The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 21 area. A 2 x 5 ad mat was promoted in Miami Beach Sun and ran daily for entire engagement of the picture. A line in this ad referred readers to the classified sec¬ tion where several names appeared. If readers’ name appeared they received two passes to see the picture. Tieups were made with all record shops and music counters in stores plugging the featured songs in the film. Other tieups were effected with sports clcthes shops, drug stores, stores selling Planter’s pea¬ nuts, etc. Large decals featuring Betty Grable and Sheree North were used on glass doors and windows two weeks prior to opening date. Juke boxes were used in front of the theatre playing the songs in the picture. Stickers, bearing appropriate copy, were placed on all juke boxes throughout the greater Miami area. A barber shop tieup had special window cards reading: : “How To Be Very, Very Popular — Be Well Groomed!’’ Recordings of the featured songs were promoted and distributed to six disc jockey shows. Other radio plugs were arranged. A blonde girl in brief beaded costume, similar to that worn by Betty Grable in the picture, carrying a 22 x 28 book with title and credits imprinted on both covers, walked streets at busy intersections, and was transported by a bannered trailer. This street bally was carried out two days before and two days after the picture opened. The girl was also taken to visit amusement editors and received mention in columns. One hundred cut-outs of Betty Grable and Sheree North were planted on front desks of waterfront hotels. A contest on “How To Be Very, Very Popular” was arranged and contestants chcsen by judges from a television station and a model agency. This was a coop venture, resulting in plentiful plugs on TV and a prize for the winner in the nature of a modelling course. A half page coop ad was secured from Arthur Murray’s Dance Studies, who also cooperated for a giveaway of 20,000 cer¬ tificates valued at $15 toward dance les¬ sons and presented to all adults opening day. ihe Sheriff’s Road Patrol of Dade County was promoted to give away 400 free tickets to drivers cited for their courteous driving. The Sheriff declared a two week period for a “Drive To Find Courteous Drivers.” Officers stopped drivers and gave them two tickets to see the film at the theatre and took pictures of the drivers being given the tickets in¬ stead of violation tickets. This appeared in three major newspapers. Sheriff Kelly was promoted to appear personally over TV station WTVJ explaining the tickets for courteous driving being distributed by his Patrol; and he plugged the picture and where it was playing, as did Jackie Pierce on whose program the Sheriff ap; peared. Also on the TV program were two of the Read Patrol and two of the couri teous drivers, who were interviewed on ! their reactions at receiving tickets to see the film, instead of violations tickets. The picture was previewed for exploita¬ tion purposes and all persons connected with tieups, etc., and amusement editors were invited. While playdates on this film are about over, the campaign is included as a SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES entry since many of its component parts may well be adapted for other pictures. RUNNiR-yp HumBm 2 "IHE PRIVATE WAR OF MAJOR BENSON^^ Submitted by Robert E. Rosen Dakota, Bismarck, N. D. ICSO seats * 75 cents top admission General patronage. Although Universal-International’s $500 prize money on this picture was knocked off several weeks ago, campaigns on it are still being run, as it is still possible for contestants to be judged winner o" SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES $103 weekly prize for campaigns on it. Robert E. Rosen, manager, Dakota, in North Dakota’s Capital City recently broke all previous theatre attendance and receipt records through an all-encom¬ passing publicity scheme which was of his own design and personal execution. The campaign, which included all forms and media of advertising, succeeded in surpassing normal opening day theatre attendance and receipt records by more than 100 per cent. Twenty-four different promotional ideas, were used effectively and successfully. Showing a fine regard for business co¬ operation with enterprises from clothing stores to commercial photographers, Rosen fully succeeded in aligning businessmen to the theatre and for any future co¬ operative venture. He combined adver¬ tising media, gimmicks, personal promo¬ tion, business acumen, and cooperation in his endeavor to win him and his theatre new laurels. A highlight of his campaign was a priv¬ ate screening of the film before its regu¬ larly scheduled opening date to members of the clergy. Nuns, who also attended, appreciated the gesture and the fact that Rosen was sincere in advertising the pic¬ ture as wholesome family entertainment. This was evidenced by the fact that Rosen received a letter frem the Mother Superior thanking him for the showing. The film was also shown privately and before its opening date on two other oc¬ casions. Members of the press, television, and radio viewed it cne night, while again, unprecidented here, businessmen and their wives made up a private audi¬ ence another night. Posters on display throughout the city 10 days before the picture began an¬ nounced that The Parents Magazine award had been given to “The Private War Of Major Benson.” The newspaper publicity-ad campaign was also launched 10 days in advance in each of 10 weekly newspapers in the sur¬ rounding 75 mile area. All retail stores selling Mars candy dis¬ played signs printed by the candy firm, promoting both the picture and the candy. Rosen himself gave his personal en¬ dorsement to the film from the stage one week prior to opening, proceeding its trailer. He also recorded this personal recommendation for broadcast over radio station KFYR and it was spotted 10 times a day for three days. Paramount pictures *500°° on "WE'RE NO ANGELS" j (This Prize Offer expires Jon. 11, 1956) REPUBLIC PICTURES CORP. *500®“ on "THE LAST COMMAND" . (This t'rize Offer expires Feb. 22, 1956) -i RKO RADIO PICTURES, INC. *500®® on"The Treasure of Pancho Villa" (This Prize Offer expires April 11, 1956) m. While $100.00-per-week will be awarded each and every week throughout the year by the SHOWMAN¬ SHIP SWEEPSTAKES editors, certain film distributors from time to time will post additional DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZES of $250.00 to $1,000.00, in order to focus attention on a particular picture. Such DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZES must be posted ‘or 0 perioa of 26 weekly issues, and if not won will be withdrawn. To qualify for a DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZE, a promotional stunt or campaign, in which the particular picture is the center of interest, must ^win a MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR $100.00 weekly prize. This will give it "a leg" on the larger prize. At the end of the 26-week period mould more than one entry have such "a leg" on the same DISTRIBU¬ TOR CASH PRIZE, they will be re-submitted to the ^ circuit executive fudges for special judging of the one best. This one best will then receive the entire DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZE; or, should a tie develop, it will be shared. DISTRIBUTOR CASH PRIZES NOW IN EFFECT . , , are as follows: November 9, 1955