Movie Age (1927)

SEPTEMBER 10, 1927. PAGE 21 Invitation to Keep Cool in Lobby Brings Big Business William Haynes, manager of the Al¬ len, Cleveland, 0., has a gag for stimu¬ lating business that might be followed with profit by other managers who can stand a little increase in patronage — and who can’t! Haynes, who is proud of his new cooling system and shrewdly calculates the effect of the soothing coolness on hot pedestrians, invites the passing public to come into the lobby and escape the scorching heat of the exposed street. No obligation to buy, of course, but when the laddybucks and their lassies feel the grateful relief, they are too loath to go back into hu¬ mid clutches of Old Sol, and so Haynes turnstile clicks to a merry tune. New Warner Press-Sheets Issued in Tabloid Forms The vogue for the tabloid has pene¬ trated to press-sheets and has been adopted by A. P. Waxman, Director of Advertising and Publicity for Warner Bros., as the form for all future cam¬ paign sheets on the company’s product. The old style newspaper-size sheet has been abandoned by Warner in defer¬ ence to a smaller one measuring eleven and a half by sixteen inches. This new form eliminates all superfluous materi¬ al although it contains everything ne¬ cessary to the exhibitor foi a thorough newspaper and exploitation drive. More¬ over, the smaller sheet is much more convenient and more easily handled. Sport Stores Co-Operate in Exploiting Sport Pictures The stores belonging to the A. G. Spalding Co., makers of sport goods, have been co-operating with exhibitors in the promotion of “Babe Comes Home,” the First National picture fea¬ turing Babe Ruth. Window" displays have been used in effective tie-ups. In Indianapolis, recently, an entire window was given to baseball equipment with large cut-outs of Babe Ruth distributed evenly, and a large banner advertising the picture was spread across the back of the display. Sport stores generally are willing to co-operate with exhibitors who have set dates on sport pictures. This was illus¬ trated extensively at the time that Uni¬ versal’s “The Collegians” were begin¬ ning their popularity. In every section of the country the sport angle was played up, and local merchants tied-up willingly. Several big football pictures are scheduled for fall release. Last season when Richard Dix in “The Quarterback” first came on the screen, a Texas equip¬ ment house gave away seven high class foot balls in contests promoted in con¬ nection with the picture. An Iowa sport store presented five pairs of track and tennis shoes as a promotion stunt for “The Poor Nut.” Exhibitors everywhere have found that the sport angle in exploitation is one that will draw interest. With the approaching football season and the number of football picutres already on the market, it is urged that sport stores be solicited in the exploitation of the pictures. Newspaper Best Publicity Says Canadian Exploiteer According to Sam de Pass, director of advertising for the Famous Players Canadian Corp., newspapers are the most valuable mediums at the disposal of the exhibitor for selling his picture to the public. “There are, of course, many ad¬ juncts,” he told the eastern Canada managers at a recent convention in Toronto,” but there can be no question that the public looks to the advertise¬ ments in the newspapers for their amusements. The newspaper is the backbone of our business and without it there is a large section of the public we would never reach.” A manager of a London house who attended the convention said: “I have always found that the newspapers are out to give the theatre managers every possible assistance. I can testify to the value of newspaper publicity.” “Back to God’s Country” Campaign Goes Over Big Joseph Solomon tied up all available exploitation facilities recently in con¬ nection with his showing of “Back to God’s Country” at his Temple Theatre, Lorain, Ohio. Six furniture store windows were devoted to outdoor dis¬ plays. Four book store windows gave their entire space to books of nature lore. The herald ran a tabloid serializa¬ tion strip daily. The theatre lobby was decorated with stills and photographs of the picture. So there’s no doubt about everybody in Lorain knowing about the picture. The result justified the effort of exploitation, according to Solomon. Are You Eligible for Membership in the OLD TIMERS CLUB? If You Are — Line Up SEE PAGE 9 FOR DETAILS