Motion Picture News (Sep-Oct 1923)

September 8 , 1923 1197 Three Newspaper Contests Aid " Penrod and Sam " An unusual exploitation achievement was recently put over by the Chicago theatre and tlic local publicity office of Associated First National in connection with the showing of " Penrod and Ham " at the Balaban and Katz house in Chicago. With six newspapers to draw from, the " Penrod and Sam " publicists succeeded in persuading halt' that number to run contests on the picture simultaneously. Thi' Chicago American conducted a newshny contest in which prizes were awarded for the best essays on " Smart Dogs." The contest was open only to news carriers of the American, but several columns of space was devoted to it daily. The major prizes consisted of two seth of " Penrod and Sam" clothes and eight copies of the Tarkington book, furnished to the newspapers gratis by local retailers. Fifty tickets for the showing was sufficient to secure a vast amount of space in the Chicago Pest, which ran a contest termed "Timothy Twisters." Members of the Post's Kiddy Club competed for the awards by writing six-word tongue twisters in which appeared the word "Penrod." The Chicago Tribune was the third paper to feature a "Penrod and Sam" contest, awarding tickets to those of its readers who wrote the best essays on the subject "What Motion Picture Have You Seen That You Liked Best?" The Chicago theatre newspaper campaign was further augmented by six elaborate window displays in the loop district, devoted to a tie-up between the "Penrod and Sam" book and the showing of the picture. The outstanding feature of the window tie-ups was the exceptionally attractive display in the window of the Marshall Field store — one of the best locations in the city — the value of which for advertising purposes is. regarded as inestimable. All Around Campaign Puts "Safety Last" Across An unusually complete campaign was useil by Manage! Roy Smart of the Noble theatre, Anniston. Ala., to put "Safety Last" over, including a dummy on building, cut-out of the climbing figure of Harold Lloyd, penny matinee staged through co-operation with the STUNT TO BOOST * THE MAIL MAN" Float uxrd hy f. B. i). in the Los Angeles Electrical Pageant on ••The Mail Man" B. 0.) paper, street car dashboard signs, generouuse of the various accessories, slides, newspapers, etc. Two weeks in advance the newspaper advertising was started. The campaign was begun also witli slides announcing the picture and expressing the belief that more persons would see "Safety Last" than had ever attended a picture engagement in Anniston. A dummy dressed in a white suit and straw hat was placed on one of the highest buildings in Anniston in advance and removed to the theatre during run. A cut-out from the sixsheet was also used in the center of town, the figure of Lloyd being so arranged that he appeared to be crawling over the cornice. A forty-foot banner was stretched across the main street and remained there for a week. Street car dashboard signs were used just prior to opening and during entire run. Three windows were obtained and these carried photos and appropriate cards. A week in advance a display was made in the lobby of "Safety Last" balloons, photocards and lithos, and these were given away to the children. Through co-operation with The Star, a Penny Matinee was staged. A coupon appeared in the paper entitling any child fourteen or under to admission to the first performance by presenting the coupon and one penny. As a result 571 children attended the opening performance, blocking the street before the theatre opened. This crowd attracted lots of attention. The children were delighted and went out talking the picture, while many of them cam? back the second time, at regular] admission prices. Chamber of Commerce Boost Aids "The Go-Getter" Thomas G. Coleman, manager of the Galas theatre, Birmingham. Ala., profited by a Chamber of Commerce tie-up on "The Go-Getter." A private screening in advance was arranged, to which the officials of the Chamber of Commerce were invited, with the result that they gave their unanimous endorsement to the rihn, as follows: "It typifies the spirit of boosters, uo-getters and energetic pushers. Both employer and employee should see it. It is not only inspiring, but exceptionally entertaining:" Post cards carried this message to a worthwhile mailing list, including tin entire membership of the Birmingham Chamber "t Commerce, the cards being run off by them on their addressograph, after being printed. They bore the signature of O. L. Bunn, general manager, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, and said plainly: "Don't Fail to See 'The Go-Getter' at the Galax Week, Jvly 2d." Newspaper ads also featured the endorsement. Another bit of advance work arousing interest was teaser cards, size 11x14, printed in black on white: "Join the Birmingham GoGetter Club." These were placed in downtown windows, fastened on automobiles, etc., and owing to the absence of any theatre name or date created unusual attention. Fan Letter Contest Boosts "Souls for Sale" Run Flowers' jewelry store, Junction City, Kans., tied up with Goldwynner Homer Gill in a fan letter tie-up to exploit the showing of '' Souls for Sale " at the Cozy theatre. Manager Maurice Jencks and Mr. Gill went to the proprietor of the store with the loving cup stunt. The jewelry store offered a loving cup as the prize to be awarded to the person writing the best fan letter to Eleanor Boardman. The loving cup was displayed in the window of the store together with photographs and special cards. The contest was further tied up with the local daily newspapers, which printed several stories on the contest and also the best of the hundreds of fan letters to Miss Boardman which were received. Other prizes were tickets to the screening of " Souls For h ve. A copy of the winning fan letter was sent to Miss Boardman. WINDOW DISPLAYS ARRANGED BY MANAGER LARNED IN LOCAL STORES TO ENPLOIT "GRUMPY1' Vieirx of tuo co-operative iriniloir displays on Grumpy " {Paramount) by Manager H. W. Lamed of the Victoria theatre, Tamaqua, Pa., xhoniu'1 how he tied u > with Opportunity Day