Publix Opinion (Dec 13, 1929)

i DECEMBER PROFITS RISE (Continued from Page One) _ monition made in the last issue _—DON’T REST ON YOUR _ LAURELS—KEEP GOING! _ The drive is nearly half over _ but the hardest part is yet to come! Your job is to SELL _ the greatest number of tickets _ from now until New Year’s _ Day. SELL ’EM! Use every means at your disposal! _ KEEP GOING! _ On this page, and other pages, _ are some more tips for you to help make this month the greatest profit period of the year and thus accredit Publix with mak' ing more history in the theatre industry. Publix Theatres | Dallas, Texas PS ‘ Santa Claus’ arrival at Palace to be campaigned in advance, with ' Tepresentatives from theatre, city, and paper at airport to meet Santa Claus coming in from North Pole by airplane. Pictures and stories ‘fa papers. (Working) _ Have Santa Claus in lobby to meet kids two weeks before _ Christmas. Tie up with candy ' company to give out small stockings of Christmas candy to _ kids under 12. (Santa Set... ' Candy to be promoted.) ; _ Have large decorated box in lobby two weeks before Christmas, ‘to receive old toys from children, under 12 years of age, who will be admitted to theatre on receipt of ‘same. Toys to be turned over to Community Chest two days before Christmas. Stories and cuts. _ Have lobby decorated two weeks before Christmas, with trees, tinsel, bell, etc. I f necessary, three weeks advance. _ Have celebration on stage and reen On morning before Christ taas Day for poor kids. Give out candy at door. Picture for them wich as “Peter Pan,” ‘Robinson Crusoe’; Santa and acts from Publix unit on stage in informal entertainment. Have Mayor weltome them to theatre. Publix-Saenger 4 New Orleans L 7. 1, Santa Claus to give out toys in lobby—arrange with local deartment store to display their toys and furnish man in costume. 2. Christmas tree in lobby—to edecoratedwith ornamental cards bearing names of coming attrac _ Promote gifts from local merchants—have ‘trade money” Printed in denominations of 25c and 50c and $1.00, cooperating ‘Merchants’ names on back. This Money to be given out in accordance with cash value of tickets, for example: a 25c ticket receives a 25c coupon; two 50c tickets receive a dollar coupon to be given to the lady, on your off night hold auction of gifts on stage; trade money only to be accepted. (This to be run 8 weeks. ) 8. Reduced carfares to theatre trons, by street car company. 4, Reduced taxifares, 2 for 1 to theatre patrons. 5. Cooperative page ad in all . Decorate lobby in Xmas at“ontact maintenance depart. Get mail-early booklet. See ter for distribution by -carriers. . aissified ad tieup with passbal paper, including ‘‘shop jropaganda in ad on the ‘f ~PUBLIX OPINION WEEK OF DECEMBER. l3tu, 1929 4 CAN’T BE DONE? — NOT MUCH!! Another swift one tossed over the plate by PUBLIX OPINION and knocked for a homer by City Manager J. P. Hoeffler, of PublixWashington, Orpheum and Belasco Theatres, Quincy, Ill. Hoeffler got the local taxi-cab company to pay for this herald in consideration of the back page ad and the local postmaster to have his men distribute it, The upper half of the reproduction, below shows the front and back of the herald, the two flaps on the end folding outward to form the front. Below that is shown the inside of the herald. Note the predominance of theatre copy. A Merry Christmas for it’s a gala Season packed with, Entertainment Gifts and inaugurating & Happy New Year of New Show World Attractions per person! the MATINEE. CR By | § Quincy ee NT Give Publix Theatre ickets to your friends for Christmas! You may purchase as many as you like; have them enclosed in. a Publix Holiday Envelop, and your gift is ready for you. Just ask the cashier. of any Publix heatre! Your Christ. mas shopping is made easy for you! And your gifts will carry opines and greater ntertai Anat inment to your 9-20-21—Davey Le, : eye + 22—Evelyn Brent in space d in “Thi wney in 9. Tieup with department stores for Xmas gifts to their first ten customers; daily passes for theatres. They in return to give you space in their ads to equal cash value of tickets. 10. Arrange some sort of stunt that will plug the local charity that your local newspaper is sponsoring. This is a sure space grabber. 11. Tie-up with local dairy. Copy to read: For HEALTH drink Dairy Milk every morning — 100% pure! For PLEASURE: attend the theatre in the afternoon—100% entertainment! Tivoli Theatre Richmond, I ndiana Manager G. T. Gallagher writes, “The country is in the grip of a Yo-Yo Top craze, and some towns are staging these contests. I am weighing the advisability of holding a series of these contests here.” Publix-Great States Chicago, IIl. “An Ace in the Hole,’ M. M. Rubens calls the following proposal for promoting ticket sales around Christmas time. Printed postcards with holly borders will be sent to owners and managers of offices and factories that do not have merchandise of their own to sell. These! postcards will notify the employer that theatre tickets in any quantity can be purchased as gifts for employees. This is an extension of the ‘Theatre Tickets for Christmas Gifts’’ idea. Two other angles not to be overlooked are the ‘‘Homecoming”’ and “Welcome Home” angles. Students have an opportunity to spend Sie an Ni Nie Nise RS Phone 70 “CALL A YELLOW” HOLIDAY MATINEE SPE Thru an arrangement with Publix Theatres, MatineeShopping parties of three or more persons may have Yellow Cab Service to. and from the Theatre for a one way charge of 25¢ EE] EEE Phone 70, “Call a Yellow,” and the driver will take your party to a Publix Theatre | for 25¢ per person. We will give you a return trip ticket whieh will be stamped by the Theatre Cashier when you purchase your Theatre Ticket. The return: ticket entitles you to a FREE trip home after Just tell the Theatre Cashier when you will be ready to leava and a Yellow will call and take you home? Transfer Co. see ke Roo ee 26—Doug. Fairbanks, Tee “The F Bs ae 8—Lloyd Hughes in “The My ie -30-31-—Janet Gaynor in “Chris: THE BELASCO DECEMBER CALENDAR holds the key to holiday happiness that is waiting for you on the Talking Screens of THE WASHINGTON THE ORPHEUM THE BELASCO ? Shop and Sena: Before Dec. 15 gz @s an extra Bs inducement to bring you = down town § will present exception. ally power. ful enter. tainment during the month of December ‘orward Pasg' ysterious . ine Teland* Z Z Z Z Z Refresh yourself before and after shopping by Seeing these great shows at your Publix Theatres, ° = Affair’ g Chotce seats at : bargain matinee Rrices — the worlds finest CPs entertainment await you?! 4 |their holiday vacations at home, and the theatre can very easily arrange certain college night performances. The theatre can also build a “‘Meet Your Homecoming Friends in a Publix Theatre’ campaign. Publix Great States Madeline Woods Manager R. A. Howard of Chicago Heights has made a tie-up with a local jewelry store to give away a $350 diamond ring on New Year’s Eve at the midnight show. The diamond is called a “‘Blue-bird Diamond.’’ Mr. Howard is of the belief that any dealer handling Blue-bird Diamonds will lend the same co-operation as the Blue-bird people are enthusiastic about the tie-up. It would be greatly to your advantage to investigate immediately to learn what jewelry store handles Blue-bird Diamonds. District Manager Tom Ronan and the managers of his district have effected a _ tie-up with clothing stores whereby over $100 in merchandise will be given away in each town on Christmas Eve. A, Santa Claus drawing contest is already in full swing. Also, an “Old Fiddlers’ Contest.’’ Concentrated drive being made to sell tickets as Christmas gifts with merchants, factories and other employers being contacted to purchase and give away theatre tickets to their employees as Christmas gifts. Great merchant tie-up reported in E. St. Louis by District Manager Henry Stickelmaier based on movement to trade in that town. Quincy got out programs showing what is going on in the theatres during the month, including sales talk for Christmas tickets, “Shop and Send Early” and matinee copy. The back of the program contains an ad from the yel low cab company which reads: Thru an arrangement with Publix Theatres, Matinee-Shopping parties of three or more persons may have Yellow Cab Service to and from the Theatre for a one way charge of 25c per person! Bloomington is a hive of activity with toy shows, free show for children of institutions and a big tié up with the newspaper for annual | Christmas party which gets the theatre loads of publicity. Tie-up. made with the street car company which will use banners on all ears reading: Ride the cars—beat the bad weather — remember, December —big show month of Publix Theatres, etc. Special telegrams (at special rates) sent to business executives and leading merchants advertising December attractions—same to’be prominently posted. Post-office tie-up whereby banners are carried on all trucks urging people to shop and mail early and check parcels at Publix Theatres during big show month of December. Manager Lawler has tied up with the Telephone Company ‘ and has loud speakers in Bloomington’s busiest cafe, in the leading smoke shops and confectionery stores. Throughout the day ub Profit Drive. UCL PEELE CeO CE All managers were requested to carefully read and check over list of suggestions, ideas and stunts offered in PUBLIX OPINION issue of November 8th, 15th and 22nd. 2. Xmas Gifts to be given away to children accompanied by Adults, both matinee and night. Undoubtedly, children will urge parents to attend theatre for these gifts and this will help to increase business. 8. Santa Claus Suits and Xmas Trimmings for trees have been ordered and will be shipped in plenty of time. This should help to 3g give the front of house, lobby and theatre the right atmosphere. 4. All managers were requested to arrange tie-up with local dancing instructor to stage a local stage attraction. This has been a yearly event in Muncie and has always proven very successful, because it attracts the attention of parents as well as their friends. Mr. Muller at Anderson has completed all arrangements for his loeal attraction. Special Trailers 5. Special announcement trailers on the December campaign have been ordered and are going forward today. 7. All letters mailed from this office will carry the following slogan “C’mon boys let’s all make December our banner month.” 7, Wach manager has been requested to embody one paragraph in his weekly letter, mentioning what he had done to put over this December campaign and the results accomplished. gs. All managers have been requested to effect a tie-up with the local post office and place cards in prominent spots of post office advertising attractions. 9. New Year’s Eve Midnight performances are to be held in all elass houses. Program and complete campaign being worked out. 10. Special window cards are being prepared and will mention midnight shows. These will go forward the coming week. Gifts for Patrons 41. All managers have been urged to arrange tie-up with local merchants for gifts to be given away the week before Xmas or for the New Year’s Eve Midnight performances. MMM CELL XMAS REMEDIES The following report of District Manager EH. R. Saether, of Ohio and Indiana, to Division Director Arthur Mayer indi| cates just what is being done in his district on the December | and evening, Manager Lawler ‘broadcasts’? on December attractions and uses records of theme songs. Furthermore, he has tied up (Continued on Page Four) Twin Falls Excited Over Print Situation Getting the public all excited over his efforts to book, ‘The Virginian,’’ Manager Joe Koehler | of the Idaho Theatre, Twin Falls, Idaho enjoyed the best opening in spite of bad weather that-he had ever had. He advertised a week ahead of time that he was going to open with the picture on a Sunday. Then the radio stations made announcements to this effect, ‘Joe Koehler could not get a print from San Francisco but is now trying to get one from St. Louis.”’ These announcements, plus additional information about the picture, playdate, and theatre, were made for’three days. This effort to obtain a print became the talk of the town resulting in a lot. of word of mouth publicity. Of course a print was obtained on time, but not from a large station. . a E = z : z z = = é Z = The report is dated November 30, so that by now practically all the States are at work. Mr. Saether declares that a great deal of credit for this campaign belongs to Miss Madeline Woods, Publicity Director of Publix-Great States theatres, for her wonderful help and co-operation. suevecaenceecnaceareccenenceencuauuceecernnnggeecceuaecuancacgeeancvagaaeaeenececeeg ec 12. In many towns special bene— fit performances have been arranged for Monday nights with Civic, Fraternal Organizations, Clubs, High Schools and Factories. 13. Various tie-ups have been made with local newspapers for some sort of a contest whereby mention is made of ‘““DECEMBER BIG SHOW MONTH” or special mention being made of each big picture played during the month of December. 14. In other towns special merchant nights have been designated to give away, Radios, Furniture, Silverware, etc. Menu Programs Programs in leading hotels, cafes, attached to 15. restaurants, menus. 16. Tie-up with schools with special prizes for the best stores on certain attractions appearing at the theatre during the month of December. 17. “SHOPPERS MATINEE,” however, maintaining our regular prices as I do not favor reducing prices, but prefer to elaborate on the great attractions at regular prices. ; 18. Co-operative merchants campaign whereby theatre patrons obtain exclusive price reductions on various merchandising. 19. Tie-up with Parent Teachers Associations of Public Schools endorsing method of distributing kiddie gifts. Special announcements to be made in the schools. : Group Meetings 20. Each district manager will hold a group meeting with his managers to carefully plan and. organize a full and complete cam paign. 21. All managers have been requested to endeavor to instill enthusiasm and pep to their entire personnel, also to try to get the entire community aroused in our. campaign. 22. Co-operative newspaper ads with local merchants, theatre receiving special mention of campaign and big pictures appearing at local theatre during the month of December. 23. Every effort has been made to book the strongest pictures available during this period and booking department received instructions to carefully select short reel subjects to give proper balance and variety. Also to check length of entire shows.