The Moving picture world (November 1921)

December 10, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 697 Selling the Picture to the^Public THIS WINDOW SHOWS ELSIE FERGUSON'S STYLES IN •'FOOTLIGHTS" At least the signs stated that the gowns were duplicates of the dresses worn by the Paramount star in the current attraction at the Rialto, Macon, and it not only sold tickets, but those particular gowns were sold quickly, the store reports Gulf Hurricane Hurt "Anatol" Exploitation Frank H. Burns, of the Phillips' Theatre, Orlando, Fla., -was all set for a record cleanup on "The Affairs of Anatol," opened the first day to a fifty per cent, increase in the business and then the gulf storm hit the peninsular and the business curled up. It cut business in half the first day, shut down the house on the second and killed the third. It couldn't be helped, but Burns cusses loudly whenever he thinks what he could have done to the town with an even break. He started six weeks in advance with press stories, averaging two a week, and built up with window cards and heralds. He got six windows and one co-operative display. Most of his lobby work came from Jacksonville, Phil Gersdorf renting his cutouts to the other Florida houses, but he painted some six sheets to get brilliant effects, and he had six banners tacked to the marquise. He had them all lined up to break the record, but the only records broken were the rainfall and the wind velocity. It blew so hard that it blew out all the electric lights the second day of the storm, for the power house was put out of business. Tastzful Window Was a Double Attraction Displaying gowns in a store window as duplicates of those worn by a picture star is a simple exploitation stunt, but it always brings results when it is well done, and H. B. Clarke, of the Rialto Theatre, Macon, Ga., not only sold a lot of extra tickets to Elsie Ferguson in "Footlights," but the store profited largely through the additional interest taken in the window. Selling the Windoiu That is one point which makes it so easy to sell the window idea when the proposition is presented properly. The store has some handsome gowns for sale. It wants to get full attention for them. As gowns they might interest, but as duplicates of the gowns worn by a popular star, they become of far greater interest. The merchant stands a better chance of making sales, and at the same time sells the idea that "Footlights" is one of those richly costumed plays in which all women and most men take a delight. A window such as this is of mutual advantage to merchant and manager, and the large cutout at the left helps the store just as much as it does the house. Mr. Clarke also used the same style cutout in the lobby, and for a total of four dollars he won considerable extra business. Atlanta by Lem Stewart. In addition he sent a bridal couple around town in a car dressed as in the six sheets, and that helped him to get the college crowd in for Saturday night. It also trailed the circus parade the day before, the groom being the salesman of the company loaning the car and the bride a local girl, who did not mind riding around town but who refused to be photographed in the car. The stanchion in the lobby was lighted with an electric lamp back of a bullseye and got attention a couple of blocks in either direction. The road map is painted on the same board used as an advance for "The Affairs of Anatol." It was framed in frosted lamps and hung at an angle so the cutuots from the press book would have their full effect. The bunting above the arch is in the colors of the competing colleges in the football contest. Grimes did not even overlook that. Another Hook-up Contest Arthur L. McCrory, of the Opera House, East Weymouth, Mass., collaborated with John P. McConville, of the Boston Paramount exchange, in getting something to make them certain to read the hook-up double truck. If you could spell your full name from the letters in the advertising, using no letter more than once, you could come in to see "The Affairs of Anatol" free. That would suggest that McCrory ran a free show, but he didn't. In the first place the ads were purposely written with comparatively few words and it was not as easy as it looked to find a supply of the necessary letters even in a double truck. For you had to find all of the letters in a single advertising space and not in the entire double page. Fought Opposition With Lobby Stunts C. B. Grimes, of the Rialto Theatre, Columbus, Ga., was kept on the jump the three days he played "Dangerous Curve Ahead." For all three days he had one of the really big super-films in opposition, John Robinson's circus played one day and on Saturday there was a big college football game. He had three first-class alibis for a sizeable deficit, but he worked so hard that he put it over to increased business. The increase does not sound important — just as figures, but when you add it what he naturally stood to lose, it looks like a regular stunt. He built a semophore, used a stack of traffic signs, painted a road map of matrimony and used extra signs, including one sent down from THIS LOBBY FOUGHT A CIRCUS AND A FOOTBALL GAME Something had to be done with super features, ai college game and the circus, all in three days, but the Rialto Theatre, Columbus, Ga., made it. The still frame in the center was st.it down from Atlanta for this display. It's a Lem Stewart stunt