Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

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.] BETWEEN TWO WOMEN (Metro-GoldwynMayer): Van Johnson's rising popularity with the women is a strong selling point. Don't overlook this fact in all advertising. Tie up with your local radio station or newspaper and suggest a contest which will offer a number of prizes, including passes to see the picture, for the best letters which express Van Johnson's appeal for women. All entrants can be awarded free autographed photos of the star. Contact your department stores and suggest a sales slip promotion in which free passes are awarded to those getting the lucky numbers. Use cutout litho heads of the star profusely and get them spotted in stores and windows which attract the women trade. For outside ballyhoo there are a number of devices suggested. Plant a man seated on a park bench in any prominent location, with women seated on both sides of him. He displays a card, reading: "What Can A Guy Do When He's Between Two Women?", etc. The same form of promotion can be used with a threeseated bicycle. Another and less expensive form of street promotion is to have an usher dresed up in battered and tattered clothing, with lipstick marks on his face, his arm in a sling, using a crutch, and holding a banner with copy: "Take A Fool's Advice — Don't Get Caught Between . . . ", etc. The women stars of the film, Gloria De Haven and Marilyn Maxwell, will provide opportunity for fashion tieups, co-ops Exploitation Publicity Strong On "Tokyo" Date Following a campaign that took advantage of every angle, "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" opened at Shea's Buffalo, was held a second week, and then moved into Shea's Hippodrome for a third week, reports Charles B. Taylor. One of the best breaks was the use of stories in the weekly plant papers. The front page story in The Aircraftsman, distributed to CurtissWright workers, had a heading reading: " 'Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo' a Must See Movie." They also used a photo of Tracy. Bumper strips were used on motor cars, taxis, etc. Several of the larger downtown restaurants used tents on their tables with appropriate copy, and the big restaurant in Kresge's was supplied with five thousand napkins, imprinted as shown in accompanying books. The New York Central railroad distributed special heralds in the stations along its western New York routes and the Buffalo Public Library used book marks in every book given out for three weeks in advance. A special cut was made by Phyllis Thaxter and used on a card which was distributed to every beauty shop in that neck of the woods. Special stories were sent to every newspaper in the Buffalo area. A story sequence strip with beauty salorts and an angle of approach for your newspaper fashion editor. DELIGHTFULLY DANGEROUS (United Artists): Jane Powell, music and a story background that touches into burlesque entertainment are your strong points for exploitation. The angle, "What makes a woman Delightfully Dangerous?" is a natural for the fashion editors of newspapers and stores featuring exclusive millinery and women's clothes. Several contests are* suggested which are adaptable to either stage presentation in advance of booking or as radio promotion. A local Venus contest looks good, with entrants 'asked 'to compete against the measurements of Connie Moore who plays the part of a burlesque star. With Jane Powell in the cast, a dance contest or singing contest might be stimulated through music schools or you might sponsor a contest to locate the local Jane Powell. Radio promotion can also include a tune title contest or a tune guessing contest, using hit songs from the film attraction. Get after the regular music tieups with orchestras, juke boxes and music shops. Mills Music Co. publishes the following numbers which are heard in the picture: "Once Upon A Song", "In A Shower Of Stars", "Through Your Eyes To Your Heart" and "I'm Only Teasin' ". Lithographs lend themselves to attractive cutouts for lobby displays, and ad mats are eye-catching, and feature music, romance and laughs. supplied in mat form from the press sheet was planted in the Polish Daily. The reviewers were especially kind and Taylor used their "quotes" in ads. Trailers were used in all the Shea community theatres in advance of the opening downtown. The downtown section was covered with window tie-ups, fashions, uniforms and the "Tailspin Cocktail" window in MacDoel's drumbar window was a Main stem sock. So was the beauty display centered around Phyllis Thaxter in the Harvey-Carey drug store at Main and Chippewa, the Times Square location of Buffalo. Bregoff Lands Neat Tieup For "Rainbow Island1* H. Spencer Bregoff, manager of the Fabian Palace theatre, Staten Island, N. Y., used a perfect tie-in in connection with the engagement of "Rainbow Island", obtaining the cooperation of Rainbow Stores, a gift shop. The shop used a four-column quarter-page ad in the Staten Island Advance, arranged colorful window displays in its branch outlets, with generous film and theatre credits, and set up an attractive display of tropical gifts in the theatre lobby. Cornell Reports o Late Activities 1 Reporting on his recent activities at Strand theatre, Amsterdam, N. Y., Clay Cornell for "Rainbow Island" posted one i three-sheets on the theatre building, parking walls and store windows. 150 cards were <: tributed throughout the territory and an eig foot lobby board of special paper was usee week ahead. On "Frenchman's Creek," Clay had wind displays in the leading drug stores plugging picture with Dorothy Gray products, especis Frenchman's Red lipstick and rouge. Sti charts were planted in the public library, le; ing book shop window and ladies shop anc false front was constructed for the run. For the short subject "Dogs for Show," G nell tied up with Kennel Club and had j nouncements of playdates and title made at club meeting prior to opening. The club sec tary sent out 400 postcards to the membersl plugging the short. Sorkin Ties "Power Unlimited" To National Coal Association Sol Sorkin at the RKO Keith theatre, Wai ington; gave "Power Unlimited," one of 1 "This Is America" series a double-barrel' campaign, one of the highlights of which wa: tieup with the National Coal Associati whereby they ran daily ads on the film ab; lutely free to the theatre. The ads ran six ds in all four newspapers. The picture was previewed in the Departm< of the Interior Auditorium by an audience 300, mostly government officials and coal dustry executives. A brief introductory sta ment was made by Ralph C. Mulligan of 1 National Coal Association. Special letters w( sent to various members of Congress acquaii ing them of the pictures, playdates, etc. This display, depicting Red Cross in action, indicative of small town showmen's zeal promoting Red Cross Fund Week. W. Brown, manager of the Florida theati Vero Beach, Fla., who created the exhibi reports that it attracted a good deal of attei tion and much favorable comment. 50 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 7, 1 9