The Exhibitor (1961)

#98 of a regular every-week EDITORIAL FEATURE found only in this trade paper "How I Would Sell . . . LOVER COME BACK The following outline is the actual campaign on just what is being done on the World Premiere showing in Miami of “LOVER COME BACK,” opening in four theatres on Feb. 8. The premiere activities cover a period of three days, Feb. 6, 7, and 8. Before getting to the specific outline, w^ feel there’s no doubt about it, exhibitors have three magic words for top box office grosses in “LOVER COME BACK.” We don’t believe there’s a showman who isn’t waiting or hoping to play this colorful romantic comedy. Special prevue audiences have hailed it as “funnier than ‘Pillow Talk .” We’ve screened it many times and we agree with them . . . here’s a guaranteed smash hit that is great entertainment and deserves your top selling effort. This campaign is necessarily slanted for selling in the Miami market. However, Miami is a “key'’ city in the distribution of important motion pictures, and our population is cosmopoli¬ tan, so we believe merchandising ideas outlined are flexible, and can be adapted to both metropolitan and small situations. We cover the field in what we call an umbrella campaign in media and promotional activity for this important Universal International Golden Anniversary production, their first for 1962. U-l Laugh Riot Starring Team Of "Pillow Talk" An Exclusive SHOWMANALYSIS Prepared by HOWARD W. PETTENGILL, Director of Advertising and Publicity Florida State Theatres, Miami, Fla. ABOUT THE AUTHOR • Howard W. Pettengill started his motion picture career as an usher in 1923 for the Paramount Publix Circuit. He worked his way up to his first managerial assignment in Haverhill, Mass., at the age of 21. Through 1939, he was a city manager for Warner Brothers Theatres in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and the following year served with Schine Theatres in New York State. He entered the ad-pub field with Paramount in Miami, and in 1941 opened the fabulous Beach, Miami Beach, the last managerial post he has held. He organized the ad-pub de¬ partment for Florida State Theatres in Jacksonville and was di¬ rector through 1955. He currently is based in Miami, is married, and boasts three children and five grandchildren. U-I advertising and promotion boys have come out with a great array of selling aids and ideas in their press material. The press book offers four pages of stories on the stars and production that can be adapted for local use, plenty of variety in scene mat selection for art breaks, along with special art layouts for fashion editors of newspapers and magazines. Also included are what to do and how to do with promotions of records, sheet music, paper back book, and selling aids in radio-tv, teaser trailers, and fashion tieins. We recommend that you check it carefully to set your plan, then follow it. We put teaser trailer on the screen four weeks ahead of playdate. We ll use the production trailer two weeks ahead. Teaser trailers are also running in other theatres we operate in the area as cross-plugs for the premiere engagement. Both the teaser and the production trailers do a great job of selling. We recommend their use in advance. Lobby displays were developed from the standard three sheet cut out and mounted as an easel display. Additional 8x10 stills with comedy sequences were mounted, and we added the copy about the “Pillow Talk” team together again. In addition, we have a special 40x60 color blowup of Tony R mdall in the lobbies announcing his in person, on stage PA with the premiere. EDiE ADAMS is the VIP Girl from the film, and theatremen can garner plenty of space and attention by initiating a fun-fi!led search for their own local VIP Girl. February 7, 1962 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 17