Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

The Selling Approach ON NEW PRODUCT [The -material below reflects pressbooks now in preparation and represents the point of view of the distributors' exploiteers on selling points and special merit of these pictures.] LADY LUCK (RKO Radio): Robert Young and Barbara Hale in this picture depict a charming young couple who have matrimonial difficulties over gambling. For a teaser street stunt, you could publicly announce that "Lady Luck" will be on the streets at a designated time and will smile on a number of lady auto drivers. Advance copy could read: "Ladies! drive your car on (date). 'Lady Luck' will be on the streets ready to smile on you! If you are a lucky lady, it will mean a lucky token for you." Put a spotter on the street at the time designated to jot down license numbers of several cars driven by women. Post theselicense numbers in the lobby on the day the picture opens and offer guest tickets to those lady drivers identifying their license numbers. Purchase a quantity of pressed white poker chips from your novelty store. On one side print this copy: " 'Lady Luck' will smile on you if you return a stack of 10 of these chips to (Theatre)." On the other side use your billing. The lucky chips are to be surprinted in black. Distribute the white chips in any manner best suited for your use. You might also place the chips each in a white envelope attached to toy balloons that are allowed to drift from the roof of your theatre. Advertise the stunt in advance through trailers, in the lobby and on throwaways. Have your florist make up a huge horseshoe made from flowers. Display this in the lobby the week preceding playdate. When the picture is playing, have two attractive girls carry the horseshoe through the streets as an outside ballyhoo. You can add to the stunt's effectiveness by having a prominent personage in town conduct a presentation of the floral piece at the theatre, the manager to accept it in the name of Barbara Hale. Obtain featured window displays of all kinds of games. These are mostly carried in stock by five and ten cent stores, de partment stores and shops selling stationery or toys. Use the heading, "Let 'Lady Luck' smile on you," as the motif of the display. NEVER SAY GOODBYE (Wa rner Bros.): A romantic comedy, this picture stars Errol Flynn and Eleanor Parker. Invite your leading newspaper, department store, manufacturing plant, college or organization to sponsor a contest to select the "girl to whom I'd 'Never Say Goodbye'." The winner could be named "Miss TimesHerald", "Miss Gimbels" or "Miss Kiwanis", depending upon what organization is the sponsor. The contest is staged in the newspaper, in the theatre or on store counters, with ballots made available for voters to name their choice. An old popular song, "Remember Me", is featured in the picture. Witmark has issued a new sheet music edition, crediting the picture and has advised all dealers to watch for local showings with important tie-ins urged. Follow through locally by contacting all music stores for window and counter displays, using the sheet music and stills and posters as the basis for display. Also check all radio disc jockeys and local bands for renditions, crediting your showing and playdate. To a-ssure widespread window space, prepare a number of display cards reading: "So that the boys will 'Never Say Goodbye'." Place them in every window featuring merchandise designed for the ladies. Feature a number of romantic stills in each of the windows. Promote a limerick contest with your local newspaper for the Sunday magazine section, game or motion picture paqe. Offer free tickets to the 10 readers who submit the best last lines to the limerick. Although aimed for newspaper sponsorship, the contest could be staged through the pages of your program or in the lobby. Patrons could finish the limerick on specially prepared blanks. Lobby Display, Co-Op Ad Aid "Canyon Passage" An attractive lobby display and a cooperative newspaper ad highlighted manager Leonard Klafta's campaign on "Canyon Passage" at the Paramount theatre, Kankakee, 111. The lobby display consisted of a small log cabin made from a children's set of Lincoln Logs, with fir trees in the background.* The display duplicated the attack of the Indians in the picture, using small Indian figures. The co-op ad was arranged with Charlie's Sport Shop and ran on the sports page of the Daily Journal. Usherettes and cashiers wore badges one week in advance, announcing the playdate. McCarthy Sets "Cleopatra" Exhibit A display of Egyptian jewelry and art by a local art dealer promoted by manager Jim McCarthy of the Warner Strand theatre in Hartford, Conn., materially aided box office receipts during the run of "Caesar and Cleopatra." The tieup also rated space in the local dailies. Preview Groups Boost "Chance" In Melbourne An extensive campaign put on by manager J. Gavegan for "The Last Chance" drew considerable extra business for the playdate of the picture at the Metro theatre, Melbourne, Australia. Three private previews were held, to which were invited a widely representative audience. The invitations covered Jewish organizations, Italians, French, consuls representing all countries, university professors, school teachers, radio personalities, newspaper columnists, military leaders, Catholic groups, union officials, and artists. They gave the film enthusiastic praise during a prompted discussion on the film following previews. Thousands of balloons were released from the roof of the theatre, each with a tag attached plugging the film. Some of the tags were printed on the reverse side, which entitled the finder to a prize. The stunt was well advertised over the radio and in the press. Three thousand posters worded : " 'The Last Chance' is coming" were used in suburban areas, outside football fields and approaches to the city four weeks in advance. 1,000 more posters worded " 'The Last Chance' is here" were used currently. Sky pennants were flown over football games with upwards of 60,000 people in attendance. Newspaper and radio coverage was considerable, including stories in the Catholic Advocate, Jewish Herald and Sporting Globe, a weekly sports newspaper. 100 and 50-word recorded announcements were used on the radio for three days in advance. MICHIGAN STADIUM Qmm Ghiro^i, Utah. HARVARD STADIUM PITT STADIUM PiJZabuSttih.Pa.. OUTDOOR REFRESHMENT CONCESSIONAIRES OPERATING UNITS W 28 STATES AND 88 CITIES FOR OVER ONE QUARTER CENTURA SPEClAtl2, IN NG SERVICE THEATRES went! for SPORTSERV1CE, Inc. HURST BLPG. BUFFALO 2. N. Y. 56 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 2, 1946