The Moving picture world (May 1924-June 1924)

May 3, 1924 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 49 npaign on "Why Men Leave Hon Is Scoring Bulls-eyes in Test Run (tTTTHY MEN LEAVE HOME," the \\ J°hn M Stahl-Louis B. Mayer * » production for First National, is going through its test run period with a double-barreled campaign that is scoring bulls-eyes. There are twelve units in the campaign, half of which were devised by Lin Bonner and the other half by Charles R. Condon and Bert Lennon, of the Mayer West Coast organization. Bonner has made his approach almost entirely from the standpoint of a practical newspaperman, he having been in the game a great many years and recently with the New York American and New York World. The West Coast contribution to the campaign is more spectacular. Taking the units in order, they are: A SOCIAL WELFARE STORY — This Is a straight newspaper proposition. Inspired by a statement recently given out by Leonard McGee, of the New York Legal Aid Society. In conjunction with announcement of his annual report, Mr. McGee discussed why men leave home, abandoning wives and families. The story was good enough to get a sevencolumn headline in the New York American and received good display In the other dailies. Bonner followed this up, got a copy of the McGee statement and is sending It out to exhibitors, suggesting that they get a local authority to issue a similar story about three weeks before play date. This is a legitimate news story anywhere, but the trick is to get the Judge, District Attorney or whoever gives it out to mention the picture title. NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP — This is not new, but it is not every picture that lends itself to this treatment as ideally as "Why Men Leave Home." There are eighteen subjects in the series and they are so well done they are on a par with most of the standard strips for which newspapers pay big money. Mats and stereos are supplied free to any newspaper or exhibitor desiring to use them. NEWSPAPER SYMPOSIUM — This is a collection of statements by big people, such as Judge Ben Lindsey, the Rev. John Roach Straton and Magistrate Jean Norris, of the New York Domestic Relations Court, discussing marital problems, desertion, etc. This, too, is splendidly prepared, and Is free to newspapers in mat form, with headings. The idea is to establish the "Why Men Leave Home" column as a permanent feature of newspapers, inviting letters from readers dealing with the subject. Both these units, like the social welfare story, are legitimate news features and carry no taint of advertising or publicity, even though they do put over the title of the picture. GUIDE TO HAPPY MARRIED LIFE — This Is a little leaflet printed on four sides. The front cover carries the caption, "Guide to Happy Married Life — "Practical suggestions by" the Marriage License Clerk. In New York, City Clerk Michael J. Cruise stood as the author, the first time he ever lent him self to an advertising proposition. The two inside pages carry don'ts for wives and don'ts for husbands. The back page carries the picture title, cast and play date. These leaflets can be printed for $1 per thousand or less, so that 10,000 should not cost the exhibitor more than $10. They can be distributed as advance heralds, via mailing lists, through the marriage license bureau and in co-operation with stores. RADIO OR CHURCH DISCUSSION— The theme of "Why Men Leave Home" is all In favor of domestic peace and good will, with a lot of sly comedy fitted In. A friendly preacher could be induced to deliver an address on "Why Men Leave Home," with eradication of domestic discord as the object, or a divorce judge could be asked to deliver a talk on the subject via radio, fitting In, perhaps, on some newspaper's program. HUSBANDS' PROCLAMATION TACK -UP — Printed cards about the size of window oards, to be tacked up overnight and sprung on the public as a mystery. They are to be prepared as follows: PROCLAMATION We, the undersigned, serve notice upon all wives and brides-elect as follows: They must not nag their husbands. They must not Interfere with post-graduate poker studies. They must avoid millinery mania. They must not consider snoring a vice. They must not trick husbands into heart and purse breaking shopping trips. They must feed their own pets. They must not turn pickpocket in search of money or other incriminating evidence. They must not forget breakfast is a table function, not a bedroom rite. They must not trump husbands' tricks in a bridge game. These and other causes explain why men leave home and this notice is issued in the interest of domestic peace and public policy. (Signed) DOWNTRODDEN HUSBANDS. This, it will be seen, carries no tip-off that it is a picture stunt, not even the title being capped. But, if it is tacked up a day or so before your first advance announcement of the picture, It cannot fail to register. These tack-ups can be printed in any job shop at a cost not exceeding $10 or $15 per thousand. STORE AND WINDOW TIE-UPS — This title is made to order for almost every kind of a store tie-up, from stockings to automobiles. In Los Angeles, the Mayer people got tieups with scores of drug stores and, through the Heinz agency, landed hundreds of grocers with a display of Heinz Food Products and a card reading: "The.re are many reasons 'Why Men Leave Home,' but Heinz knows 67 why they don't." For a florist tleup, the picture itself provides a card, one title reading: "Husbands, don't wait until your wives are dead to send them flowers — Do it Now!" All the exhibitor has to do there is to add the words: "and take her to see 'Why Mean Leave Home." " A TRAFFIC-HALTING STUNT — In Los An geles, arrangements were made with the Hellman Bank, one of the biggest on the Coast, to send an armored car to Loew's State Monday morning. Huge coin sacks, loaded under police guard and filled with rocks, were put inside and theatre attaches spread the word that the sacks contained record-breaking Sunday receipts for "Why Men Leave Home." The bank had prepared, in advance, for a window' display In its main building and 30 branches, with a card reading: "Safety First. All box-office records broken at Loew's State by 'Why Mean Leave Home.' Bringing receipts to Hellman's, the Bank of Service." AMBULANCE BALLYHOO— Another unique idea in the Los Angeles campaign. A white ambulance was hired and sent whirling to prominent spots, where it would stand for the crowd to see banners on its sides reading: "He laughed until it hurt. So will you when you see Why Men Leave Home' at Loew's State now." THROWAWAYS, POSTCARDS, LAUNDRY INSERTS — A police traffic card was duplicated, with the summons reading to Loew's State to see "Why Men Leave Home." These, with police consent, were dropped into every parked auto. You could use this with one side reading: "This GRIEF CARD may not be new to you, but 'Why Men Leave Home* is. Come to the Theatre next week prepared to put up bail of cents, including war tax, and enjoy an evening free of trouble." THE U. S. NAVAL AND MILITARY TIEUP — This was effected by means of onesheet stands, supplied by the exploiters, reading: You May Be Puzzled "WHY MEN LEAVE HOME" But Uncle Sam isn't. He knows many red-blooded men who wish to travel and seek adventure leave home to JOIN THE NAVY. PRETTIEST ANKLE CONTEST — This was a chancy stunt, put on in such clean and dignified fashion that it turned out to be one of the most successful of all the work done for the picture. A big dance place was "sold" the idea of the contest and liked It so well it made it a big feature, advertising it in the dailies. For a week they had a special velvet drape across the front of their special stage, with a huge arrow running diagonally from the upper left corner towards the lower right and pointing towards a raised part of the curtain, where a pair of "prop" legs stood exposed. The picture title was the length of the arrow and two circular posters announced the contest and date. On the night of the judging a circular curtain enclosing the stage was raised to a height slightly below the knee of the average girl. Then a score of girls whose names were not revealed passed in review before a board of judges. A LITTLE POETRY — A booklet, illustrated, with women's limbs and containing a dozen pages, presented in rhyme reasons why men leave home. First National Release Three Examples of Los Angeles Exploitation of "Why Men Leave Home."