The Exhibitor (1959)

July 15, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR EX141 JULY 15, 1959 SECTION THREE Vol. 62 No. 10 I EXPLOITATION 1 ACTUAL PROMOTIONS, accomplished by Experienced Theatremen, that can be applied with profit to many other Theatre Situations . This special section is published evary-second-wcek as a separately bound saveable service to all theatre executive subscribers to MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR. Each such cumulatively numbered saveable section represents current submissions that have been judged by the Editorial Board as having the originality and ticket selling force to warrant placement in the 1958 SHOWMEN OF THE YEAR CONTEST (explanation elsewhere). It is recommended that theatremen save complete annual consecutively numbered files of these EXPLOITATION sections, and on the last page of each issue will be found a complete cumulative index for the preceding 12 months. Address all communications and submissions to the Editors of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, 246-48 N. Clarion St., Philadelphia 7, Pa. Individual ACHIEVEMENT CITATIONS have been issued tor each of these: CIVIC-CLUBS Number 27 Selling the Ladies on “Separate Tables” THEATRE: State, ADDRESS: Sioux Falls, S. D. MANAGER: Cliff Knoll In addition to our regular advertising we tried our best to sell the women and teenage girls on United Artists’ “Separate Tables.” One of the most important phases in our campaign was a screening. We arranged to hold this for a selected group of women and teenage girls eight days prior to opening. In getting this grouo we wanted as much ad¬ vance no cost publicity as possible so we went to radio station KSOO’s Ray Loftesness and television station KELO’s Murray Steward and worked with them. Both of these boys agreed to pitch their listeners and viewers for four days before telling them how they were going to give 100 invitations away for our screening. At the end of the four day pitch we sent out personalized in¬ vitations as though from the radio and TV boys to the 200 ladies that requested they wanted to see the picture. Throughout the entire campaign we tried to flatter the ladies making them realize that they set the pattern and taste of the nation for nearly everything, including motion pic¬ ture entertainment. At the screening Loftesness and Steward were hosts and served the ladies coffee. Con¬ tinuing our flattering, these boys made a brief welcome announcement before the pic¬ ture started and told the ladies how important they were to the industry and asked them to fill out comment cards they were handed when they entered the theatre. Not only did we use these comment cards in advance and current newspaper advertis¬ ing, but we took the best ones and made sign-show counter cards using copy as “Read what Mrs. Joe Doe, 1201 Lake Street, says about ‘Separate Tables.’ We succeeded in getting these in top locations on counters and at check stands. In our newspaper ads we bannered with “We saw it . . . and liked it!” followed by local comments. The opening ad continued to flatter our ladies and carried the copy “The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sci¬ ences PROVES that 250 Sioux Falls preview ladies can’t be wrong by nominating this picture for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture Of The Year.” Continuing our pitch to the fairer sex, we offered a free rose, “compliments of the stars,” to the first 100 ladies who attended opening day. This information was carried in our newspaper ads and the radio spots. DO SAVE . . . EXPLOITATION Published at every-second-week in¬ tervals these classified and indexed promotional stunts are cumulatively numbered and indexed, and are punched for permanent filing. Estab¬ lish your own encyclopedia on ex¬ ploitation! Columbia's "H-Mon" horror trailer, currently touring 36 cities in eight states to exploit the science fiction film, is seen in Grand Rapids, Mich., prior to the engagement at the Vista Drive-In. B. KIDS' MATINEES Number 37 Shaggy Dog Given Away For “Shaggy Dog THEATRE: RKO Proctor’s, ADDRESS: New Rochelle, N. Y. MANAGER: Arthur Koch A real, live “shaggy dog” was given away as first prize in a coloring contest we held in connection with our recent showing of Walt Disney’s “The Shaggy Dog.” Twenty five honored guest tickets went to runnersup. The local newspaper published a mat which was a scene from the picture. Copy was run in our regular ad in advance tell¬ ing the youngsters to watch for this picture, color it and send to the theatre manager. The policy of the paper does not permit them to run contests or co-operative advertising. Therefore it was up to the theatre to carry the ball on this give-away. Copy was carried in our advance ads calling attention to the doggie prize and also to see the lobby for further details. Cards placed in an empty store window next to the theatre and in the pet shop attracted a great deal of attention. A goodly number of entries were received. The cost of holding the contest was one inch of advertising space over our regular budget and two display cards, for a total of $5.50. The puppy was promoted from a local pet shop. D MERCHANTS Number 60 Grass Roots Stunt for Grass Cutters THEATRE: Fort Wayne Drive-In, ADDRESS: Fort Wayne, Ind. MANAGER: Glen Allen On a recent Sunday we held a gigantic lawn mower show and used lawn mower auction in front of our drive-in. This, of course, was run through the co¬ operation of a local dealer, who offered as prizes an 18 inch Jacobsen Turbo-Vac Power Mower; an electric lawn trimmer; and a 40 pound bag of Thrive fertilizer each hour. We gave away 25 free passes to the drive-in. To win you had to register. No purchase was necessary and you did not have to be present to win. The stunt afforded people the chance to see 50 models of power mowers in operation — plus a chance to trade in their old mower or purchase q used mower at their own price. After a trade, the trade-in mower was sold on the spot, and if the mower sold for more than the trade-in price, the seller received the difference. We urged those interested to bring the family to see the lawn mower show and auc¬ tion in the afternoon and stay and see the show at night. The concessions stand was open, of course, and we did a sprightly business. There were several clowns on hand to amuse and the playground was open for the kids. E~ I SCHOOl TIE-UPS Number 15 Ideal Nurse Contest THEATRE: Broadway, ADDRESS: Eccles, Manchester, England MANAGER: A. L. Cullimore In connection with our recent showing of the English-made comedy, “Carry On Nurse” we ran a contest to find the area’s ideal nurse in six hospitals in the district. Five weeks before playdate entry forms were circulated to patients in the six hos¬ pitals and also distributed from the theatre. Four thousand entry forms were distributed in all and the cooperation of the matrons in all the hospitals concerned was really ex¬ cellent. The winner received a 15 day air holiday to Costa Brava, Spain, which was promoted from a travel agency; hotel accommodation provided by a local paper; a dress; a week¬ end case; a pair of shoes; complete hair re¬ styling; and a portrait photograph of herself — all promoted from local merchants; as well as a 12 months free pass to the theatre and ballroom. These merchants also subscribed to a co¬ operative ad in the local paper, the total of which, including a write-up on the contest and the picture, amounted to a full page. An attractive display of the prizes was erected in the main foyer of the theatre and above this was a poster, 11 ft. x nine ft., giving full details of what the winning Ideal Nurse would receive and also plugging the film playdate. Five of the co-operating firms had promi¬ nent window displays which informed pa¬ trons of the contest and playdate. Newspaper publicity received was consider¬ able with a story and photo of the winner appearing in the Manchester Evening Chroni¬ cle, which has a circulation of over 1,000,000 copies daily.