The Cowboy and the Indians (Columbia Pictures) (1949)

NOW USE THIS STEP-BY-STEP PLAN TO 1: GET MERCHANT AID APPROACH Approach the merchants of your town with your MERCHANTS GENE AUTRY DAY plan. Tell them about its sen sational success in Trenton, N. J. Tell them what it did for the merchants, the theatre and the city. Stress that they must have Gene Autry merchandise in stock and that they have to promote it vigorously. Show them the list of manufacturers of Autryendorsed merchandise on the back cover of this book and get them to order enough goods to make promotional activity worthwhile. AUTRY DAY Line up the merchants to form a GENE AUTRY COMMITTEE DAY committee to supervise the development and execution of the affair. Each merchant should be assigned to a particular task. You should take an active part in all operations and co-ordinate the work of the committee. 2: PROCLAMATION Once your GENE AUTRY DAY committee is functioning, call on the mayor and get him to issue a Gene Autry Day Proclamation (see Trenton's proclamation on the back cover of this book). In addition, interest the mayor in taking an active part in the event. His presence at your parade and other celebrations will not only lend prestige, but give you added publicity angles. 7 SOOGOSS SOS SSS ‘ 3: Start Parade Plans PARADE After the mayor has proclaimed GENE AUTRY PERMIT DAY. get the proper authorities to issue a parade permit. Be sure the permit gives you per mission, not only for foot marchers, but for mounted riders and horsedrawn and motor vehicles as well. CIVIC Then visit the city departments and business assoHELP ciations—Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, etc.— PDOGS OSS SS SOS SSSS for their help. Try to get the city to erect a reviewing stand at the end of the line of march. (In Trenton, they had 599995 a reviewing stand in front of the city hall where the parade ended!) 4: ANNOUNCE THE EVENT After your proclamation and parade permit are set, send out your first publicity releases. Run a teaser trailer to tell your patrons about GENE AUTRY DAY with a "Watch This Screen for Further Announcements'’ pitch. All publicity should make clear that everybody is welcome to enter the activities and that it's all FREE! 5: STORES, NEWSPAPERS WINDOW Get together with the retail merchants of your town DISPLAYS nd start planning window displays. (See page 3 for photos of some of the displays installed by Trenton merchants for their GENE AUTRY DAY.) See that the retailers are supplied with stills and poster paper for their displays. Try to get credits in all windows, but in any event, make sure that the windows show prominent plugs for GENE AUTRY DAY, the parade and prizes. (See paragraph 8 and also illustrations of special promotion material on the back cover.) CO-OP Start working on the co-op newspaper advertising. OrADS ganize special pages or double trucks in your city's news papers with all the cooperating merchants and the theatre taking space. (See illustrations on page 3 for Trenton's handling of the co-op newspaper ads.) Each newspaper should contribute space for streamer headlines across all pages to tie the ads on those pages together. Each ad should plug GENE AUTRY DAY, the parade and the prizes, and contain credits for your Gene Autry picture. 6: PRIZES, CONTESTS PARADE Worthwhile prizes for any contests sponsored by your PRIZES GENE AUTRY DAY committee should be lined up far in advance. Everybody involved should share in making a prize jackpot that is as large and as attractive as possible to attract maximum attention to the contests. The jackpot can consist of Gene Autry merchandise, U.S. Savings Bonds, cash, theatre guest tickets and any items that can be promoted. In the parade competitions, you can award prizes for any or all of the following: Best Bands in the Parade. Best Mounted Cowboys and Best Mounted Cowgirls. Best Little Cowboys and Cowgirls Under 8 Years of Age. Best Little Cowboys and Cowgirls Over 8 Years of Age. Most Novel Horsedrawn Vehicle (or Best Decorated). Most Novel Motor Vehicle (or Best Decorated). Best Decorated Bicycle, Scooter or other Children's "Vehicle." Best Decorated Baby Buggy. Best Float in the Parade (Not Sponsored by Cooperating Merchant). Best Pet in the Parade (Dog, Cat, Monkey, Pony, Goat, etc.). OTHER Cooperating newspapers can conduct Gene Autry CONTESTS Coloring Contests, Gene Autry Drawing Contests and other contests described in the regular pressbooks for Gene Autry Columbia pictures. The following mats are available from National Screen Service for newspaper contests: "Riders of the Whistling Pines" Mat 2-D (2 cols.) and 3-A (3 cols.): Find Hidden Riders Contest. "Loaded Pistols’ Mat 2-D: Drawing Contest. The Big Sombrero" Mat 2-A: Color-In Contest. "The Last Round-Up" Mat 3-B: Find Hidden Faces Contest. Below you will find other contest suggestions suitable for newspapers and radio or television stations. Additional ideas can be worked out to fit your local situation. A contest on the co-op ad newspaper pages should stir up plenty of interest in your affair and stimulate the reading of those pages. Ask readers to count the number of times Gene Autry's name is mentioned on those pages and reward those whose count is most accurate and whose answers come first. Short essay contest on "Why Gene Autry Is a Great American." For a musical contest, a disc jockey can play Autry records and ask listeners to identify the songs and write a short note on which tune they like best. For television, a master of ceremonies can show stills from Autry films, give each a number and ask viewers to name the film. PSSSSS POSS SS OS SSO SSO SOS OS SO SSIS SSOP SOS SSS $ 4, e 6 > 7: Awarding Prizes The prize-winners should be selected by a committee of judges made up of city officials and prominent local business Seas : SISOS SOS SSS SSS SSS SSS SSOSSSSSSS s men or celebrities. The winners should be given certificates entitling them to their prizes and they should be asked to appear on the stage of your theatre to get their awards. This will make an interesting program and bring people into your theatre. GOSSOOS SSSI OOS SSS: OS