Publix Opinion (Jul 20, 1929)

sas le ~__ME-UP GETS BIG SPACE Proving once again the oft-repeated contention of PUBLIX OPINION that commercial concerns are only too eager to pay for| the privilege of tieing up with Publix theatres for the most effec| tive presentation of their ‘products, Manager Raymond B. Jones and M. Lou Elewitz, Director of Advertising and Publicity, of the i Here is the full size newspaper insert which was distributed with every Note how the theatre copy dominates the page. Paramount Theatre, Omaha, put over a refrigerator and radio tieSirti eerste LS TL -up that got them full page newspaper ads, heralds, prizes, and a rush of business that crashed on them like a sudden cloudburst— all for nothing! Jones and Elewitz tied up with Orchard and Wilhelm Co., one of Omaha’s leading department stores to stage a refrigerator and radio show in the theatre. The store in turn got the wholesalers of this product to promote the factories into appropriating a couple of thousand dollars each for the campaign. As a result, the theatre got full page ads, several halfpage ads, and a large page ad size herald inserted in every issue of the. Omaha Bee-News for several ‘days. Some of these are reproduced on this and the opposite page. { This gale ef:publicity, announcing that a refrigerator and a radio would be giver away, (donated by the department store), was reflected in box-office receipts all through the week and brought a record-breaking crowd on the’ night of the awards. The refrigerators and radios were displayed in the lobby where several men demonstrated them to the patrons. The refrigerators weré hooked up and operated, and a lady made ice-cream and other desserts that can be made in an electric refrigerator, and permitted the patrons to taste them if they so desired. As the patron entered the theatre, he was handed a ticket, serially numbered, half of which, containing the patron’s name and address, was detached and dropped by the patron into the container in the lobby. On the night of the awards, the following week, the musical conductor had a man in the audience draw for the winners. The owner of the ticket had | to be in the theatre in order to win. A refrigerator tie-up is particularly appropriate now when everyone’s mind is on the-hot weather. | What has been done in Omaha | can be done in every town of the Publix circuit. You have what they want—the best show window | in town for the presentation of their product and the attraction to draw a great number of people there ‘to look at it. It is very valuable to them and they are willing to pay for it—in ads, heralds and posters selling your show. (BE SURE THAT YOUR COPY PREDOMINATES! ) All you've got to do, if you want to do them | a favor, is to tell them of the idea. If they're alive, wide-awake, modern merchants, they’ll jump at the chance. If they don’t then you don't want to have anything to do with them because, as PUBLIX OPINION often pointed out, Publix theatres should never associate themselves in a tie-up except with the best and most up-to-date merchants of the town. Go for the next one! el a LL HAW! HAW! An important gent who once worked for Publix, but now is with the opposition, phoned in for PUBLIX OPINION, and what Mickey Finn told him about his cold gall will linger long in the annals of Broadway's highest boiling-point in pro-— fanity. This paper is confidential for Publix Theatres benefit ONLY. Mr. Katz and Mr. Zukor are properly unwilling that their payment for YOUR brains be given to the opposition for use against us. ei tt tr en uenenesuespevtqonnncetingesauevcieeannesvareseeneeeavnamtennnttt eoerasartavnt ieee EON HeHLteienaeI reese: STORM AIDS HIM TO PLUG HIS THEATRE _, Manager William T. Powell of the Publix-Opera House, Bath, Me., exercised a lot of initiative and good judgment in buildine up good will for his theatre with a host of visiting dignitaries from Masonic Lodges of various important points in New England, when a sudden rain interrupted the festivities connected‘ with the observance of St. John’s Day by Knight Templars gathered from all parts of the state. At the conclusion of the matinee, over 200 guests of the city were in the theatre and had not seen a complete program. Manager Powell put on an extra show for them and, at the request of several of the knights, took the stage and delivered a talk on “These Changing Times,” explaining the part played by Paramount and Publix in bringing Broadway to Maine. This institutional talk was printed in the newspaper on the next day in a long story under the heading “Opera House Manager Helps Out Sir Knights.” CROSS BORDER TO ATTEND “TALKIES” The universal drawing power of the talkies is strikingly manifested by a certified endorsement of the United States Custom Service of Fort Fairfield, Me., sent in, by Manager C. W. Benjamin of the Publix-Park Theatre there, Every person entering the states at this point must report to the custom office and signify his destination. The indorsement, signed by J. D. Clancey, inspector, shows that 794 persons crossed the border during that week, and carfies the following comment: ~~ : “They all reported going to the Talkies at the Park Theatre, Ft. Fairfield.” NOTED AUTHOR IS DOING LYRICS FOR “LOVE PARADE” Clifford Grey, author of the book and lyrics for the current musical comedy sensation of the London stage, “Mr. Cinders,” is at the Paramount studios in Hollywood writing the song lyrivs for the screen’s first original light operetta, ‘‘The Love Parade.’ Grey is one of the best known lyric writers of the American and English stage. He prepared the daoog for “The Three Muske rs,”” “Sally” and, with Leo Robin, “Hit the Deck,” three of the most recent New York successes. PINCUS TO OMAHA Charles M.,, Pincus, formerly Manager of the ‘‘Portland,” Portland, sueceeded Raymond B. Jones as Manager of the “Paramount,” Omaha, Neb, Mr. Jones has been transferred to the “Metropolitan,” Houston. manager of the the “Portland,” John Smith, former |. Granada, San| Francisco, replaced Mr. Pincus at} i USHERS VISIT NEWSPAPER Manager Lo Publix Fiel chester, ae We Invite Kom 10 4 f af . Bie P. ount Program in Additjon to the Bie vl Shows yom cnaie'ond Re Copeland Electric from Orchard 8 | Wilhelm Co. Pos Make 7 = from Orchard | ny ot Wilkdncn | SS That Breesy. Smart Cr Haines and Joan Hilarious Dramas Love Making ine See em tail “phe Duke Steps Out” Col., arran on the mai @ piano ou his org ya | Manager @ Publix Sterling AND AL —e Addsrow His WEEK oo eee so the Bag Pareommntl W'¢ buvite You te Tee ELODY” Je T. Perrin, of the Theatre, Greeley, sed with a Music store n thoroughfs ire to move t and had ions from SIDEWALK PIANO. LO A PLUGS “BROADWAY " LAWRE 2p That ieee Se