Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

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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.] MAGNIFICENT DOLL (Universal): This is an historical romance based on the life of Dolly Madison. Suggested is a citywide "Magnificent Doll" beauty contest. This type of contest should interest the local newspaper because of its circulation-building and human interest aspects. Three approaches are suggested: (I) Hold a contest to find the girl with the nearest resemblance to Singer Rogers, star of the picture. (2) Promote an outright "Magnificent Doll" beauty competition. (3) Arrange to have the local newspaper conduct a search for a "Magnificent Doll". The paper's photographer could cover local night clubs, schools, etc., for candid shots of attractive girls. The paper could run art on five contestants daily, together with blanks for readers' vote on their choice. Arrange with a department store to offer a complete wardrobe for the winner. Have it prominently displayed well in advance in a special window. Get other merchants to cooperate with prizes and have the winner "crowned" on your stage to complete the promotion. The historical background lends itself to extensive school exploitation. Contact history department heads for their cooperation in arousing interest with an essay contest on Dolly Madison's life and times or on Aaron Burr, patriot or traitor. The contest also will pave the way for posters on school bulletin boards. Sell merchants the idea of tying in with the title in a page of cooperative newspaper ads. Start early on this idea by contacting your newspaper display ad head for his cooperation. Arrange for displays to be used in the Public Library and in book stores. LITTLE MISTER BIG (Metro-GoldwynMayer): "Butch" Jenkins, star of "Boys' Ranch", makes his latest appearance on the screen as "Little Mister Big". An exploitation campaign on this picture could center around a citywide contest to discover a local "Little Mister Big". Base your competition on photographic resemblance or physical doubles, or both. Exploit the contest through radio, newspaper and theatre. Advertise it with a page of cooperative store ads. Promote merchandise as prizes for the winner and runners-up. Plan your campaign to interest mothers and fathers, teachers, clergy and civic officials. Add little and interesting touches to contest stories. Mention that "Butch's" pets are two cats, nineteen polliwogs, one frog, six caterpillars and two snails. Start a "Butch" Jenkins fan club. Formulate your own rules and qualifications for membership. The springboard for the club could be the "Little Mister Big" citywide contest. Every kid has a nickname. That suggests a "Butch" nickname com-: petition. Offer prizes for the most unique, most appropriate, most original or distinctive, etc. Ask local kids to give reasons why they are so designated. The picture is based on the book, "Army Brat", published by Coward McCann. Contact lending and public libraries on the chance that you might be able to make cooperative arrangements. Scores on Radio With "Strange Woman" Tieup The advance campaign for the opening of "Strange Woman" at Loew's in Dayton, Ohio, was highlighted by a novel "Find the Strange Woman" contest promoted in conjunction with radio station WING by H. W. Reisinger, manager of the theatre. The tieup was sponsored by local merchants who underwrote the cost of a 45-minute program every day for six days. Cash prizes were awarded daily to persons who identified the "strange woman" among the broadcast audience. Circus heralds made up by the theatre were paid for and distributed by the cooperating merchants, which helped to publicize the promotion and the picture. Reisinger set window displays with department stores, jewelry shops and beauty salons. Extensive publicity breaks were the result of a telephone interview with Hedy Lamarr, star of the picture, and the editorial ' staff of the Dayton News and Herald. Attractive Lobby Display Exploits "Two Worlds" An eye-arresting lobby display was used by manager Alec Reid to exploit "Men of Two Worlds" at the Plaza Cinema, Southfields, London, England. Native shields held up by spears were placed on each side of the ticket booth. A still from the picture was placed in the center of each shield. A frame bearing the title and stars was placed over the booth. Reid arranged window displays, consisting of examples of African art and stills from the picture, in shops. frames. Two large signs reading : "See them all in action in one picture, etc.," rounded out the attention-getting display. A small sign reading : "Wanted — Bill Dalton" was hung just outside the box office. It drew many inquiries and was a good come-on for closer scrutiny of the exploitation in the lobby. The teaser ads were run in various spots in the local newspaper for three days in advance. Displays, Teaser Ads Sell Attraction for Wolf Manager Tom Wolf used a lobby display a false front and teaser ads, all based on the "Wanted" angle, to exploit "Badman's Territory" at the State theatre, Bellevue, Ohio. Because of small lobby space, Wolf utilized a mirror flanked with six 11x14 inch display Movie Title Contest Plugs Anniversary of Sound A newspaper contest drew attention to manager Bob Bachman's celebration of Warner Bros.' 20th anniversary of talking pictures at the Indiana theatre, East Chicago, Ind. The tieup was arranged with the Calumet News. Scenes from old-time pictures were scattered throughout the paper, with readers required to list the titles of the pictures on an entry blank. Guest tickets were awarded for the first 25 correct answers. Heralds Attract Kids for All-Cartoon Show Three thousand heralds were distributed by manager Charles Newton to publicize an all-cartoon show at the Capitol theatre, Whiting, Ind. They were passed out to children leaving school and at the theatre. An attractive display, featuring cutouts of "Mickey Mouse" and other cartoon characters, was set up in the lobby two weeks in advance and moved to the front of the theatre day of opening. Sets Page Ad with Sears Photographs of the wonder horse, Bess, visiting the local Sears Roebuck store, were incorporated by the store in a full page cooperative newspaper ad to tie-in with "Gallant Bess" at the Auburn theatre, Auburn, N. Y. The ad appeared in the Citizen-Advertiser. Manager Ben Dargush arranged the tieup. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE, DECEMBER 7, 1946 59