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.] LADIES' MAN (Paramount): A musical comedy, this picture stars Eddie Bracken and features orchestra leader Spike Jones and his city slickers. The Victor Recording outfit is getting behind "Ladies' Man" in a big way with distribution to music dealers of 8,500 ten by twenty streamers, all carrying picture plugs and stills. The streamers plug the Victor double-face record of "Cocktails for Two" and "Holiday for Strings", two numbers which Spike Jones does in "Ladies' Man". Label for the record also carries picture credits. The Spike .Jones record has been sent to all disc jockeys. Contact your local radio station for tie-in plugs. The girls can be sold via a stutter for the confession and romance magazines. You might use a small ad mat, plus this copy: "See the greatest 'Ladies' Man' of them all. Eddie Bracken in 'Ladies' Man' at the Gem theatre." A throwaway could be made up to simulate a page from a date book. On it is printed: "Meet ' Ladies' Man' — Gem theatre next week". Arrange tieups with clothing merchants for the purpose of putting signs on all store mirrors. The signs could read: "You are now looking at a ladies' man. See how you compare with Eddie Bracken in 'Ladies' Man' at the Gem theatre." A number of goods and services can be worked in on the same idea. For example, a barber shop might use: "Be a 'Ladies' Man' — Get your hair cut here!" or "You can't be a 'Ladies' Man' without a smart haircut", etc. In addition to barbers, shoeshine parlors, dry cleaners and many other services can be tied in. Utilize the personal columns of your local newspaper classified advertising section. Use teaser copy, such as: "The man you want to meet will be at the Gem theatre. Ask for 'Ladies' Man'." Eddie Bracken is a big radio favorite. You can cash in on his radio following by planting your radio spot announcements before and after his show, which is broadcast over the CBS network every Sunday night. NOTORIOUS GENTLEMAN (Universal): This is the story of a likeable playboy who is constantly on the social toboggan because of his utter irresponsibility either tohimself or anyone else. Rex Harrison, star of the picture, is known to American audiences through his role in his first American picture, "Anna and the King of Siam". Use this tie-in for a lobby display. Copy could read: "The sensational 'King' from 'Anna and the King of Siam' is here. . . . With even greater thrills. . . . Rex Harrison as the magnificent heel in 'Notorious Gentleman'." For street ballyhoo, hire a stilt walker and outfit him in dress clothes, including a top hat. Professional stilt walkers usually have these clothes as part of their wardrobe. The stunt is more easily adaptable for key city openings where stilt men are more readily available. Have him work your main streets and downtown sectors. Excellent outlets for tie-up window and counter displays are the many men's shops in every city. Rex Harrison is fast gaining an American reputation as a male "fashion plate". In "Notorious Gentleman" he portrays a wealthy man-about-town, wearing everything from dress clothes to sportswear. A great many people read the personal columns of newspapers. Arouse curiosity about the picture with a poignant message, planted three or four days in advance. A typical message could read: " 'Notorious Gentleman': I will pay all of your debts if you will marry me and move to London. Meet me at Rivoli theatre. 'Rikki'." Heralds Tied in with Coal Shortage for "Claudia" Heralds, tying-in with the recent brownout, helped to draw attention to manager Dick Peffley's playdate on "Claudia and David" at the Paramount theatre, Fremont, Ohio. The heralds had copy reading : "How to save on electric current and coal ! Turn out all your lights, turn down your thermostat and come to the Paramount theatre and see, etc." For "The Big Sleep," Peffley had string distributed to patrons entering the theatre. In the middle of the newsreel, a trailer was run off, with the following copy : "As you entered the theatre you were given a piece of string. Please take the string from your purse or pocket. Now tie this string around your finger to remind you to see 'The Big Sleep'." Page Co-Op Promoted for Accident Short Subject A full page cooperative newspaper ad was promoted by manager John J. Haney to promote the short subject "Traffic With the Devil" at the Patio theatre, Freeport, 111. The ad was paid for by Vandenburg and O'Mara, Roche and Myers, Firestone and the Freeport Association of Insurance Agents. Patrol boys from all of Freeport's schools were guests of the management. A window display in the Chicago Motor Club was arranged a week in advance. Uses Umbrellas On Sunny Day For "Years" Two usherettes carried umbrellas, painted with playdate copy, on a sunny afternoon to exploit "The Green Years" at the Orpheum theatre, Atchison, Kan. Manager Willis E. Shaffer arranged the campaign. A full page cooperative newspaper ad was arranged with local merchants. Two contests were tied-in with the ad, a misspelled word competition, and an essay affair of 50 • words or less on the subject, "In My 'Green Years' my most remembered experience was." The co-op ad was highly effective and created a tremendous amount of reader interest. The merchants were very easily sold on this type of cooperative advertising, since the misspelled words were placed in their ads, which assured them of readers. Each merchant ad carried the line : " 'The Green Years' is a wonderful motion picture." One week in advance Robertson's Drug Store advertised a special "Green Years" Sundae. The mirror on the back bar was used as a background for advertising the Sundae and green watercolor was used for the color. 500 bookmarks were placed in the Public Library and in the local high school. An effective window tieup was arranged with the Ready-toWear Store. All garments, etc., displayed in the window were in various shades of green. Rosenthal Uses Ballyhoo To Exploit "Suspense" A five-foot cutout v/as carried around town to street ballyhoo manager Morris Rosenthal's engagement on "Suspense" at the Poli theatre, New Haven, Conn. The cutout also was carried on street cars and buses. 5,000 nail files in imprinted envelopes were distributed to women starting 10 days in advance. Copy read: "Don't bite your nails when you see 'Suspense'." Through a tieup with Planter's Peanut Store five passes were issued daily to be inserted in peanut bags. Lucky purchasers received the passes. A window display in the store boosted the tieup. Nye Sends "Groucho" Out To Exploit "Casablanca" A man dressed as Groucho Marx passed out free "cigarette lighters" on the street to ballyhoo the playdate of "A Night in Casablanca" at the Hoosier theatre, Whiting, Ind. The "cigarette lighters" were imprinted envelopes containing matches. Manager Louis Nye also used directional signs on lamp posts leading to the theatre to publicize the playdate. For a lobby display, a glass bowl containing buttons was placed on a table. A sign over the bowl read : "Replace the buttons you will lose laughing at the Marx Brothers in, etc." 50 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 28, 1946