Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1944)

Exploiting the New Films HE HAIRY APE Joseph Samartano, at Loew's State, Province. R. I., with his assistants, Vince Aldert .d Miss E. Stenzel, promoted Frank's, one of e leading beauty salons for a co-op ad featurg a still of Susan Hayward on which the eatre playdate was prominently displayed, ne chief librarian of the public library system is contacted and arrangements were made for •sters and stills to be placed in prominent ot5 in all branch libraries. Other tieups included one with Shepherd's partment store for a complete window disiv featuring Eugene O'Neill books; another th "The Book Shop,'' largest book store, r a display of O'Neill books, together with sters and stills, Bath salt display in Liggett's itured posters and stills of Susan Hayward in bath tub scene and a clothing display in wid's included large posters and stills of Wilm Bendix. 'Newspaper coverage included a story and t in the Walsh-Kaiser Shipbuilding company per with a circulation of 25,000 among its lployees; story and art were promoted in the wish Herald and the Rhode Island Labor ms, circulation 100,000. A well rounded campaign was accorded the ening of "The Hairy Ape" at the Valentine, Toledo, by Ted Teschner,. who distributed ,000 tinted heralds in all the war plants. Ted rther adds that his is the only house permiti to distribute heralds to the various plants. umerous Cooperative Ads romoted By Teschner Ten thousand cards were placed on counters 257 stores, distributed by the Buckeye News jency; 150-one sheets were posted in choice its bordering all war plants and advance art .s landed in the Sunday Toledo Times. A -op ad from Basch's Jewelry store was proved five days ahead of the opening in the ode, and B. R. Baker's, men's store, came ove is one of the four full window displays tured by Sloan's on Fifth Avenue for the enement of "Since You Went Away" at the w York Capitol theatre. NASERS' ROUND TABLE, JULY 29, 1944 How the recent pictures are being sold at the first run and pre-release date showings HE w ...... "<■» % ?. ..Ill r Cars cards similar to the one reproduced above were planted in buses and street cars of Toledo as part of Ted Teschner's advance publicity on "The Hairy Ape" at Loew's Valentine. through with a window display featuring John Loder. Teschner had pictures taken of himself presenting an invitation to the premiere to H. J. Cosgrove, port agent of the Port of Toledo, National Maritime Union, and this will appear in the national publication, The Pilot, which is published by the Union weekly. Ted has also been successful in dominating the Toledo Union Journal, the weekly publication of the C.I.O., the local having a membership of 79,000. Bunchez Ties Radio Station To Five-Day Contest In Baltimore, Gertrude Bunchez at the Century theatre, promoted some free time over Station WCAO and arranged for a total of 16 spots to go on the air five consecutive days beginning on opening day. The contest angle was to write into the station in 25 words why contestants would like to see Eugene O'Neill's "Hairy Ape". Theatre mention, playdates and interesting comment on the picture were landed. United Artists came through with a $25 War Bond as first prize. Gertrude also approached the editor of the News-Post, evolving the idea of tying in with the recruiting of men for the Maritime Service. The paper ran stories to the effect that the first 10 recruits would be tendered a lunch by the theatre and then see the picture. SENSATIONS OF 1945 Gertrude Bunchez at Loew's Century, Baltimore, contacted Radio Station WFBR and sold them on the idea of giving away the Cab Calloway Jive Dictionaries on a swing program. The station, sold on the idea a week ahead of opening, plugged not only the opening of the picture, but the fact that the dictionaries would be given away to those requesting them. Miss Bunchez sniped the booklets with theatre mention and playdates, thus getting the picture and playdates again before the public. SINCE YOU WENT AWAY The world premiere of "Since You Went Away" was ushered in at the N. Y. Capitol theatre with a comprehensive campaign. Among the attractive window displays received were the following: Full windows secured at W. & J. Sloane, Lewis and Conger, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Dunhill; 50 Womrath book windows, four of which were located in Grand Central Station; Brentano; 40 Adam Hat windows ; 5,000 drug store windows arranged on a Calox tie-up using the special poster; subway cards on picture-of-the-month. All bowling alleys were covered with cards, streamers had been placed on records in sheet music and musical instrument stores, cards were placed on juke boxes, and a display at the United Seamen's Institute. Also, pet shops featured blowups of Soda. Special printed matter, consisting of 200 cards at the Traveler's Aid booths, 5,000 taxis displayed colored stickers, and 100,000 inserts were placed in score cards announcing home games of Giants. Through United Hotel Association, 350 hotels were supplied with lobby signs. This will be extended nationally. _ Macy's, Bloomingdale's and a number of music stores carry sheet music tie-up material on "Together" and "Since You Went Away." The advance newspaper campaign got underway several weeks prior to the opening and was highlighted by breaks in the dailies. The ad schedule consisted of the following: three weeks in advance of the opening, 110 line teaser ads were used in all metropolitan newspapers. This was gradually built up to blend in with the regular campaign ads which was topped by 1,200 line ads. In addition to the above advance, special ads included full pages in the News, Mirror, Post and 1,000 line ads in the Sum, Times, World-Telegram, J ournalAmerican and Herald-Tribune. Special spot radio advertising was also part of this appropriation. 75