The Exhibitor (1960)

/ WHtr4 HfwS SUNt^y JtA«0**ftTlMlV KJW >tD>Olg. MAtt, WtAICH Station Will Give You Prizes for Pi RADIO PROGRAMS ' Xetitvf A»>rib !WS»>< <«•* •»«« ». ';sr^>98«w?< n«i-r raws. >■ ;» H, «,«<»« »» _ WViA*-l « Vir *5 }! i« roiKh co«T«T who Will Win If >» Ostof w* rtf Predirf^ 52000 Pi| Ji»A , «*♦ , KT*^l CA”*-’’ AaI **, MANY EXHIBITORS have found tieing in with local newspapers for an ACADEMY AWARDS contest a fine way to reap public interest, with prizes promoted from local merchants. Let's All Vote on Oscars It r«i|:bt b« /un lo try picicls^ iht ''Otcat ' wloo<ri in your own Kving ;room$. jart far kickSs ... ■ . , The CiRdim*f| Po*t »r<I Tim*5'S?ar hat pr«ipitf«d * ballot far ytjaf pi«sur« is categories which ttstiaUy raise the Interest. Just marls: it ahead of ttme »b4 see how riost you came lo winatag. BEST nm iAllNtlKJHAME . iCAT ON A HOT TIN’ ROOK , . , ,THE DEFIANT ONES ;OfOJ . ISEPARATB TABLES . .i.> DEBORAH KERR ‘Separate ‘ TablM . O BEST StlfEOSTlNG * ACTBESS SHtW.EY M»iLA!NE 'Some pgcCY CASS CAunUt □ Ciine Rwuiinsi . C sj^mei . D RO&AUNn RUSSELL WENDY WU«( (Sepjrtle '■■. (AoDlie Marne) . H Tables) ... . '■' EUEARETK TAYUJR lC«t *'’''*‘oS^S2iSr“ on • Hot Tin Rstld . -JSSt j BEST ACTOR '‘‘‘‘'iaT iik Tin KSl a.);_,^uR^''sYjy^|§TON " ^ *"^^.‘’***0 »*^S»'^’«'^'«*««».CARA"w!jSAMSm. " iPAL-L NEWMAN tCat on a THEODORE BlKEL <Tl»e i DeRant Qaeel . 0. i Hot Tin RoeO . D DeBimt Oaee) ...C rfvtmuw '^^**^'* ,.. LEE J. COBB ^The Brothers ‘ i tables) . . Karamazov) C ALMOSr IN YOLR ARKS iSSJNEY FOTTIBR <Th« -rv *■ -Houseboat) . . D Decant Ones) . C 8LRL IVES ‘The Big a CERTAIN SMILE SPENCEB TRACY iThe Old Country) .-. . O! /A Certain Smile) . C 1 Mao aoil Die Smi . C KBKNEW !Soir.« . G. I BEaTACTRKS : Cao.. Rnn-njl) ■ • C ™ 'Si ; A VERY PRECIOUS LOVE . .n< Marjocie-Morninfstar* ifiUSAN HAVWARD U Want GIG YOUNG tTewhefa to Uvt) . C PfO . ^ -. ^ . ABOVE, a typical ballot form carried by many newspapers prior to ACADEMY AWARDS night results in a lively election and much word of mouth publicity. BELOW, regular movie listings in the local press should carry advance men¬ tion of the "Oscar" ceremonies for some time, with the copy changed on April 4 to read "TONIGHT." ‘ALwMr show oh rtumwR mohct mom abw atm NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIES atitiuu i«OH» In my own instance, last year we joined hands with all the theatre managers of this and the two adjacent counties in northern New jersey to bring out the first newspaper section devoted to promotion ol the ACADEMY AWARDS and the building up ot the industry and its product in general. Already, well in advance of the 1960 ACADEMY AWARDS, we have the second annual edition underway, with enlarged participation by exhibitors, cooperating merchants, and the distributors. Such an issue is not exactly new, but in the Metropolitan New York area it had never been tried. Its success last year has encouraged us to undertake this as a yearly proposition, and we look forward to a minimum of 12 full pages in a section devoted entirely to the promotion of the ACADEMY AWARD Program and the tieing in at the local level with all our theatres. Having approached this from an industry stand¬ point, rather than as a circuit promotion, we have been sup¬ ported more strongly by the newspaper involved and also have gotten all our brothers in the business under the tent of one all-consuming promotional campaign, which is for our mutual benefit! We would strongly endorse your working towards the same end in your area, if at all possible. If your city is large enough, perhaps you can put over such a special movie section in your local paper. If more support is needed, then by all means take in the entire county— or even the state, if that seems more advantageous in isolated instances! The big thing is to remember tliis should he an (iU-iii(Jiisfn/ event. NEWSPAPERS Since time will probably prev^ent your start this year of such a project prior to April 4, the next step would he to set the stage for such an edition next year by a partial co\^erage in the 1960 sweepstakes! The ACADEMY AWARDS Program is NEWS, whicli means that your editors have already begun thinking of cover¬ ing the event in response to demand from the reading public. It is for YOU to condition them in giving even greater cover¬ age and tieing in your localized efforts. Newspapers and merchants must he made to realize the economic position of the theatre industry and your local theatres as they affect business in the community. Everyone wants something-for-nothing (if such a thing exists) and in promoting a “guessing-contest” in your local newspaper as to the probable ACADEMY AWARD winners, you are latching onto a great potential for building interest. Tease it up with advance ads and readers! (The newspaper will probably give you this space cost-free if you tie in with them appropriately). As a fair trade, we publicized our special movie section, including the name and date of pub¬ lication of the local paper, on the screens of all the participat¬ ing theatres. Even without a special section, you could do something along this line to promote a “guessing contest.” To make the contest more interesting, some really im¬ portant prizes must be put up. Last year all the theatres inv'olved chipped in to put up a $100, $50 and $25 Government Rond, pins season passes and trip passes to the rimners-iip. It is most important that yon have a tie-breaker for this con¬ test, as there will he many correct lists and you might other¬ wise find yourself in a real predicament deciding the winners without getting involved in a “lottery” drawing. We inserted a final clause, “Contestants must answer in 25 words or less why they considered the top picture the winner.” And, of course, if yon can promote the prizes from outside you are that much better off! IN-THEATRE ACTIVITIES National Screen’s trailer should, of course, be used, and tied in with it several frames localizing the campaign by 14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR March 2, I960