The Thief of Bagdad (United Artists) (1924)

Read These Money Getting Suggestions Hunting the Ring Distribute hundreds of cheap rings, cut in half and bearing a card which reads: “ ‘The Thief of Bagdad’ cut his ring in two and sent one half to the Princess. We have cut one in two and sent half to you. It is attached to a tag like this one but PRINTED IN GREEN. If you find it, bring it to the..-THEATRE and receive a diamond set solid gold ring with the compli¬ ments of Douglas Fairbanks. The ring is somewhere in the district bounded by (name streets). HUNT FOR IT.” Naturally, this one will have to be put over with newspaper ad¬ vertising, arranged perhaps through a jewelry firm seeking publicity. And it should be announced on the screen also. A Co-Operative Page Equally as well as any other production Douglas Fairbanks in ^Tie Thief of Bagdad” lends itself handsomely to a page of co- i^rerative newspaper advertising. There is no better way to obtain a big smash of ad ^display space than through a page of ads tying up with a big central display and across the page headlines dominating the whole layout for the theatre. A good catchline for the - contributing ads is “HAPPINESS MUST BE EARNED.” That is, it must be earned by having Wil¬ son’s groceries in the house, and Jones’ toilet preparations and Thompson’s boots and shoes. In the absence of catchlines, the misspelled word contest is good with such a co-operative page—one word in each ad being deliberately misspelled, the readers to be rewarded with theatre tickets for the first complete list of errors brought in to the newspaper, the theatre, or any of the advertisers. A Burglary Insurance Boost “The Thief of Bagdad” is coming. How about your Buglary In¬ surance? Here in a nutshell is a suggestion for an exploitation tie-up on the production. The theatre carries insurance of all kinds, and especially does it cover the box office receipts from burglary. The manager should have his insurance agent co-operate with him, and placard the town with reading as suggested below. Window cards should also be used, and if the agent carries newspaper ads the campaign should include this space. “THE THIEF OF BAGDAD” is coming HOW ABOUT YOUR BURGLARY INSURANCE? It will not cost much to print a number of envelope stuffers for insurance people bearing the legend: You don’t need burglary insurance against “The Thief of Bagdad” at the —. Theatre, but you need it against all the other thieves in the world. We write the kind of policy that protects you fully. The Mysterious Emblem A great deal of curiosity can be aroused by painting or posting in conspicuous places the insignia of the “Thief.” These should be broad¬ casted all over town. When they are all out, a line in your advertising can inform the public that a pair of seats, or other suitable prize, is at the box office for the person who brings in the total number of in¬ signias posted, with their locations. “Closing Up the Town” to See “The Thief” A door knob hanger with a terrific punch in its suggestion has been used in several cities in exploiting “The Thief of Bagdad.” It provides a great Sunday showing for the opening. At midnight Saturday after all the stores have closed to remain so until the following Monday, the outside advertising man for the the¬ atre got busy. On every store door he fastened a placard reading about as follows: CLOSED On account of Sunday and everybody going to see the opening of Douglas Fairbanks in “The Thief of Bagdad” today at the . Theatre To find the whole retail and wholesale district of the town so placarded causes a sensation, as the first impression is that some un¬ usual emergency has caused a general temporary suspension of busi¬ ness. The realization that it is Sunday comes simultaneously with the news of “The Thief of Bagdad” opening. Another form of placard for similar use may read as follows: This establishment is PROTECTED FROM THE “THIEF of Bagdad” by the fact that happiness must be earned. See hi mat the Theatre