with your references. "Everyone demands references nowadays. Even your landlord will demand them. "References! They mean credit and sometimes love and marriage. This is true in one case at least. Watch the Sunday papers. And on Sunday, the 10,000 who got the teaser letters watched the Sunday papers. Advertisements announced "GOOD REFERENCES" and the 10,000 who received the letters flocked with one accord. Some Ticklish Exploitation Making New York City sit up and take notice with cards that cost $4 a thousand to print, $3 worth of feathers, and a few hours' work on the part of theatre employees is some stunt. It was accomplished by Ben H. Jackson, manager of the William Fox Audubon Theatre, and although the cards were issued some weeks ago, they are still in circulation through the city, because of their novelty. The cards, 10,000 of them, were used as a novelty advertising stunt for a showing of "Twin Beds," starring Mr. and Mrs. Carter De Haven, and distributed by Associated First National Pictures, Inc. They were postcard size and through two holes punched at one end theatre employees thrust a small feather, the significance of which was disclosed by the wording, as follows: "Here's a Tickler. "'TWIN BEDS' will tickle you. "An uproariously funny picturization of Margaret Mayo's stage succeess, with Mr. and Mrs. Carter De Haven. Funnier than Miss Mayo's 'Baby Mine' or 'Seven Days.' "As full of laughs as a tick is full of feathers. "William Fox Audubon Theatre — Dec. 27, 28 and 29." Regarding the cost of them, a letter from Mr. Jackson is enlightening: "The cards were printed at less than $4 a thousand. The quills are ordinary goose or chicken feathers, I don't know which, but anyway they cost 25 cents a pound. We purchased $7 worth, not knowing how many feathers it takes to make a pound. It turned out that after we had threaded all the cards we had enough feathers left to make two pillows and a tick. Pretty soft, eh? "The cards were punched and the feathers threaded through by hand. The ushers, and other help in the theatre did the job.'' Ihere'H be a Franchise everywhere