The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 15 "Solid Gold'' Campaign Cops $100 Treasure Philadelphia — William J. Trambukis, Loew’s State, Providence, R. I., cops him¬ self some solid gold this week by winning $100 in SHOWMANSHIP SWEEPSTAKES tor his contest on Columbia’s “Solid Gold Cadillac.” Exhibitors will also find some Better Management hints in the drive-in stunts; how to create some local good will; a kid promotion; and an inexpensive disc jockey show which are this week’s runners-up. 1955-56 SERIES Finalists In Contest No. 76 George Nonamaker Editor winning mmr "SOLID GOLD CADILLAC" Submitted by William J. Trambukis Loew's State, Providence, R. I. 3232 seats • 80 cents top admission Family patronage. On this one we concentrated on motor car and merchant tieups for good results. A fleet of 30 gold trimmed Cadillacs were promoted from Kaplan Motors and used to ride local dignitaries in two dif¬ ferent local parades. The Firestone Tire dealer, who is lo¬ cated in LaSalle Square where eight bus lines come into town, used large banners reading, “Your car will run like a Solid Gold Cadillac after we service it, etc.” One of downtown’s leading furniture showrooms featured a full window dis¬ play with a live model in the window reclining and walking around in a sleep¬ walking fashion. This window was com¬ prised of gold fabric and accessories with many stills from the film, theatre and playdate credit cards, etc. The theme was “I’m dreaming of riding to MacDonald’s in a Solid Gold Cadillac, etc.” Kaplan’s new and used car lots, located at busy intersections, also featured large banners with the Cadillac theme. J. J. Newberry’s, Jr. Department Store, celebrating an anniversary, changed the name of their ad campaign to the “Solid Gold Anniversary” campaign. This re¬ sulted in three full windows, 14 counter displays, store-wide streamers and coop ads. All leading downtown jewelers, through the cooperation of the New England Jew¬ elers Association, used window displays featuring the Ronson lighters with tieup cards, stills, etc. A mystery Cadillac toured downtown Providence and various sections as an¬ nounced by WRIB and Kaplan motors coop ads with Rhcde Island registration 280. Any person identifying the car by stopping the driver was awarded dollars totaling the speedometer register, plus guest tickets. Six Silverstein News Agency trucks were bannered and distributed tack cards to all dealers tieing in with the Newsweek Judy Holliday story. Decca Records went all out in assisting in promoting various other windows and counter displays featuring the record and sheet music. Other merchants were talked into coop ads on the “Solid Gold Buys” idea. Chuck Stevens, WPAW, led off the radio and TV stunts with an auto past and present contest with listeners asked to write on a penny postcard lists of as many past and present makes of auto¬ mobiles as possible, with winners receiv¬ ing guest tickets to the theatre. RUNNER-UP NUMBER 1 ■■ DRIVE-IN STUNTS Submitted by Larry Capillo Oxford Drive-In, North Oxford, Mass. 991 cars • 70 cents top admission General drive-in patronage. In thumbnail fashion we give below many of the exploitation and “gimmick” stunts used during the past season to at¬ tract patronage to our drive-in. Of course, the highlight was the Thunderbird, Junior, giveaway. First, we continued our “Dinny DriveIn Safety Club.” Membership cards are issued to kids under 12, and members are entitled to participate in scheduled games and contests with prizes, concessions at our concessions stand, and occasional free admission, when accompanied by adults. Signed applications state, “I promise to be careful at all times, crossing streets, at play and while in the drive-in theatre.” We added over 300 names to the 777 we had at the end of last year and which were carefully screened. Dinny is sold in our ads, over our public address system, and on window cards, and on signs at our snack bar, and by a special trailer. It’s an inexpensive good will building stunt. We hold automobile bumper night once weekly. Over 550 bumper strips were issued and we found we were giving out ON REQUEST about 40 to 50 each bumper night, when all cars bearing the strips were admitted free and the only night when the strips were issued. We found that free live pony rides for the children were considerable draw as an activity when held on a regular night or nights. Children lined up at the play¬ ground for their rides and the parents were quite pleased and enjoyed watching the children. A sulky ride was later added and also proved popular; rnd we tried photo night one time in a tieup with a local photographer, who gave us a flat rate on taking photos of the children on the ponies. This drew well and we be¬ lieve more than paid for itself, although weather did not favor us. Another kid stunt was free rides at nearby Kiddyland, particularly a tiein for free miniature train rides for the first 100 children attending certain nights. Of course, we used the midnight jinx night and spook night double features on Friday, the 13th and several other appro¬ priate occasions. Every 13th driver was admitted free, etc. Another stunt that paid off was some date nights at which time the boy friend was admitted free if the girl was the driver, and paid the admission. Cooperat¬ ing merchants donated as many as 100 gifts for prizes on these nights. We grossed better than $200 more than regu¬ lar midweek nights on this stunt. Other stunts that proved popular and got us attention were free milkbones for dogs; free lollipops for kids; horseshoe pitching contest in front of our play¬ ground area; “Night Owl” shows prior to holidays; Cartoon Show in addition to regular two features on KIDDY DAY, at which time the cartoons were shown FIRST, and the kids received certain con¬ cessions at the candy stand, and a few prizes for contests staged in the play area before show time. Our BIG stunt was the Thunderbird, Jr., giveaway. Briefly, this was a huge success. Three merchants participated in the giveaway of the $425 (retail) item, which we obtained at 30 per cent off for cash. The merchants absorbed the cost by purchasing screen time for six weeks. All selling on the screen, newspapers, heralds, other means, was paid for by us. The trailer explained the giveaway. Lucky number blanks were issued, bottom of heralds, in newspaper ads, etc., deposited in ballot boxes. Ballot boxes also spotted in cooperating merchants’ stores. Bally¬ hoo truck used to exploit the giveaway and travelled streets of Oxford and near¬ by communities, parked in front of co¬ operating merchants’ stores; and in front of drive-in screen each night. Actual demonstrations of the Thunderbird, Jr., also made at the drive-in on an enclosed area in front of snack bar. Winner’s number and name pulled from container at drive-in on previously specified night. Winner had to be 12 years old or younger. The Thunderbird, Jr., had speeds up to five m.p.h., ran on battery power, had foam rubber cushions, electric horn, headlights, etc. RUNNER-UP NUMBER 2 1 ROTARY CLUB GOOD WILL Submitted by Jack Dahmer Jefferson, Beaumont, Texas 1728 seats • 75 cents top admission General patronage. At this time of the year, when our patrons seem to have so many activities that they cannot find time to go to the movies, and v/hen our run-of-the-mill product seems to be very routine, I feel that it is greatly to our advantage to get December 12, 1956