Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

52 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE July 3 1, 1943 The Selling Approach ON NEW PRODUCT [The material below reflects press books now in preparation and represents the point of view of the distributors' exploiteers about the selling points and special merit of these pictures.~\ THE CONSTANT NYMPH (Warner Bros.): Boyer is naturally the approach to all women. In his characterization of Lewis Dodd from the novel by Margaret Kennedy and Basil Dean, he will be extra attractive to the girls. The feminine stars and particularly Alexis Smith are the big inducements for the men. The ads play up the unusual love story and revamped to meet individual tastes will be effective. There is a special set of mats which some newspapers will go for on a six-day story-in-picture promotion. Bookstore and florist tieups are appropriate. There is a ten-photo mat showing Boyer kissing Alexis which can be utilized as an excellent accordion throwaway. Contests are suggested by searching for a local "Constant Nymph" representing either competition between factories or as a community stunt. The local newspaper may go along on this. Accessories are attractive and suitable for lobby and marquee displays. Warners have also substituted a novel bus-car card in place of the jumbo size window cards usually available. For some reason the distributor has neglected to stress the fine musical background of the picture and showmen may use this as a means of attracting music lovers to the box office. Magazine Sniping Helps Exploit "Wings Up" In connection with the opening of "Wings Up" at the Poli theatre in Norwich, Conn., Gertrude L. Tracy tied in with a local publisher's agent for the sniping of 150 copies of the July issue of Stardom. Window and counter displays were landed in three locations and the news trucks were appropriately bannered. In addition copies of the July Modem Screen magazines were also sniped. Stories and art were landed on Gable in the local newspapers. A 40 x 60 display was planted in the lobby one week in advance of the opening. HEAVEN CAN WAIT (Twentieth CenturyFox): A real good title, Ernst Lubitsch at his best, an excellent cast and a spicy story with smart, breezy comedy blending into a sentimental finale are the ingredients of a good campaign. The title alone has tremendous exploitation possibilities and can readly be adapted to publicity breaks, window and co-op ads of every description, teaser ads and outside ballyhoos or floats. We like particularly the thought of a Devil predominating over the Axis partners labeled "Heaven Can Wait," etc. For displays there are the keyhole or peekbox ideas, and lithos are excellent for cutouts. A large part of the story takes place during the "Gay Nineties," and showmen can revive numerous stunts along this pattern. Promotions may also be worked out along "birthday" lines, as many incidents in the story plot revolve around this theme. Lubitsch fans will be delighted with his latest effort, which fact can be stressed in display ads and stories. The distributor has discarded the ads which were first intended for use and supplemented a complete new set based on the comedy and spicy nature of the vehicle. The distributor also suggests the use of "Angel" gags and review contests. Kleper's Street Ballyhoo A street stopper for his date on "They Came to Blow Up America" was used by Sid Kleper at the Poli, in New Haven, Conn. Two lads carried a giant compo board sky-rocket about town appropriately lettered. It was carried about town on the main streets by two alleged undercover men, dressed in long capes and slouch hats. Conner Aids W.A.C. Co-operating in a local drive to recruit members for the W. A. C. in Madison, Wisconsin, M. Connor, of the Capital there erected a booth in the lobby and surrounded it with displays on coming hits. Identification Contest Opens "Crash Dive1' To launch his date on "Crash Dive" at the Keith theatre in Syracuse, N. Y., Jack Flex staged a ship identification contest, which featured silhouette sketches of various types of ships used by the U. S. Navy. Contestants were asked to identify the ships pictured and to write a brief story on the duties each type of ship performs. War Bonds and Stamps were used as the main prizes. Another contest was run in which entrants were required to build miniature submarine models, all entries were on display in the lobby during the week of the engagement. War Bonds were given here, too, as prizes with Naval officers acting as judges. A Navy recruiting station was set up in the lobby in advance and during the run of the picture, with the personnel of the local recruiting station in constant attendance. A display was borrowed from the Sampson Naval Base and a special 40 by 60 board used with newspaper tearsheets containing stories on the late Commander Howard Gilmore, who ordered his submarine to dive even though he lay wounded on the ship deck. A dummy torpedo was made by Flex' stage crew, appropriately lettered with picture title and hung from the marquee. A War Bond Booth was erected for the sidewalk in front of the theatre, urging citizens to purchase bonds to supply ships and armament and the local sea Scouts paraded with banners. Warplant Employees See "Bataan" Opening During the showing of "Bataan" at Loew's Broad, in Columbus, Ohio, Hubert N. Scott arranged with the publicity manager of the CurtissWright warplant there to have as many of their employees see the picture as possible. So impressed was the j manager with the picture, that he was eager to have the workers witness the film and each was admitted to the theatre merely on presentation of their badges. Curtiss paid for each admission and more than 1,200 workers took advantage of the arrangement. Rennie Lands Co-op Page On "Human Comedy" Orville Rennie at the Paramount theatre, in Cedar Rapids, la., recently landed a full cooperative ad page in a "hard-to-crack" daily. A ribbon head across the top read "What the Macauleys Would Do If They Lived in Cedar Rapids." Each merchant's ad carried a thumb nail cut of one of the characters in the picture with appropriate tiein copy. Four merchants' ads were fea j tured and the center of the page was devoted entirely to the theatre ad, which included a rave review on the preview of the picture. Paper "Bombs" Drop from Sky As part of the campaign for "Bombardier" at Warners' Stanton theatre, Philadelphia, Irving Blumberg, circuit publicity director, had 50,000 paper "bombs" dropped by six planes flying over the city. The "bombs" carried copy seeking enlistments for aviation cadet training, while the reverse side plugged the showing of the picture at the Stanton. "BLIND DATE" This radio program, so successfully sponsored by Maxwell House Coffee, is the exclusive property of Mr. Joe Floyd of Sioux Falls, S. D. All inquiries regarding same should be addressed to his representative, Tom Wallace Radio Productions, 605 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.