The Story of Louis Pasteur (Warner Bros.) (1935)

"Ble Story of Louis Pasteur” E ae On TA ae tO N SELLING WITH 'CLASS' IDEAS Suggestions on this page are those which were most successfully used in the campaigns on ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ and which are entirely applicable to this film. If you like them, better get started in a hurry—because they’ll click SELLING BY DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN Exhibitors for the advance i : showings of ‘Dream’ i l were unusually successful. : goune hak, areata al routined mail set-up . . campaigns : Most of the playdates thus far have stressed ae and we re passing on to you the dope on their contacts. TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS ee ae ma to all members of the school system, stressing the educational a S Fe ig ilm, and also mentioning the entertainment value. A plan for theatre P rties for classes and entire schools was also included, which resulted i urnout from the educational institutions. No reason wh th ine cage done on this film. | Ye eee el SOCIETY AND CLUB CONTACTS es si ery societies that are directly connected and interested in this film, in medical societies, scientific clubs, hospital organizati eee ) ; Zations an ters to groups like these should stress the medical me Pasteur sel ua, Every one included in this category i Sa po dgpealin your tener gory potential customer, so better get plenty of CHARITY PARTIES ao Red Cross and other charitable organizations took over many houses that played “Dream fora performance—arrangements being made locally as to price and ei fs ages. There must be an organization in town that’d go for a ‘party’ i seh basis— ‘cause it’s the type of film they’ll like. Pee ee FOR HOTEL VISITORS Tents: su Ata “ . rriendy eke wT: MAAK midh+ lot your Sra aa WR: c fil + toy tim, as Many al hotel chains did on ‘Dream.’ A few allowed theatre to drop the letters inition 25S, and others even allowed them to slip the missive under the room doors. If your Acta PRG: =a erTe? hostelry allows, be sure to start letter welcoming visitor to city and then go into pic| ture plugs as one of things he just must see. MISCELLANEOUS CONTACTS Aside from the educational institutions and science groups, there must be loads of other organization contacts that would be worthwhile. Go over the list of the various societies, fraternal organizations, etc., and you'll find plenty of people that would go for a film of this type. Student Quiz On Pasteur A grand way to get your plug into the schools For An Editorial Has your paper editorialized on a film lately? If not, here’s a film that’s worthy of an editorial. See your editor about having an editorial writer down to opening, with the understanding that if he doesn’t find anything in the film that he can honestly editorialize about, he can drop the whole thing. It’s worth the gamble, because the odds are in your favor, since the chances are he’ll be able to write more than one editorial. Or if editor prefers, below is an editorial already prepared for newspaper use: Those men and women who witnessed the new motion picture quite fittingly named “The Story of Louis Pasteur,” at the Theatre last night may congratulate themselves on having been among the first to see the screen enter upon a new—and what will undoubtedly be—a greater field of usefulness. For the first time, the motion picture turns biographer, and made clear what most of us had forgotten, the debt mankind owes to Louis Pasteur, who added a score of years to its life span. The story of the picture, and a critical analysis of the work of the players is printed elsewhere in this newspaper. It is, however, a privilege to point out to those who do not read “movie reviews,” that here is an altogether different picture. Here is history re-enacted on the sereen—here are historical characters brought to life so vividly and convincingly that no one will forget them —here is shown the drama, the pathos, the romance, the tragedy of the life of a man who dared raise his voice against the ignorance and prejudice of his day, and who defied kings and potentates alike because he knew he was right. We wish it were possible for every high school pupil to see “The Story of Louis Pasteur.” Teachers of biology and chemistry would find their tasks greatly lightened. Page Eight and interest students is to conduct a quiz on Pasteur, preferably with the science class. Idea was used on ‘Dream’ as suggested in the pressbook, and many exhibitors conducted a citywide test on Shakespeare, teachers marking papers and awarding passes to students receiving highest grades. Local science teachers could help you with questions on Pasteur. For A Formal Opening Every opening the ‘Dream’ has had at this writing has been formal, and you’d be surprised at the favorable reaction from the papers. The top hat, white tie and tails stuff resulted in loads of photo breaks of the celebs. Try it yourself! Theatre Testimonials The ‘Dream’ received testimonials of every sort —displayed in lobby, theatre and front. This film is just as worthy of testimonials, and here’s how they did it on ‘Dream’—angles that could be included in your campaign on this one. Your artist could make up a lobby testimonial to Warner Bros., congratulating them on excellence of film and asking them to make many more of this type. Patrons put their John Hancocks on. Before trailer flashes‘on, manager could step up on stage and address audience, giving film his personal endorsement, stressing the many aspects of the film, and then telling folks that they'll be showa redfew °! the exciting scen from the filmy’ gern ter, yo i ri e filmys’the trailer\="» YOU Could inses’ a few clips ‘ye theatre is h?¥!NS that the. ~ agement; the film, since PMC at be" aw to. bresented, etc. Also, afteigin pens, you r doubtless receive many written testimonials from social and educational leaders on the film. These, displayed in lobby, should prove interesting. No? | See Civic Organizations No doubt you’re going to contact civic and social organizations. One of the best ways we know of. and one that was used extensively in the ‘Dream,’ was to personally speak at their meetings. Harry Goldberg of Philadelphia spent a week going from meeting to meeting delivering his spiel, ending up with a hoarse voice and enough seats sold to assure the success of his engagement. Lobby Bulletin Board Many theatres used their bulletin boards in the lobby in advance of their ‘Dream’ showings, posting news clips, photos and pressbook stories daily advising the patrons of the coming of the film and of its many interesting aspects. CAMPAIGNING VIA THE AIR WAVES children in the afternoon, cross-section of the town to the ‘mike’; Many ‘Dream’ exploiters went big on a major part of their exploitation. Radio spot announcements, varying from 30 seconds to three minutes were used. Copy was changed to conform to the type of listener that would the moment, appealing to the housewives in the morning, the school ning. Announcements were also spotted—after lectures, music programs and other hours of that sort to reach the more serious listeners. Another successful angle used was that of getting a radio angles using this field for have their dials tuned in at and the more serious listeners in the eve classical people like teachers, cab drivers, house wives and others of the citizenry, each having seen the film opening night. An op portunity to speak over the air was enough to get film. We don’t have to tell you that the talks are prepared in advance by you. . ‘em to give an opinion of the _and all the speaker has to do is read ’em off. Vary them so that the cab driver and the professor aren’t influenced by the same thing in the film. . _and then the announcer can come in with the angle that it will appeal to everyone. Still another stunt was the sidewalk interview. Station had announcer down to theatre for fifteen minutes daily and asked outgoing patrons to tell the listening public how they liked film.