Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1936)

102 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 28, 1936 More Christmas Slants and Stunts (Continued from preceding page) Licking the Annua P re-Christmas Slump How Tri-States Theatres Have Turned "Red" Into "Black" by JOSEPH KINSKY District Manager, Tri-States Theatres One of the proudest achievements of our circuit during the last two years is the way in which we have licked what we thought were the "unbeatable" pre-Christmas and Lenten slumps. As a result of our activity, originally inspired by our general manager, G. Ralph Branton, these "worst weeks of show business" have been turned in to big profit weeks for our houses — and we are not so much concerned about business in the so-called bad weeks as we are with many of the supposed "big" weeks. While what we write about here is typical of the activity in all three districts of TriStates, we can, of course, tell only what we plan here in our district — and since it is such a short time until Christmas we thought that right now would be the time to let our fellow exhibitors know what we are doing to lick the Pre-Christmas slump. While this district is comprised of the cities of Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Davenport in Iowa, and Rock Island and Moline, in Illinois, we'll concern ourselves in this article only with our activities in Davenport, Moline and Rock Island, the three adjoining cities where five of our houses are located, as what we are doing in these towns is typical of the activity in our other towns. First, let us explain that our Davenport, Rock Island and Moline theatres are affiliated with the Quad-City Theatre Managers' Association, an organization of 16 theatres, both circuit and independent, located in these three cities and also in East Moline, Illinois, united for the common good of the entire group. Elaborate Giveaways Planned Last year this group of theatres sponsored two mass giveaways — one on December 4th of nearly a $1,000 worth of household appliances, and one on December 18th of a Ford V8. The grosses piled up on these two giveaways more than made up for any loss of business due to Christmas shopping. These giveaways, plus other activities that brought in extra revenue, gave our circuit's theatres record weeks — and we believe we are safe in saying that the independent houses enjoyed similar success. This year we are going in for giveaways on a more elaborate scale. We have already promoted, for the association, three new 1937 Ford V8 sedans to be given away on December 17th, 21st and 22nd — one each night. These giveaway nights — combined with our regular Bank Nights on December 16th and 23rd — assure all of our theatres of what will probably be the peak grosses of the entire year — with the result that we are not concerned whatsoever about any slump in business previous to Christmas. Lest exhibitors may think that our theatres here in a quad-cities are "giveaway crazy," we should like to remind everyone that one of the main purposes of the QuadCity Theatre Managers' Association is not to promote excessive giveaways — but to eliminate them. To this end, we have concentrated on a weekly Bank Night conducted on a cooperative basis in all 16 theatres the same night — and that is the only giveaway of any kind in any of the affiliated theatres. There are no "dish nights," "country store nights," etc. However, we do step out during occasional periods when we feel our grosses are threatened. For example, on election night, November 4th, a night when our grosses sink to almost the level of Christmas Eve, we gave away a new 1937 $1,050 Buick sedan. Grosses in many of the houses on election night were as much as four times average — and there wasn't a theatre that didn't at least double its average business. This in spite of the fact that many of the managers believed that election night was unbeatable in cities like these. Operating Expenses Cut Now — speaking only for our own TriStates houses — we will further attempt to bolster our pre-Christmas profits by cutting our operating expenses to a minimum. From the middle of October until Christmas our managers keep their eyes open for ways and means of cutting expenses for the week before Christmas — especially advertising. Several of the houses in past years have succeeded in slashing their advertising expenses in this week by as much as 50 per cent, and one house last year spent nothing for advertising. In spite of these slashed advertising expenditures most of the boys come up with campaigns that outdo some of the weeks when they request special budgets. This is usually because they have promoted space from the newspapers that will take care of their advertising for the week in great shape. Another thing that we did last year — and will do this year — is open our Christmas picture on Christmas Eve instead of on Christmas Day. This gives us a new picture, and quite a little extra business, by luring many that would ordinarily stay at home out to see the opening of a new attraction. While our business is far from good on Christmas Eve — it is about double what we ordinarily would have if we didn't open with the new picture. Several of our managers have been successful in past years in running one or two special kids' shows on the Saturday before Christmas and one other day before holiday. However, this year we may abandon these special performances since Christmas falls on Friday — a rather bad spot for us to instill any advance interest in special shows. This pretty well covers our pre-Christmas activities in this district — and all we can say is that if other exhibitors get across this rough spot as well as we expect to — it will really be a Merry Christmas for all. Conner's Holiday Lobby Decoration Conner Builds Toy Shop For Lobby Display Accompanying photo showing Christmas lobby display used last year and constructed by Marlowe Conner, Grove Theatre, Chicago, 111., is being hauled out of the moth balls this Christmas. House was built entirely of compoboard and bracing lumber. Only cost was the lumber, as it was designed and built by Marlowe with the aid of a couple of ushers and his assistant. Toys were promoted and given away at the Christmas party. Manufacturers' Christmas Parties Will Be Repeated by Martin With the plants of many famed national advertisers in South Bend, Ind., Guy Martin is going to town on a number of manufacturers' parties where the plants take over the Colfax Theatre and give special shows for employees and their children free of charge. Theatre receives flat rental, furnishes program, house staff, etc., and company contributes toys, candies, etc. Similar hookup is also set for the Palace, in South Bend, the house rented to Sears-Roebuck for a party in conjunction with bicycle club. Giveaways will be featured at both theatres. Car cost promoted from 12 stores will be offered two days ahead with patrons registering all day for the drawing and a telephone hookup arranged for both houses so patrons in both spots can follow proceedings. Radio, refrigerator, fur coat giveaways are also set. Another ticket-selling idea is a hookup with such organizations as Elks, Eagles, Woodmen, etc., with two tickets offered each member selling a punch-board. Proceeds of the punch-board sale go to the local fund for the needy and theatre receives full price for all tickets offered on the board as prizes. Martin says that last year the Elks put out over 1,000 boards in South Bend alone. Guy's Pop Eye Club, recently described (Continued on following page)