Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1920)

' ebr u a r y J 8 , i g j o (Exhibitor Service) 2111 Sugar Envelopes Advertise for Exhibitor Pittsburgh Showman Takes Advantage of Sugar Shortage and Obtains Some Inexpensive PubHcity rHE sugar shortage may be a matter of concern for most people, but for Pete Antonopoi)S, manager of the Olympic theatre in Pittsburgh, was productive of an advertising idea that helped ) pack his house for a week. He had about 13,000 small cinclopes, just largo nough to hold an individual portion of sugar, tinted and distributed to the leading downtown istaurants. The owners were pleased to use the ;nrice and the small cost of the venture to Aniiiopolos was more than returned h\ a record cek at the box office. The envelopes used were of manila about two li\ iree and a half inch in size, and on one side the allowing was printed : After Your Meal See " Soldiers of Fortune ' Richard Harding Davis' Masterpiece At The Olympic Theatre Week Commencing Januarx .^ih The real pinch of the sugar famine had passed y the time this novelty was used, but the price f sugar was so high that restaurant owners dered to encourage conservation by their guests. The Olympic theatre is situated on Fifth avenue, le principal thoroughfare of Pittsburgh. It has rong competition from several large downtown ouscs. The Olympic seats 1,000 persons, all on le main floor, and as an indication of how the igar envelope idea pulled, it is cited that more lan 1,800 persons were admitted to the theatre up i 5 o'clock on the first afternoon of showing. In addition to the sugar envelope stunt, Mr. Anmopolos arranged an attractive display for the llan Dwan production in his lobby. As Fifth • enue in Pittsburgh with the possible exception f State and Madison in Chicago, is the greatest nain drag" of any city in the country, the dis■ay had great advertising value. It consisted of an ingenious composition of two " the twenty-four sheets so that there was a wealth " pictorial effect to catch the eye. The lobby was trimmed with wreaths and a large electric sign across the front announcing "Soldiers of Fortune, ' Richard Harding Davis' Masterpiece." Several special newspaper advertisements were prepared by an artist for the management, and >hort feature stories were placed in the Pittsburgh Dispatch and the Press. Considerable space was obtained in the news columns and picture layouts in all the Sunday editions. Tie-ups were also effected with merchants on the novel by Davis from which the Allan Dwan pro duction was made. Kaufman's department store placed a sign in its book department and gave a reference to the production showing at the Olympic theatre. The same tie-up was effected with Jones' bookstore. Volkwein's music store placed a sign in its window reading: "Out Soon — Soldiers of Fortune March by Arthur Pryor, Bandmaster of the Capitol in New York. See the photoplay and hear the march at the Olympic theatre." We Really Think This One Is New WHEN you can tie the title of a picture up with an exploitation stunt the effectiveness of exploitation is doubled. Therefore this account of the idea originated by Manager Ely of the Hippodrome theatre, Portland, Ore., comes in for double commendation. Besides an unusual amount of the more orthodox advertising for " The World Aflame " the Frank Kcenan labor problem picture, Mr. Ely on the opening night by using " stage flares " from many places about the theatre roof succeeding in creating the appearance of the building being in flames. The unusual sight attracted a great many people to the scene, and many came thinking that the theatre was really on fire. Crowds worked their way toward the house to witness the firemen's efforts to put out the blaze but remained to view the presentation of the picture. Of course Mr. Ely had some preliminary work to do before he was at liberty to start " The World Aflame " idea. First he received permission to from the city officials to burn his red fire on the roof of the building. Next was to make sure that he did not endanger the property by starting a real blaze. Then came the procuring of the flamr pots which, however, was not so hard, theatrical supply houses carrying them in stock. The expense of the proposition was not large considering the amount of attention it attracted, and in consequence throughout the entire run " The World -Aflame " did a business which to Mr. Ely's mind was in a great measure due to his exploitation idea of " burning up the theatre." The Olympia of Pittsburgh used a tzveniy-four-sheet in the lobby for the "Soldiers of Fortune " showing