Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1936)

November 2 8, 19 3 6 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 105 QUICLEY OCTOBER AWARD "FIRSTS" CREATE BOXOFFICE EXPLOITATIONS Showmen Voted Certificates of First Mention Obtain Wide Coverage on Entries; Papers and Merchants Cooperate All in all, Dan Krendel listed over 50 different things done on his second-run holdover date for "Godfrey" at the Tivoli, Toronto, managing to get himself a lot of smart promotional publicity where it did the most good. For instance, his cooperative advertising tieins included more than half the entire space used by top clothing store, the tieup copy reading: "Two Things You Should See," referring to the picture and a showing at the store of new styles. Illustrated by a cut of Powell, the ad was made more important with the offer that guest tickets would be given the first 10 people presenting the ads at the store. For a millinery store, cuts of the women stars were used as types to illustrate the types of hats advertised, copy advising readers to see the picture and decide their own type. Florist used cut of Powell, "saying it with flowers." First-Time Broadcast Planted Radio promotions were topped with a 15minute broadcast on an important radio program, "Tea Time Topics," the period given over to doormen's and ushers' experiences at the Tivoli, winding up with a strong plug for the picture. First time this spot has ever been crashed by a local theatre, says Krendel. Date was also given generous mention for two consecutive days on another popular studio program and on leading period sponsored by chain grocer, it was announced that numbered copies of the chain's news sheets would be distributed and those holding sheets containing the 50 numbers posted in the theatre lobby would be given guest tickets. As the grocers print 75,000 of these dodgers regularly for houseto-house circulation, the tiein was held highly, especially since the advertiser paid for everything. Distributors of the "Monopoly" game were tied in for window cards showing Powell and Alice Brady playing the game between scenes and a contest was tied in to the showing wherein entry blanks containing the same cut were made up with Powell referring to the similarity of the game and the picture, prizes given for those sending in the best answers given by Alice Brady. Space was left below for the answers with name and address of entrant to be left at the theatre. Street Stunt Attracts Many ace windows were obtained by cards using the tiein shots of the principals plugging the various merchandise with the same idea carried out in heralds and similar advertising. Full windows with star and scene enlargements were prominent. Featured street stunt for the benefit of overthe-shoulder peepers was put on by providing every member of the house staff with a press book heavily lettered on covers with Krendel' s "Godfrey" Street Book Stunt title and theatre playdates, for use on street cars. When the book was held up in reading position (see photo) curiosity did the rest. For the holdover advertising, in addition to many of the ideas listed here, Krendel made up special illustrated cards with "don't say we didn't warn you" copy and these were placed in all cars within a half-mile of local stadium during important football game. Straight newspaper advertising was supplemented by free publicity in nine suburban papers, displays running 250 lines with cut of principals. Limerick and Coloring Contests Feature Young's "Things" Campaign Topping in all over 600 inches of free publicity in the Glasgow papers, the campaign put over by C. R. Young, general manager, on "Things to Come" at the Paramount, in the Scotch metropolis corralled a lot of attention through two contests sponsored by two leading dailies in conjunction One of Young's Window Tieupi Smart Promotions Arranged by Dan Krendel, C. R. Young and Dick Warner; Winners Listed from Three Countries with the theatre. The first, aimed for the adults, was a last line limerick idea with a number of main prizes promoted from neighborhood merchants and theatre tickets for runners-up, plus copies of the Wells book. Paper broke front page and ran continuous daily publicity crediting theatre and attraction for two full weeks, each story including four lines of the limerick contest with prizes given . for the best last line. Prizes were shown in the lobby and the competition stimulated by posters, trailers, etc. For further buildup, the paper published three special contents bills on the contest which are posters carried by newsboys to advertise headline news. Presentation of prizes was made by popular local woman star, photo carried by cooperating paper and total number of entries was reported to be nearlv 9,000. Coloring Contests for Children The coloring contest for children also offered main prizes, these including model tanks and aeroplanes copied from those in the picture. Many consolation awards were also made. Special contents bill and heralds printed by the paper, placed in copies of the theatre program, brought added attention. Preview for all local clergymen was widely publicized with various of those attending using the theme of the picture for sermons advertised in church bulletins and newspaper copy. Top windows with styles in the mode of the picture proved attractive, among these a furniture display bringing newspaper comment which also had to do with similar displays. Stores cooperating took special ads for further buildup. Newspaper, poster and general lobby campaign was in keeping . with the rest of Young's effective drive on the date. Warner's House Staff Constructs Elaborate Front for "Ziegfeld" Since the house does not employ a regular artist, the front constructed for "Ziegfeld" at the Bison, Shawnee, Okla. (see photo), by Manager Dick Warner and members of his staff was of a high standard and received the attention it richly deserved. All but the lettering layout of the lettering and the stars was done by the personnel. Entire front of plywood was covered with brilliant orange pebble cloth bordered with black moulding, and everything on the front was three-dimensional. Letterheads and stars were constructed by cutting two faces and separating them with six-inch pieces of blind stop, edges covered with strips of old window cards. Letters were covered with Tex-tone which while still wet was imbedded with pieces of broken mirror. Star names were painted black and (Continued on following page, third column)