The Doolins of Oklahoma (Columbia Pictures) (1949)

¢ Your picture and playdate can be a rallying point for a city-wide “Then and Now” promotion involving banks, public merchants, etc. ¢ Work the stunt via a “Pioneer Days Celebration," built around the 1880 period in which “The Doolins of Oklahoma” takes place. Arrange for a costume ball for charity, a special screening for local dignitaries, and extensive newspaper and radio coverage of all activities. Banks and merchants might tie-in with co-op ads, pointing up the fact that they were established long before ** ‘The Doolins of Okla Make It City-Wide! utilities, social and civic organizations, homa' Were More Feared Than Jesse James!"’ Public utilities — your telephone and electric and gas companies—should be similarly approached for co-op ads and mailing pieces around the idea that their services were undreamt of in the dangerous era of “The Doolins of Oklahoma."’ If local newspaper files extend back to the 1880's, it should be interested in a series of feature stories which refer to the Western desperadoes of that time, and comparing news coverage then with news coverage today. © Make “The Doolins of Oklahoma” the biggest thing in town! PROMOTION ANGLES Merchants should be especially interested in promotions built around varia tions of the following line: ‘The Doolins of Oklahoma and the Smiths of Blanktown Agree That... etc.”’ In keeping with your ‘Then and Now”’ promotion, the advertising manager of your town's most important newspaper should go after a two-page spread of local advertising under the banner line indicated above. The ‘Smiths’ referred to in the suggested line should, of course, be any typical shopping family willing to lend the use of its name in your promotion. \ COLOR IN N SZ so Hibs zn THE WILDEST (GMAT Gy \ AN 3} aN OUTLAW GANG j Us THAT EVER HIT Ae seomain “THE DOOLINS OF OKLAHOMA” STATE THEATRE Illustrated is an exciting color-in mat showing the Doolin gang, more feared than the James boys, riding across the State of Oklahoma. Plant mat in newspaper or use it as a herald handout. Offer guest tickets as prizes in a color-in contest and display all entries in your advance lobby. Order 2-column Mat 2-C (3” deep) or 3column Mat 3-C (4!/." deep) from National Screen Service. ONE-SHOT CONTESTS The following angles might be used in newspaper or radio write-in contests, for man-inthe-street broadcasts, inquiring reporter columns, radio forums, etc. 1) List other “name and place” films like “The Doolins of Oklahoma.” (“The Barkleys of Broadway,” “Rose of Washington Square,” etc.) 2) Name other famous Western gangs depicted on the screen, and the films. (“Jesse James,” “When the Daltons Rode,” “Belle Starr,” etc.) Showmen! Go Western! Your show should be popular with local dealers handling Western merchandise. Work for window and counter displays, co-op advertising, mention on radio broadcasts, promoted prizes in contests, etc. The following angles might help: BOOK STORES, LIBRARIES Promote displays of Western action and adventure books, or of books dealing with the “gangs” of the old West, including the James, the Youngers, the Daltons and the Belle Starr gangs. HAT STORES Try for Western-type hat displays, coupled with displays of 10-gallon hats. In addition, offer guest tickets to those passersby who can guess the number of empty cartridge shells “used by ‘The Doolins of Oklahoma’ in a raid,” contained in a sombrero. WESTERN WEAR In addition to window and counter displays, in which stills from the picture and playdate credits figure prominently, try for newspaper co-op ads and herald handouts. Remember, please, no real or implied endorsements! RESTAURANTS An Oklahoma Omelet or a Doolin Dinner might be arranged by a local restaurant in conjunction with your picture and playdate. Chef can handle dietary details. See to it that newspaper co-op ads, window cards, table cards and menus call attention to your picture and playdate. WESTERN TOYS “The Doolins of Oklahoma” should prove an exciting peg for merchants dealing in Western toys and equipment for youngsters. SODA FOUNTAINS Soda fountains should be urged to publicize the Doolin of Oklahoma as a “man-sized” drink. See to it that backof-counter streamers and special posters carry credits. MUSIC STORES See to it that record shops and music counters display Western tunes, along the lines of “‘For the Best in Western Music. ... For the Best in Western Entertainment. .. .” TRAVEL AGENCIES Travel agencies, hotel lobbies and terminals of all sorts are ideal spots for posters and displays calling attention to your picture. Use Prod. Still No. 1. SNIPE WESTERNS Western and adventure magazines should not be overlooked. Work with local distributor in arranging for heralds or other material to be placed in these magazines. Leading Merchant Aids Manhunt e “The Doolins of Oklahoma’ is the story of the greatest manhunt in Oklahoma history, and that fact can be used as a peg for a unique manhunt of your own! Work it in conjuncetion with your town’s most important men’s shop, which should join with you in publicizing both the stunt and the picture. Simply invite the men—and women!—of your community to find “The Doolins of Oklahoma” on the streets of your town. They can be identified, it should be announced, by the fact that one particular article of clothing is Western in style. e In order to win a guest ticket, person identifying one of “The Doolins of Oklahoma”—your own bally men garbed in ordinary clothing with the single exceptions of a Western-type belt, coat, tie, ete.—should step up to him and say: “You Are One of ‘The Doolins of Oklahoma.’ ’’ Cooperating merchant might offer gift certificates. Page 9