The Moving picture world (March 1925-April 1925)

MOVING PICTURE WORLD March 7, 1925 Locomotive Front Was a Qood Seller There is not much to this display of the Washington Theatre, Bay City, Mich., on The Signal Tower, but it did a lot of selling, because the house planned to get the most out of what it could afford. The locomotive front is cut out of a piece of compo board. It is all flat, but the perspective is well done. An automobile spot was set in for a headlight and this was slanted down and pointed slightly to one side, so that it illuminated a spot on the lobby floor just off the lines of travel. In this spot a new sales message was painted in water color each day, such as "Coming, The Signal Tower," "Watch for The Signal Tower" and similar lines. This ran for ten days in advance and during the showing, and since it was new in Bay City, it commanded a lot of attention. Three railroad lanterns and a semaphore were also used to create a railroad atmosphere. In front of the house two switches were set up near the curb line, these and the lanterns being loaned by the Michigan Central. The railroad further collaborated by supplying the house with the names of all local employees and to these a letter was addressed which was delivered by the official railroad service at no cost to the house. J. O. Brooks, the Universal exploiteer in Detroit, collaborated with the house in the display. Used Qood Stunts On Qriffith Play Howard Price Kingsmore, of the Howard Theatre, Atlanta, supplemented a heavy regular campaign on Isn't Life Wonderful with four special stunts. One was a light blue card, about 6l/Z by 9 inches, printed in a deeper blue. This started off with "If we could use a larger card and owned the whole post office system, to tell you about Griffith's Isn't Life Wonderful, we would find ourselves at a loss for words to express the unusualness of this wonderful photo-drama." It went on to tell about the stars and the play. Well below this section was printed in a light italic, "Isn't Liie Wonderful will be shown week of January 12." Pulling the play date crsal Release A CHEAP BUT EFFECTIVE DISPLAY ON THE SIGNAL TOWER This beaverboard locomotive front carried a spot for a headlight. This lighted a circle on the lobby floor on which were painted sales lines for the play. This was planned by the Washington Theatre, Bay City, Mich., and it was a wow. off by itself in this fashion gained unusual emphasis where a run-in of the date would have been passed over. The left hand side of the card carried a stock cut and two press comments. Two thousand of these were mailed to a special list. A smaller card, about 2 by Zx/i inches, was printed in visiting card style, with the title where the name would be. In the lower right hand corner was the house and date and over at the left "D. W. Griffith's latest success." These were handed to departing patrons. A laundry herald was arranged for and a bank overprinted its pay envelopes (which were given to the bank's business clients) w ith the title, house and date. The prologue was a tableau reproduction of The Angelus, the two models coming to life for a song. Back Again The old Gloria Swanson calling card idea was revived by the West Coast's California Theatre, Los Angeles, only this time the card purported to be that of Mae Busch and the message asked the recipient to see her at the California in Frivolous Sal. Another change was the distribution. Instead of being put into houses, the janitors of office buildings were paid to put one on. each desk while the offices were being cleaned, the clerks and bosses getting them in the morning. Posted White Way For Sainted Devil Repetition was the basis of Roy S. Smart's campaign on A Sainted Devil when it came to the Noble Theatre, Anniston, Ala. He had several hundred cards printed in black on yellow giving star and title with "Noble — Now." These were punched at the upper end so that two of them could be tied together over the lamp posts marking Anniston's White Way, which runs for several blocks. The long lines of cards on both sides of the street drove home the title, and a special man was detailed to replace any cards which might be torn down. It was so effective that some of the merchants complained to the Mayor that the posts were being used for an advertising stunt, but the Mayor knew that most of the merchants were with Smart and no official action was taken. About 200 of the cards were tacked in other localities to supplement this display, but the White Way did most of the selling. This is good for a one-time stunt, but make certain that a majority of the merchants are with you. It won't pay to get the merchants against the house, and Mr. Smart was careful to get the consent of the majority before he decided upon the stunt. Advertising Andy As a result of the test campaign in Kansas City on the Gump comedies, the LooseWiles Biscuit Company has tied in with Universal on special advertising for the Gump crackers put out by the concern. This includes street car and subway advertising, already in operation, special posters and missionary work on the part of all salesmen to induce retailers to co-operate with theatres handling this series. On the theatre side Universal has issued a special sheet on the co-operative stunts. Got youri? A Universal Release AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE OLD STREET CAR IDEA Instead of cartoon or lithograph passengers, the perambulator for Horator's Temple Theatre, Toledo, showed scenes from The Fast Worker, and made for greater interest in the play. A. J. Sharrick, Universalist, thought it out. The Old Pump Evidently they are still playing Little Old New York, for the Liberty Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind., dug out the old hand fire engine used in the old vamp days and paraded it through the streets to advertise the one used in the picture.