Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1924)

270 Motion Picture News Memphis ^^Big Brother^' Campaign Waugh Stages Aggressive Drive with Aid of Mercantile and Civic Tie-ups "When Howard Waugh plaj'ed Big Brother " he put on a campaign for the picture that leaves one wondering if there is a single, solitaiy citizen of Memphis who didn't know that the picture was showing at the Palace. Waugh tells the whole story very quickly. So we'U give it to you, the way he gave it to VIS : " Tied up with Pigly Wiggly Chain grocery stores. Thousands of inserts packed in loaves of bread. Window trims in their 52 stores throughout Memphis. Special window in their down-town Variety Store. One hi;ndred fifty inches advertising space in advance of picture. Eight large bamiers on their trucks. One hundred fifty painted one-sheet cards for use in windows and stores. All paid for by them. " Special post-cards to ministers asking them to make announcement from pulpit. Followed up with pereonal telephone call. Most of them agreed. Most of them did it. " Private screening for representatives from civic clubs, ministers and newspaper reporters. Pastor of Unitarian church gave special talk on picture at both Sunday services, and used ' Big Brother ' trailer. He uses theatre for bis sei'vices and packs them in. " Got window in Florsheim Shoe Company store, likewise big window in Houck Piano Company store with song and picture plugged in the display. " Hooked vip with Navy Recruiting Office, and got three of the best locations in town for special one-sheet displays of Moore in sailor's uniform. " Got Kingsmore to fix it with WMC broadcasting station to play ' Big Brother ' song on Christmas Eve Concert. This was done. " Had newsboys parade with brass-band and fireworks." In actual expenditure, Waugh exceeded his usual budget to the extent of twenty-five extra inches of advertising space. The cut-outs on the canopy are part of his routine work on every picture, although there was a twenty-four sheet display in the lobby, it was inexpensive, but highly effective at night under a spot-light flood in colors. Seattle Star Tie-Up Helps Bender Attractive Campaign on " Darling of New York " Put Over at Seattle A varied and attractive campaign designed to interest both c'hildren and adults was used to advantage recently at the Columbia theatre in Seattle by Manager Robert W. Bender, for "The Dariing of New York." Mr. Bender started his campaign off with a tie-up Avith the Seattle Star, by putting over a Baby Peggy Club, including as members the hundreds of children who had entered the Baby Peggj' contest conducted by the Columbia through' the same paper a number of months ago. Membership in the Club was open to any little girl who wished to join, provided she promised to live up to the rules set forth by Baby Peggy herself, including unselfishness, kindness, sweet disposition, etc. Each club member was given a Baby Peggy button to wear on her coat, and the paper also contained coupons entitling children under ten years of age to attend a free Baby Peggy Club matinee one morning at 10 o'clock. A second plan used by Mr. Bender which brought much praise and a good amount of publicity was the show staged at the Chidren's Orthopedic Hospital tbe day before the regular showing began. A portable projection machine was rigged up at the Hospital, and the picture was screened before the scores of little crippled children, who were among the most enthusiastic members of the Baby Pegg> Club. The fact that these kiddies had had an honest-to-goodness preview before anyone else in the city saw the picture was also re.sponsible for newspaper publicity. The presentation of the picture itself was also especially well worked out. As a prologue, Mr. Bender offered a style show of children's costimies of all kinds, modeled by five small girls who showed to perfection the creations loaned by one of the city's exclusive children's shops, for the publicity they received from the stunt. And as a further attraction, Baby Marie Lindgren, a Seattle youthful prodigy, rendered a selection on the piano, accompanied on the cello by one of the soloists from the Columbia orchestra. The young Miss, four yeai-s of age, was announced on the screen as " Mile. Marguerite Lindgren," and the applause that gi-eeted her as she came from tlie wings and climbed onto the piano stool showed the appreciation of the audiences for tlie stunt. Further advertising and publicity was received by the Columbia througlit the window displays and tie-ups with children's shops, department stores, schools and various children's organizations. Auto Accessories Tied Up to "The Drivin' FooV When " The Drivin' Fool '' recenth' ran at the Capitol theatre, Hartford, Conn., Manager J. C. Clancy with the aid of Sam Friedman of the Hodkinson office, put over a fine advertising tie-up with the auto'.nobile accessory dealers of the city. A two-page spread of ads in the Hartford Daily Times called attention lo the fact that the accessories mentioned would prevent those who use them from becoming " driving fools."