Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

850 7 Motion Picture News j BUILDING BUSINESS Actual fy^ccomp^hes I GotoTheatre Week at Rockford, Adapting the Dollar Day Idea to Pictures THE “ Go to the Theatre Week ” or " Go to the Movies Week ” idea, originating in the Middle West last year, and explained several times in various issues of the News in descriptions of the individual campaigns, is being given a trial this week at Rockford, 111. The Rockford Theatre Managers’ Association. made up of the powers that be in the ten theatres of the city, picture, vaudeville and legitimate houses, have banded together, secured the co-operation of the local newspapers, appropriated an advertising fund large enough to do things and started out to make theatrical history for the city. The “ Go to the Theatre ” week idea itself probably does not need explanation, and if it does a glance at the page cut at the right, a reproduction of the first page of a special section running in the Sunday edition of the Rockford Morning Star, under date of January 22nd, will accomplish this more effectually than anything that can be related in text, but giving approval of the plan, explaining the impetus which it is bound to give to theatre going and the general results that can be obtained by using it. is something that probably can be chronicled to further advantage. Advantages of Cooperation The Rockford campaign seems to be one of the best organized and best planned “ Go to the Theatre Weeks ” vet staged. It shows to especial advantage the wide co-operation that can be obtained from newspapers, when advertising appropriations are used in a proper manner and the “ flash ” that can be obtained when exhibitors get together in an attempt to increase business, make new friends for their theatres and greater friends of the newspapers. Just how great a stimulus to theatre going the Rockford campaign will bring about it is not possible at this time to state, but that such effort is sure to be reflected in a greatly increased attendance has been proven a dozen times, and is as well a foregone conclusion. There is another angle to the idea that according to the reports from other cities, has as pleasing effects as the immediate returns in cash during the “ theatre week.” People who have never gone to the theatre regularly, who have been theatre goers and have gotten out of the habit, are made permanent patrons to not only one theatre, but several. This is especially true if the programs are built up with care and strangers to A Lesson in Cooperation from Rockford, 111. THIS page and the one opposite are devoted to selling the idea of “ Go to the Theatre Week ” or “ Movie Week,” as it has been termed when put over at a number of Middle West cities during the past year or so. No less than a dozen cities have tried the scheme and in every instance the results obtained not only in immediate profits but in general interest concerning theatrical entertainment, have been beyond the most enthusiastic expectations. The News is indebted to Frank E Maffioli, manager of the Strand theatre, Rockford, 111., for the information given relative to the campaign which the Rockford Managers’ Association is carrying on this week. the theatre are “ sold ” with the idea that there is real entertainment delivered, instead as many people think, quite the contrary. Special Newspaper Section One of the features of the Rockford “ Go to the Theatre Week ” campaign was a five-page special section in the Rockford Morning Star. The section opened with the self-explanatory page spread shown on the opposite page. The reader will note that the complete bill of each of the ten Rockford theatre." is given in full and To Every Exhibitor Most of you have received, and are using Motion Picture News Booking Guide. From letters at hand we know its exceptional value is conceded. For example. A. G. Stolte. Booking Manager of the A. H. Blank Enterprises. Des Moines, Iowa, writes: “ Personally this is one of the biggest helps I have ever received . . . everything so arranged and given in detail that I have been most delighted. “ This is a book that should be on the desk of every Manager and Booker — just the same as Motion Picture News itself.” Mr. Stolte hits the nail on the head. The Booking Guide and every copy of Motion Picture News should be on the desk of even7 Manager and Booker. \ ou will, of course, get the next issue of the Booking Guide. Multiply its value by Filing Your Copies of the NEWS that there is a slogan that sets a definite I goal in the “Go at Least Three Times”1, line. Page two of the section carried a third of a page layout of the stars featured at the various theatres at the top, press notices on the bills at the Palm, Colonial, Midway, Orpheum and Dreamland theatres ; a four column 8-inch ad. billing the vaudeville at the Palace, a single column 5-inch ad. on “ Three Word Brand ” sponsored by the Strand theatre, a double column 5-inch display advertising Chauncey Alcott in “ Ragged Robin ” at the Rockford and a quarter page on “ Under the Lash ” the week’s feature at the Palm. Page three opened with a 6-inch press story on the bill at the Palace theatre, and carried a cut of Chauncey Olcott in addition to a story about the engagement of Mr. Alcott’s play at the Rockford. There were also press notices for the programs at the Columbia and Strand. A special story announced the closing of a theatre 1 ticket contest that had been a feature of I the “ Go to the Theatre Week ” advance campaign. The rest of the page was taken up with displays. The Orpheum theatre had a 14inch by four column display on “ Molly O,” the Midway three columns by 18 inches, billing “ His Back Against the \\ all ” and a popular girl contest the Midway is running during the month of February. The last column carried displays by the Palace, Columbia, Dreamland, Colonial and Star theatres, giving the change of bills at these houses for the full week. Merchants Cooperate Number four was a co-operative page, j Lourteen of Rockford’s merchants divided the page under a “ Go to Theatre Week ” , head across the top, except a five by seven inch space in the center where the bills at each of the ten theatres were listed again. Page five was devoted very largely to text and cuts explaining about the lighting of sets for motion pictures. Searchlights, Sun-Arc lamps, floor spots, Kleigs, I portable spots, overhead spots, etc., were illustrated and fully explained. Some Beulah Dix “ Answers to Movie Pans ” stuff completed the page. This of course was a “ syndicate ” page, but it tied up very well with the campaign and sold the general idea of pictures excellently. The News is indebted to Frank E. Maffioli, manager of the Strand theatre, for a copy of the special section from which this article has been written.