Expensive Women (Warner Bros.) (1931)

HAT A THLE FOR TIE-UPS 4. Bushell. Contest For Budget Makers Here is an essay contest that will result in tremendous word of mouth advertising and all kinds of discus sions. It is based on a question that is of vital importance in these days of depressed business and lower inicomes ... the budget! ' Any livewire editor can see at a ‘glance the value of a contest of -this nature as a circulation builder. It should be comparatively easy to get him to back it with the full power of his publication. The contest is simply the budgetding of weekly income by percentages. The best way to conduct this contest is to print a form in the ‘newspaper and include items of importance in the daily lives of people ssuch as food, clothing, insurance, rent, entertainment, savings, etc. etc. Leave room for further items that ean be filled in by the contestant, who is asked to fill in exactly what percentage of his weekly income should be appropriated to each item and how much should be saved. The judges should be chosen from leading bankers, econonusts “and educators. Pick big names to give this contest the importance it justly deserves. The tie-up can be made more direct by asking the contestant to explain their budgeting in no more than three hundred words, and also telling how much percentage of gross income must a woman spend to be put out in the class of “Expensive Women.” . The contest should be segregated into four classes. Married men single men, married women and single girls. | Recognition Stunt This stunt is bound to garner a moximum, of publicity at a minimum of expense. It will get attention for the picture and draw crowds to the shops of co-operating merchants. Here’s the idea: Have your local newspaper publish a photograph of a pretty girl, fashionably dressed. She is to be the “Evening Gazette’s Expensive Woman.” She is to visit the local shops at certain hours announced in advance. Any person identifying her and pointing out the notice that appeared in the paper announcing her visit will receive a pair of tickets to see “Expensive Women.” Here’s how you profit by the stunt . each store tying up must take an ad in the paper sponsoring it to announce the girl’s visit. The newspaper will devote lots of publicity to the idea because it means extra advertising space and a good promotion stunt for the paper itself. Furthermore the stores are assured of interest in their ads due to the fact that the winners must have a copy of the ad to secure the tickets. ‘This is not a new stunt, but it has never been conducted exactly in the above manner or with a title as natural as “Expensive Women.” It will pay you to go after it in a’ big way. SEE PAGE 12 FOR THE BIG LINE-UP OF . ACCESSORIES! Page Two X. PLOITATION says Sell the return of Dolores Costello. Sell her new personality and new voice. Sell Warren William the Broadway stage star who has won his way to the front rank of screen stars. title. Sell H. B. Warner and Anthony Sell everything with a campaign that will burn up the town. Sell with showmanship! Sell the Exploit The Book “Expensive Women” is based on “The Passionate Sonata” by Wilson Collison, a popular novel. Be sure to arrange with all book dealers, drug stores and department stores for displaying the book in their windows during the run of the picture. .Offer to dress their windows with a selection of fine stills from the picture to set off the copies of the book. In addition to building your tie-up around the novel “Ex |pensive Women,” you can also use a printed card such as the following in any book window: Your Sweetheart May Not Be An “Expensive Woman” But She Certainly Must Appreciate Thoughtful Gifts. Bring Her One of Our BestSelling Novels. Then Take her to See DOLORES COSTELLO in “EXPENSIVE WOMEN” at the Capitol. Beauty Shops Beauty shops furnish a natural spot for starting your word-ofmouth advertising of “Expensive Women.” The title, hinting as it does at extravagance and luxury, is sure to start gossip among the women who frequent these parlors. You can secure the good will of the beauty operators and assure yourself of their cooperation in turning the conversation of their patrons towards movies in general and “Expensive Women” in particular by offering them free admission to the film. One or two stills of Dolores Costello displayed in the beauty shop booths will help in calling attention to her and starting the talk about her return to the screen. Be sure the stills selected show her lavishly gowned. Tie-up signs to be used in beauty shop windows can read: “Have you seen how beautiful Dolores Costello is in ‘Expensive Women’ at the Strand? Our beauty treatments are aimed to satisfy the most expensive women, yet cost very little.” The two main selling angles to get over in your lobby display are the return of Dolores Costello and the new sensational star-find, Warren William. The best way to display these two stars is in individual frames with suitable descriptive copy on each. Be sure to give the copy a prominent display. You can get excellent copy lines from the ads in the press sheet. To further enhance your lobby arrange for beautiful decorative art-lettering signs such as: Welcome, Dolores, We’ve Been Waiting Years To See You On The Screen Again! Other art-lettering displays should include the stills from the picture showing the balance of the cast as well as Dolores Costello’s beautiful gowns. There Is Only One Official TALKING TRA ILER On This Film Get It At Cost From WAR NER‘S OFFICIAL present in v with Theme Song “For You,” published by M. Witmark and Sons is the theme song of “Expensive Women,” played a number of times during the action of the picture. The piece is one of the leading best sellers of the music world right now and you and your local music dealers will gladly co-operate with you on window displays. Inform them of your playdate as soon as possible so that they may stock enough of the sheet music for advance displays on counters and in windows. Stills of Dolores Costello should be used in conjunction with these displays. Tie-up cards can read: Get Your Copy of The Sweetest Song of All “FOR YOU” from the hit picture “EXPENSIVE WOMEN” now at the Strand Theatre In using the music angle to exploit “Expensive Women,” be careful not to infer that it is a musical production. It is not.. The theme song is used as part of the story and more to enhance the effect of various love scenes. However, the song is very beautiful and extremely popular. By tieing in with it, you are making use of an established and popular medium. Warren William, who plays the part of a composer, plays the song on the piano to introduce it, after which it is included in the musical score. WARNER BROS. PICTURES, G-1tem Vine ONE CORP ee Se ee 5% DOLORES COSTELLO . “Expensive Women’’ ANTHONY BUSHELL Adaptation by Harvey Thew & Raymond Griffith DIRECTED BY HOBART HENLEY A Warner Bros. and Vitaphone Production... 40% BILLING INC. 1007 O60) chetbie vo ee we, e070 8 Oe or we ere. ee. With Banks Banks are more receptive tc vertising and exploitation ideas tu... ever before. A title like “Expensive Women” offers untold possibilities for cooperative advertising. The following copy, if printed in a dignified design and made the central unit for a display in a bank’s window will undoubtedly aid in the box-office results of “Expensive Women”: : LEARN A LESSON IN THRIFT! See “EXPENSIVE WOMEN” with DOLORES COSTELLO at the APOLLO and start a THRIFT ACCOUNT here today! DON’T BE AN “EXPENSIVE WOMEN: start a THRIFT ACCOUNT here today and see DOLORES COSTELLO in “Expensive Women” at the Strand This exploitation idea is applicaable to almost any of your local stores. By changing the wording of the above suggestions you should be able to promote tie-ups with every store catering to feminine patronage! | LOBBY FRAMES THAT EXPLOIT THE LOVELY STAR Mount stills (Expensive Women 76, 101, 207) in natural tones with girl’s hair in yellow. Color grounds on side of girl’s head in light lavender with copy running in blue. Cast is blue on white with title in. orange. COS fOn omon/ Enlarge still (Expensive Women 209) running flesh tint over face and hair in yellow. Cast and copy is in deep purple on light blue ground. Title is red in yellow panel... EES TOTNES FEE et DOLORES "DOLORES COSTELLC Cantos Mount still (Expensive Women 105) in natural tone. Color background in light yellow. Color girls coat in dark with cast in light blue and title in orange. Enlarge still (Costello 281) and run in natural tone with hair in brilliant yellow. Color background of head in deep and light purple. white with cast in red. Title is dark on green panel. Copy is in light purple on blue a ae = ae