Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1959)

iv, April 14, 1959 Motion Picture Daily mON PICTURE HERALD MERCHANDISING CONFERENCES ox Demonstrates Colorful ampaign for 'Robin Hood' Stress Color, Appeal to Young In Campaign for Tirst Time' By VINCENT CANBY ntieth Century-Fox Friday afternoon, at the final session in the second of merchandising conferences sponsored by Motion Picture Herald, not old exhibitors all about the forthcoming campaign for "The Son of Hood," but also demonstrated ness at hand, Einfeld called "The Son of Robin Hood" an attraction "that has been pre-sold via the television show, 'The Adventures of Robin Hood,' for two solid years. And your theatre is the only place where the audience can see it." This is the key to the campaign: "First Time on the Screen! Cannot be Seen on TV!" The film, an Ago poduction, was photographed in England in Cinemascope and DeLuxe Color and stars Al Hedison ("The Fly"), June Laverick and David Farrar. Goodman described the "doubledbarreled" advertising approach that is aiming at the children as well as all action and adventure fans. Using slides he showed the exhibitors the various ad layouts now being set, all stressing "first time on screen." orfully and dramatically with feet. the screening of the film which ed the selling forum the comnvited 50 local school children, the kids (and the exhibitors) got 2 elevator at the home office floor they immediately found Ives in Sherwood Forest: a bower put together in the Jiing room foyer earlier that day horticulture experts in the Fox ation department, on of Robin Hood himself in le complete with bow and arjwas on hand to greet the small d present Robin Hood favors, as all free and it was a tremenIshow which Charles Einfeld, resident in charge of advertisd publicity, and his staff put on s exhibitors as well as for the Joining Einfeld in the posting forum were Alex Harrison, 1 sales manager; Abe Goodadvertising director; Rodney exploitation director, and Marchel, radio and TV manager, ire getting the discussion under>oth Einfeld and Harrison took portunity to thank Quigley Pubfis for its leadership in sponsore merchandising sessions. Said an: "I hope they will be ex1 even further. I'm going to to other distributors about ending greater representation of ':ors from all parts of this cound Canada." ling then to the specific busi Title Song a Selling Point A key point of the campaign, and likely to be a hit for some years to come, is the title song written expressly for the promotion campaign. It is simple and rhythmic, the kind that kids will be able to hum easily. Bush told the exhibitors of the 10 "do-it-yourself" exploitation ideas in the pressbook, to be issued well before the film's release in middle and late June, and described ways and means to stimulate concession sales. He also pointed out that the film is a natural for colorful theatre front art work. "It is my opinion," he concluded, "that there is good showmanship in theatres today." 'ox executives greeting some of the young guests who saw "Son of Hood" in company with exhibitors attending the Motion Picture Herald andising conferences. From left to right are Charles Einfeld, vice-presin charge of advertising and publicity; Martin Moskowitz, Eastern >n manager; C. Glenn Norris, Central and Canadian Division manager; larrison, general sales manager; and "Robin Hood." By CHARLES S. AARONSON The value of constructive discussion of a promotional campaign on a film which is still several months from release date was stressed Friday morning following a screening of the new MGM film, "For the First Time," on the final day of the merchandising con ferences sponsored by Motion Picture Herald for exhibitor representatives. The film, which stars Mario Lanza in the role of a singer, flighty and romantically inclined, who finds real love when he meets a deaf girl on the isle of Capri, is in beautiful color, and the men present were agreed that it is vitally important in this case, as in others, that the color be stressed in the selling. That factor was cited as a decided asset, with relation to today's competition with home television, toward which not enough attention is directed. The discussions were conducted for MGM in the company's home office screening room on Broadway by Silas F. Seadler, advertising manager; Dan Terrell, publicity manager, and Emery M. Austin, director of exploitation. Each outlined the plans thus far developed for the promotional effort on "For the First Time," and each pointed out that the campaign on the film was only now in the formative stage, in view of the picture's August general release date. The concentration in the promotion, Seadler said, speaking particularly of advertising, is to be on Mario Lanza, emphasizing his singing in the various cities of Europe and on the lovely island of Capri. It was pointed out that in the interests of good taste and to avoid adverse public reaction, little or no stress was laid upon the fact of the girl's deafness. Rather the affliction is suggested in the advertising. The advertising was to be geared, said Seadler, to seek to attract the younger elements of the potential audience, and it was further suggested by several of the participating exhibitors that there be concentration on die "new" element in Belling Lanza. A "new" Mario Lanza in splendid voice, should be a valued aspect of the selling campaign, it was pointed out. Seadler urged the exhibitors to continue to agitate, whenever the opportunity affords, for simplification of the difficult billing problem. He described the knotty situation which almost constantly develops in advertising when care must be taken to know billing priorities by contract, but cited the "For the First Time" campaign as an instance when that problem situation did not exist. Austin Outlines 'Dee-jay' Drive Austin made particular mention of the RCA Victor sound track album which will be issued shortly, and indicated the scope of the nationwide disc jockey promotional campaign which is to be undertaken in that connection. He also referred to the intensive cooperation to be expected from the Italian Tourist Bureau and the Italia Air Line, by reason of the film's locale. Tape recordings are to be made by Lanza, now in Europe, to take the form of greetings to disc jockeys and other opinion formers. Music lovers and music groups are to be contacted extensively, he emphasized. Silas F. Seadler, M-G-M advertising manager, presents in the company's homeoffice screening room the advertisements which have been prepared for the campaign on "For the First Time" at the Motion Picture Herald merchandising conference.