Dr. Monica (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Working Girls Run a contest to select ‘the best dressed salesgirl’ (or stenographer) in town. Get a number of department stores, business organizations, etc. to conduct contest by themselves. Co-operating newspaper prints’ pictures of contestants with voting blank attached so readers may state their preferences. In publicity story, tie in Francis as one ef world’s best-dressed women. Promote outfit from department store for winner of contest. Have her appear personally at your theatre modeling latest fashions. And, if there are other fashion shows run with picture, let her represent your theatre. It’s a big stunt with a big idea! Special Guests Another angle is to invite fashion experts, and writers, and dress designers. Supply the writers with stills of Kay Francis in some of the smart new gowns she wears in the picture. This will give you a plug in the fashion columns of the local pepers. Also give stills to dress designers and have them draw sketches. Anounce in the paper that ee. A Se ee. is a two-way plug that will make patrons more Kay Francis style-conscious and give the fashion experts welcome prestige. Possible angle would be to show writer stills before the showing and ask her to describe a gown to the women in the audience before the feature goes on, telling them to be on the lookout for such and such of its features. Snappy Dressers Your Vagabond Photographer can do _ yeoman’s work on this show, by cooperating on the fashion angle. Tying in with newspaper will help along, too. Send your picture-snatcher out into the shopping district, near the big department stores and fashionable shoppes. The day before he goes, announce via the papers and on your screen that a photographer will take snaps of the best-dressed women he sees on the streets. Promote prizes for the gal with the nicest outfit. Display the photos in department store window, or preferably, theatre lobby. Call them local Kay Francis best-dressers. Award ‘Dr. Monica’ passes to everyone identifying themselves at box-office as having been snapped. That ties you in with the picture, and should create lots of interest and good-natured rivalry among the _ loeal sartorial stooges. Page Twenty-two Radio Tie-In Tie in with household radio program and run_ publicity story announcing two tickets for the best household suggestions sent in each day. Arrange for plug at start and finish of program. This was worked in Washington D. C. with tremendous success. It cost the theatre ten ducats a program but this was nothing in proportion to number of gals who took a stab at it. Do the same with any program if there’s no established domestic hour. Beauty hint program would be a natural, tieing in with Kay Francis one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. The aim is becoming more valuable every day to showmen. Count on it for every campaign! “Doctor’s Orders” Provide department stores, apparel shops, hat shops, etc. with appropriate stills and blow-ups of Kay Francis styles, using the line, “Just what the doctor ordered” in displaying hand-bag, hat, stockings etc. And beneath that, “Kay Francis in “Dr. Monica”, opening at the Strand Theatre next Mon day.” It’s possible to use this sean he han huaury DILU PD, reatur ing Kay Francis wave, Kay Francis facial, etc. Also helps in fruit stores, grocery stores, candy stores, gift shops, stationery stores, etc. Plaster every shop window in town with “Dr. Monica.” Get them to use the same slogan on their counters in special Kay Francis sales. Local optician tie-in on this angle particularly effective in displaying ‘specs’. Hair-Dressers Interest prominent department store or beauty shoppe in a hair-dress show to be held in your lobby. Some of their customers or even their operators should be willing to display their mareelled craniums for the benefit of the fashionable elite. Shoppes will get plenty of help by cards, newspaper breaks, and displays. Simpler __ tie-ups would be window announcements: ‘We feature the Kay Francis coiffure’. It’s been used before—and with news ’ papers ads. For these window, eounter, and newspaper breaks, we recommend stills KF 365, 369, 383, 387, 389. For other angles, you must work out local propositions. Don’t miss the opportunities —with a fashion star, you’ll be right in going the whole hog on every fashion angle. And hair-dressers are fashion in any town! Lobby Show If you don’t want to go into a stunt as elaborate as a full-size fashion display or show, here’s something on a slightly smaller scale but a natural to get folks by the gate. A miniature show of hats and _ accessories. Promote them from _ local _ dealers who’ll be glad to get the plug. Stunt is effective either for stage or lobby. Your angle can be a voting contest in which your patrons select the smartest Kay Francis hat. Get winning dealer to follow up with ad in newspapers. Aside from this plug, the stunt will be popular with patrons and will bring you valuable word of mouth publicity for remaining days of run. “We Dedicate—” In fashion co-op, on counters and in window displays, have local dealers dedicate items of merchandise to Kay Francis, ‘now appearing at the Strand in “Dr. Monica.” This need not be confined to fashion shops alone. Use it in all stores. Get local bookshop to make a special winaow display of some great romantic novel and dedicate it to Kay Francis. Promote an apparel shop to stage a style show and have one of their dresses dedicated to Kay Francis. Another angle would be to show stills of Kay to fashion writer and have her comment at the show on the similarity etc. between the local gown and the one worn by Kay Francis in “Dr. Monica’’. Beach Parade It’s summer now — and you’re playing Kay Francis! Instantly, that suggests a summer fashion show, a display of warm weather accessories to attract your women patrons! Promote all types of beach-wear from dealers with gals to show ’em off. Bathing suits, beach pajamas, sun hats, beach robes, sandals, summer formal gowns, afternoon dresses—there are innumerable angles to follow. Now here’s your tie-up slant! By playing up the idea that Kay Francis, star of “Dr. Monica,” is Hollywood’s bestdressed woman, you can plaster your galleries with stills, blow-ups and sales copy. We recommend especially still No. KF 406, a summer specialty featured by Studio Styles and worn by Kay in the picture. Local Studio Styles represen tative will aid you in displaying this gown in your show. Kid Fashions A fashion show for kids will take you off on a littleexplored but highly effective angle. Kids always rate four star attention from the grownups in a stunt like this. Your tie-in is Kay Francis’ style. Purpose of show should be to find the best dressed kid to receive a prize ‘awarded’ by Kay Francis in the general interests of good dressing. You will get the co-operation of mothers and_ ever lasting thanks too. Give a prize to the best dressed boy and the best dressed girl. Department stores will also be glad to tie in to promote good dressing among children. Stunt can be pulled at lawn tea, on beach, in theatre or any place desired. We Are Dressing! To the ladies chosen as best-dressed after your photo contest (explained elsewhere in this section), you might extend an invitation to your opening. Announce in the papers that your town’s bestdressers will be on hand to welcome Kay in her new film. If you don’t use the photos, you can still invite them, after they are picked by fashion editors, or appointed committee. You may even score with a feature story concerning local style sinecures, their pic tures, and their comments on the effect of Kay Francis’ new creations on the _ fashion trend. You can always interest the locals, favorably or not, by singling a few out as especially well-dressed.