The Exhibitor (1955)

14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 1955-56 SERIES Finalists In Contest No. 9 WINNING ENTRY Junior Auto Giveuwuy Cuptures $100 Prize For Newurk Fxhibitor Philadelphia — One of the most com¬ mon industry cries at the present time is “Bring back the kids.” With this end in mind, Jack Conhaim, Stanley, Newark, N. J., arranged for the sponsorship by the Calo Dog Food Company of a fourweek Saturday matinee promotion with the highlight being the giveaway of a $395 working scale model auto, the Thunderbird, Jr. The stunt, besides drawing plenty of kids away from TV sets, captured the fancy of Sweepstakes judges, with Con¬ haim now $100 richer as winner of contest 9. Those kids drawn to theatres today are the adult ticket buyers of tomorrow, and any plan which attracts them is well worth the effort. PROMOTED GIVEAWAY FOR KIDS Submitted by Jack Conhaim Stanley, Newark, N. J. 1974 seats • 75 cents top adult admission General patronage. This co-op kid giveaway presented without charge to the theatre a real honest to goodness auto as first prize. This was one-third scale model of the famous Ford Thunderbird, which goes five miles an hour, forward and reverse; has sealed beam headlights, tail lights, electric horn, brakes and electric motor. It is safe enough for a three and a half year old youngster and big enough for a 12 year old. The retail price is $395.00. This campaign was designed to bring into the theatre that bracket of children that we haven’t been able to reach and the biggest part of the promotion was away from the theatre. The Calo Dog Food Company sponsored the cost of the campaign. Five thousand letters were sent to licensed dog owners in the area. Included in the mailing piece was a herald on the show and a coupon for a free can of dog food. Hal Wheeler, New Jersey’s foremost dog trainer, agreed to do a four-week dog act on stage. We built a new stage over the orchestra pit, at small cost. Wheeler wrote a special series of dog training lessons that were used in four local papers. As the model car was brand new and never before shown in New Jersey, we got off to a good start by planting the car in a “Little League” parade. The car was driven over two miles to the baseball field. The parade was watched by an esti¬ mated 10,000 people. Mayor Leo Carlin posed for pictures with the car. 16mm, color motion pictures were taken of the parade and shown at the theatre for one week, at no cost. Naturally, the little car had a prominent part in these films. The car was placed on display in all the large super markets with signs telling of the show and the giveaway at the theatre. This was a second car loaned to us by the manufacturer. Due to the great demand for the car, it was only allowed to remain three days on display in each market. During the day when the theatre was closed the other car was mounted on to of the Calo station wagon and driven from school to school and from market to market stopping to hand out circulars. Three pedigreed puppies were given away, one each week. Children coming to the theatre each Saturday were given coupons. The coupons were good for the puppies and then for the car on the fourth week. Hal Wheeler trained a dog to pick the winning ticket. A trainer heralded the event on our screen and a display was set up in the lobby. This co-op promotion, spread over a four-weeks period on Saturday matinees certainly proved its worth. Not only were the prizes well worth while; but it at¬ tracted plenty of new kid attendance to the theatre. And, best of all, Calo Dog Food footed the entire bill. RUNNER-UP NUMBER 1 ■■■ SIGNED STATEMENTS Submitted by Stanley Spoehr Seltzer Theatre, Palmyra, Pa. 900 seats * 50 cents top adult admission Small town patronage. Here is a promotion that recently proved successful at little cost and one that can be worked on any coming attraction. We started giving out forms for “Signed Statements” one week in advance of playdate on “Battle Cry.” These were on pretty sturdy yellow paper ruled and numbered 1 to 25 and measuring 17 inches by nine inches. The top third of the forms contained a regular illustrated ad on the coming attraction, under which was printed “I expect to see this picture at the Seltzer, Palmyra, when it plays there (dates).” They then bore lines numbered from one to 25 with room for names and addresses. At the bottom was a notice that the first 100 children bringing in the forms filled out with 25 signatures and correct addresses would be admitted free to a Saturday matinee when “Captain Africa,” a serial, would be an added attraction to the regular program. To make sure we got out the entire 500 in the hands of children we held a special kiddie show the previous Saturday with cartoons, serial, and an old Abbott and Costello feature comedy. Each child was asked to take them to 25 of their neigh¬ bors and get them to read the ad and sign their names signifying their intention to try and see the picture “Battle Cry.” 282 of the forms were returned, which means about 7,000 people signed to come to see the picture. This is more than our popu¬ lation, but some signed more than one form. Our business doubled. The only other advertising we did was to double our usual ad in the Palmyra Advertizer and take some space in the Lebanon Daily News, about 10 miles away. The reverse side of the statement forms was used for institutional copy about the theatre’s recent $10,000 installation of im¬ proved CinemaScope and VistaVision; and some coming attractions. From all angles, the stunt worked so well at so little cost that we plan using it soon again. RUNNER-UP NUMBER 2 ■■ ^^BOTTOMS UP" CLUB Submitted by Dick Kline SW Liberty, New Kensington, Pa. 1C00 seats • 70 cents top adult admission General patronage. Here’s a five-week Saturday matinee promotion sponsored by Coca-Cola at no cost to the theatre which served to get some added business for the house and good advertising for the bottling com¬ pany’s new drink, “Bottom’s Up.” A series of shows were lined up as the “Bottom’s Up Club.” The following prizes were given away: five two-wheel bikes and 10 Dale Evan’s and Roy Roger wrist watches during the five weeks. At three of the shows each child was given a free drink of “Bottom’s Up.” Membership cards were distributed. August 31, 1955