Wonder Bar (Warner Bros.) (1934)

Jiustce Hath Charm .. A couple of lassies and a portable victrola may be used in several ways. Planting them on a street corner to play “Wonder Bar” records and distribute heralds is one way. Another angle, on the contest idea, is to have the girls play snatches of the records in the lobby. Patrons guess the names of these songs. This is easily adaptable to a tie-up with music stores. Between times, use the exploitation record mentioned on the musie page. Let ’em hear those tunes! Speaking of Society Make your showing of “Wonder Bar” a social success. From the society editor of your paper, you can obtain a list of the debutantes scheduled to “come out.” Send them formal announcements about the show. Reserve special seats for their parties. Announce the event in the newspaper. Lights, confetti, music and the rest of the works will add to the gaiety. = “5 a as x ~ XN N » ig Aye! ree i] Light In The Night Electric letters atop billboards will blaze away “Wonder Bar’’ for a nightly flash. Good spots are parking lots and along the highways. Cut the letters from compo board and drill holes to hold two or three rows of electric light bulbs. Be sure to use insulated wire to guard against fire hazard. Illustration gives you the idea. Toy Sigger Every toy and novelty store has the mechanical dancing doll. Tie-up with this action display using a card: “‘Here’s how Hal LeRoy learned to dance—See his sensational tap-dancing in ‘Wonder Bar’ now at the Strand.” Key this card to a paste-up of the yarn publicizing this angle (see Hal LeRoy publicity page) and display plenty of Hal’s photos. Imprint a good-sized quantity of ordinary brown paper bags for distribution from neighborhood grocery, vegetable, fruit and produce stores. The printing is inexpensive and will keep your plug in the arms of the town’s women. Especially valuable in foreign sections, print °em up in German, Italian, Yiddish, French, or Abyssinian, as your situation may require. Tradesmen will be glad to cooperate on cost ’cause it’s cheap, and it’s practical.—Sold? Stop Traffic! All you need for this is a couple of lusty men, a long bar, and some blowup heads of the stars. Tie the heads onto your pole with copy reading, ‘This. is one way of showing you the stars in ‘Wonder Bar’ coming to the Strand beginning Monday.” The stooges cross streets when traffic stops, so that everyone will see the bally. Hokey, but hot! Bring ’em to you with special taxi service! Print up cards, bearing the name of a taxi company and a line such as “Take a Yellow to ‘Wonder Bar,’ Strand, beginning Monday!” Place the cards on the front bumper or radiator. It’s a cheap way to tell the world ‘Wonder Bar’s’ in town. Hats Off! The February and March holidays sound the keynote to better business. St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Washington’s Birthday all mean extra money in special tie-ups and window displays. Florists, gift shops, confectioners—all will go in on special displays and prices. Make the “Wonder Bar Special’? mean something to your shoppers. ay) foe Aan ip wag) A w q i \ Ox Upside-Down Posting Exhibitors in all parts of the Union are still getting lots of help out of the upside-down posters. Taking any paper, from a 24 to a one-sheet and sticking it upside down, or backwards, or both, will cause plenty of comment. Your *phone will buzz with calls from excited patrons trying to do you a favor. And they’ll be doing it, merely by noticing you’re playing ‘“‘Wonder Bar.”’ oS a ia AL JOLSON CHOCOLATE KAY FRANCIS Uy SUNDAE Y, SUNDAE Every Day Is Sundae ZT It’s not new to work with soda fountains, but it’s sure effective! Give ’em plenty of “Wonder Bar Sundaes”— plaster the counters with signs, not forgetting to include the playdates. Concoct special mixtures for each star, viz —the Kay Francis sundae, the Al Jolson chocolate soda, etc. Here’s a line to tiein the title and each star’s name: Toledo’s Wonder Bar is at Shraft’s featuring Al Jolson’s Black & White Sundae.” Spell It. Brother! .. Distribute to your nine leading merchants, a flock of cards, each one bearing one of the letters of ““Wonder Bar.” With every purchase over $1.00, the merchant gives one card. Promote inexpensive prizes from these same stores, and award them to the first presenting cards bearing all nine letters of the picture’s title. Contest can be plugged in store ads, windows, and on the air. With the advent of better business, chances for landing a co-op ad page have improved tremendously. The Hearst papers, for instance, have been advised to plant the page on “Fashions of 1934” wherever possible. A “Wonder Bargain’’ page is just as adaptable, and just as easy to plant. In many towns, pages were sold in both morning and afternoon papers. Another easy-to-read headline would be—‘Wonder Day in Miami’ —with special prices carrying out the idea. And, there’s a window for you with all the cooperating merchants. Page Thirty