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July 2 7, 19 3 5
MOTION PICTURE HERALD
13
CAMPAIGNS FOR SPECIAL AUDIENCES FOUND ROAD TO INCREASED PROFITS
Public Relations Experts oi Distributors Say Millions in Revenue Await Exhibitors Tying In on Special Appeal Filnns
Millions in potential revenue are to be collected by exhibitors by carefully cultivating the patronage of elements in the community who demand socalled better films, and pictures of special appeal, in the opinion of some of the public relations experts in the industry who have observed box-office reaction to campaigns directed at these prospective theatregoers. It is emphasized that to make patrons out of these prospects the exhibitor must use advertising and publicity methods off the beaten path.
Many theatre men, say advertising promotion directors, fail to take into account that certain classes attend a film theatre only when there is a picture that interests them, and that these must be sought out and informed when there is on exhibition a picture to their liking.
Distributors Specialize Campaigns
Such distributors as Radio, Paramount, Warner, MGM, United Artists, Universal, Republic, are taking these factors into consideration when building campaigns on certain pictures, and where the product is found suitable for this sort of handling extraordinary methods are employed. One method commonly used is the School Study Guide. It is recognized that those who pick their entertainment with high discrimination are not susceptible to every-day campaigns. And it is emphasized by those who have charted the results of specially-directed advertising and publicity messages that they have proved good box-office.
There are, in fact, three tangible results cited :
1. Such campaigns develop a keener appreciation of the better motion pictures as a medium for entertainment and educational and cultural advancement — an appeal, incidentally, over which certain groups voice enthusiasm.
2. They enhance the Institutional prestige of the screen,
3. They develop closer relations between the exhibitor and Important community forces; they bring him In contact with special groups, all to the benefit of his goodwill and box-office.
The elements to which the exhibitor must direct his special campaign are the various social organizations and clubs, church leaders, schools and the like.
Warner has retained Dr. Richard Burton, literary authority, to contact special groups in a campaign on "A Midsummer Night's Dream." MGM has sent an elaborate booklet to 35,000 teachers, noting educational points in 1935-36 product^
In the home office of the RKO Distributing Corporation in New York is an index file of results on showings to which exhibitors have given the extra effort needed to bring the
more discriminating into the theatre. A typical case is that of "The Little Minister," on which Frank Fielding, who contacts the different groups in the field, reports as follows :
Bronxyh^le, N. Y., : "Little Minister" grossed within 10 per cent of "Little Women" and "Roberta" and above all other films.
SuFFERN, N. Y. : The film grossed higher than all except "Little Women," which ran twice as long, despite snow blocked roads. The big draw primarily was due to high school interest aroused by an essay contest.
East Orange, N. J. : The head of the English department in the local high school arranged for whole classes to attend with no price cut. Gross was 20 per cent higher than "Little Women" and 225 per cent greater than the average special.
MoRRiSTOWN, N. J. : "Little Minister" played here four months after release and after all adjacent spots, instead of the usual protection because of delayed signing of contract. The theatre turned patrons away on Saturday matinee and had the largest gross of any RKO picture playing three days.
Mr. Fielding represents the company's New York exchange in working with local exhibitors on campaigns of this sort, following up with local groups in a more direct way than could be done through the contacts maintained nationally by RKO. That company has pioneered in public relations activities designed to benefit the box office, and for the last two years has maintained activity under the direction of Leon J. Bamberger, sales promotion manager.
Called "Tremendous Force"
Creative campaigns of this nature are a "tremendous force" in obtaining support for fine pictures that otherwise would fail commercially, Mr. Bamberger said.
"The influence of public relations activities on the box office is one of those intangibles almost impossible to measure," he explained. "However, we can draw certain deductions from the figures of general motion picture attendance and from statistics on the total potential motion picture audience unemployed.
"In 1929 and 1930 it was generally conceded that the average weekly motion picture attendance in the United States approximated 115,000,000 people. In the two ensuing years that figure dropped to somewhere between 55,000,000 and 60,000,000. There is no reason to believe that this marked decrease in attendance was caused by any factor other than loss of employment, and the general depression.
"The American Federation of Labor says the amount of unemployment has remained almost constant since 1929. Motion picture attendance, in contrast, has made steady gains every year since 1931. It would be hazardous to guess whether the weekly attendance at the present time is 77,000,000 or 85,000,000.
"It is reasonable, I believe, to attempt to seek an explanation of this increase in theatre attendance, other than a return of part of the fan audience which unemployment and poverty took away from the theatres.
"What actually has happened Is that the Increase has come almost entirely from an element of the population which, up to 1931, had sought Its entertainment elsewhere than at 'the movies.'
"Our function has been to reach the more cultured people who would appreciate fine entertainment, through channels other than those normally developed by our publicity and advertising departments. That we have somewhat succeeded in doing this is evident from
Big Gains in Receipts Recorded After Directional Drives at Connmunity Groups; School Study Guides Also a Factor
the change in the character of mail we have received. It is not only that the suggestions sent ill with regard to new productions ask for a higher type of drama, but criticism and appreciation alike evidence an interest in the treatment of story material, and in the direction.
"Letters on pictures which have lent themselves to this type of treatment have been sent to the General Federation of Women's Clubs, alone representing 3,000,000 women in the United States; to the national Catholic, Protestant and Jewish organizations ; to groups interested in child welfare, and so on.
Where Ordinary Advertising Fails
"The success of these campaigns depends largely on the tieup of the local theatre with the local branches of these organizations. The value of an endorsement we get from the national headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America, or Girl Scouts, the Junior League, YWCA or other typical groups depends on the extent to which the local exhibitor brings this endorsement to the attention of the local groups and gets their cooperation in word of mouth or other advertising. In turn, the extent to which local theatre men capitalize on their opportunity depends on the emphasis our publicity men and sales forces in the field place upon it."
"It has been found," continued Mr. Bamberger, "that many fail to react to the usual type of theatre advertising, especially since in so many instances the name of a book or play is changed and the title gives no inkling of the nature of the picture."
Many of the RKO branch managers follow through locally on what is started by the home office in the way of direct campaigns, Mr. Bamberger said. As examples he said that Fred McNamee in Philadelphia makes it a point to address the Women's Forum coincidentally with the release of a suitable picture, and that Jack Osserman in Chicago, Stan Jacques in Cincinnati and T. R. Thompson in Kansas City, among others, make special efforts to inform local groups.
School Study Guides Prepared
He said that M. A. Lightman of Malco The_atres_ in Memphis has been highly successful in this respect, working hand-in-glove with the Better Films Council, which represents 79 club groups, 11 Catholic schools, 14 private schools, the DAR and Catholic women's organizations. Monthly approved film lists are posted^ in the schools and libraries, and the Council is so organized that within a few hours it can reach 10,000 Memphis homes by means of a chain telephone system, if prompt action in support of a showing is needed.
Indicative of RKO's special campaigns is that 615,000 bulletins have been sent out to various groups and community leaders on 11 selected pictures on the 1934-35 release schedule, averaging 12,000 letters a week on special letter heads. Signed comments by preview groups or motion picture chairmen usually are attached. The size and direction of the campaigns vary with the picture, depending on whether it is a family type program, educational, historical and so on. School study guides prepared by the National Education Association have been distributed through high school English departments on various pictures.