Sons o Guns (Warner Bros.) (1936)

EXPLOITATION PLUGGIN’ SHOW’S BIG COMEDY TEAM Stores Give Co-operation In NEW IDEA LUCKY NUMBER CONTEST Idea of this stunt is to get couples interested in big new idea lucky number contest that you hold on opening night. Merchants distribute coupons (shown below) and supply prizes which are awarded winning couples at your premiere. Beauty of stunt is that it can be worked with only a few co-operating stores and no newspaper tie-up. Here’s the complete set-up: STORE CO-OPERATION First thing, is to see which local stores will tie up on the stunt. Let those interested distribute coupons, and give ’em lobby credit in return for the prizes they contribute. : HOW TEAMS ENTER In order to get a coupon, couple must make purchase at co-operating store. For each purchase (amount to be determined by you) they receive one coupon, which they sign. Coupon is then either deposited at theatre or store, whichever you prefer. If store accepts coupons, manager gets ’em down to the theatre, where they’re kept until drawing. CHOOSING THE WINNERS On opening night you get celebrity to draw winning coupons out of box on stage. Coupons are considered valid only if couple named on them are present at theatre — thus making sure that the folks’ll all be present for the big event. Coupons are drawn until couple signing is found in theatre. Number of winning coupons is determined by number of prizes you’ve promoted. COUPONS AVAILABLE In order to save you a little trouble, we’ve made the coupons available as illustrated. They measure about 4” x 5”, and reverse side is saved for names of co-operating stores and the prizes they’re offering. Prices are $2 per M. If you want prizes and stores listed on reverse, add $1 per M to regular price. Order directly from: BIG PRIZE COUPON for the Brown-Blondell team contest COUPLE MUST SIGN THIS COUPON TO MAKE IT VALID Man’s Name Lady’s Name To win any of the prizes listed on reverse side, both people signing this coupon must be present at the [ THEATRE | [ DATE | where JOE E. BROWN will appear in “SONS O’ GUNS,” the Warner Bros. hit with JOAN BLONDELL, and a big cast of stars. SEE OTHER SIDE FOR LIST OF PRIZES ECONOMY NOVELTY CO. 225 W. 39th Street New York City HAND PEANUTS TO FANS GAG SPOT ANNOUNCEMENT Here’s a minute’s worth of plug that you might like for radio spot: He: (In great anger) Now, for heaven’s sake, I don’t want to play bridge! T don’t want to put on my dinner jacket. I don’t want to meet those stuffed shirts! She: (Remorseful) I should have known better than to accept invitations involving you. He: Don’t you realize it’s ““Sons O’ Guns’’ at the Strand tonight? She: With Joe E. Brown and Joan Blondell? He: You said tt. How about getting to the fans at the ball stadium, by having a comedian hand out peanuts as they enter? Only two peanuts to a person, with little sticker attached, reading, ‘‘Have a pair of nuts with the compliments of the nuttiest team of them all, Joe E. Brown and Joan Blondell, now in, etc., etc.’’ Or you could save the money of the printing by just having him hand the nuts out while your man spiels on picture. Possibly you could get a gal to stooge for him, letting ’em throw a coupla gags at the onlookers who gather round for the free peanuts. She: Well that’s where we’re gowg tomight. I’ll call Mrs. Smith and tell her I have a headache... “Sons O’ Guns’? — Am I happy! CONTEST FOR COMIC TEAMS For radio or stage, why not an amateur contest for comic teams? With Brown and Blondell as their models, they can pull the songs, gags and (if it’s on stage) dances that your comedy team uses in the picture. Original material can be used if they impersonate Joe and Joan. COUPLE GAGS ON CORNERS For something a little different in the way of a street stunt, you could have a fellow and girl tour the town, stopping on busy street corners to exchange some snappy repartee. After one or two gags, told at the top of their lungs so that anyone in the neighborhood can’t miss hearing, gal asks guy where he got that swell gag, and he shoots back—louder than ever—that he heard it when he saw the new Joe E. Brown picture. He then goes into the cast, title and theatre credits. Stunt can be repeated every couple of minutes—on another corner with another set of prospective patrons. One of the gags that is adaptable: HE: You can be pretty annoying tf you try hard enough. SHE: And you can be pretty annoying without trying. However, couple can pull any gags they want to, if you think they ought to use a steady line of patter before plug gets in. TWIN TEAM GETS PRIZE Another way to get the team angle across is by offering to present the parents of | the first team of twins born during the run of the film with a cash award. Stunt, naturally, is in honor of that new screen team Joe E. Brown and Joan Blondell. Offer can be broadcast via newspapers, in lobby and radio. If found, you'll want to photograph the babies for possible planting in papers. But remember to get your tie-in plugs incorporated in the stories and captions. FUNNY PHOTO CONTEST Almost everybody has gag snapshots at home that they might enter in a contest for funny photos of couples. If you think folks out your way will go for it, then set up your announcement in lobby, illustrating it with comic poses of Brown and Blondell. Then, as the photos come in, you tack up the best ones on your wall, arranging them in a display along with the comic B. & B. ones. CONTEST ON POP TEAMS Editor of local paper might see it your way when you buzz this one in his ear. Contest calls for readers sending in longest lists of popular teams. An idea of the kinds of teams wanted are: cheese and crackers; Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; Damon and Pythias ; milk and honey ; black and white and others in the same vein. Contest stories play up Brown and Blondell team as inspiration for stunt. Page Five