Publix Opinion (Jun 6, 1930)

/ ae a A RR RE SRE CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF TASK ELIMINATES POSSIBILITY OF FLUCTUATION IN GROSSES Campaign of V. L. Wadkins, manager of the Montgomery Paramount, on refrigeration and bargain matinees, is pointed out by Division Director J. J. Friedl as a.splendid example of carefully analyzed selling, aimed to prevent any fluctuation in grosses with the close of school and on-set of hot weather. Wadkins devised a program which includes lobby, marquee, screen, newspaper advertising, newspaper publicity, _and _&k ploitation. In detail, his activity is as follows: Lobby Two weeks in advance of school closing, 5 set pieces in lobby and within house with 35¢,. bargain matinee price, prominently displayed, with icy effect to sell refrigeration simultaneously. All posters, three sheets, set pieces, etc., carry special icy masking with line “Healthfully Cool’; small circle worked into lower left of masking with ‘Now Showing”’ and attraction ; circle at lower right with 35c in icy letters. Hight foot display board selling matinees and refrigeration placed before box office at 10 P. M., remaining until 1 P. M. Special display board in front after 1 P. M., giving official weather bureau temperature report on one side, temperature within theatre on other. See \ Beaver board icicle banner around marquee, copy in front “We Manufacture Our Own Weather,’”’ on end pieces “Healthfully Cool.” : Special trailer for two weeks in advance of school closing (copy below). One frame trailer at Strand, announcing attraction and 85c bargain matinee. Refrigeration trailer secured from home ‘office advertising department. Ads Iey sig cut in all ads; matinee price prominently displayed in all ads two, weeks in advance of school closing, to dominate in ad on day after schools close, remaining at top thereafter. Institution“al copy on cooling plant in opening day ads on new attractions. Special cooling plant ads two succegsive Sundays after schools close. _ae Cartoon, on cooling plant in Sunday Montgomery Advertiser, Special stories on cooling plant in Journal, May 17th; Sunday Advertiser, May 18th. Exploitation Tie-up with Advertiser on Visitor’s Day, Sunday, May 18th, between 1 and 2 P.M. Engineer, in white overalis, explained cooling plant to visitors, Exposed coils frosted; placards with institutional copy in engine room. Tie-up with bottling company which served cold drinks to visitors, running co-op ads. Tie-up with Journal for cooperative merchants’ advertising. Merchants offer morning bargains, urge women to shop during morning hours, then rest and cool off at Paramount, etc. Breaks day after school closes. Merchants devote window displays, distribute heralds; theatre plugs early shopping on screen. Electric refrigerator tie-up, machine displayed in lobby, coils frosted, appropriately placarded. Co-operative ads. Tie-up with street car lines, eards on front:‘of all cars with “ride street cars to Paramount bargain matinee — 35c, 11 to l P. M.—healthfully cool, ete.” Cloth banner across ‘street; 45 A boards. on prominent corners, ‘one side on 35¢ matinees and. refrigeration, other on current attraction; three-sheet at Empire Theatre; four art standees in downtown merchants’ , windows; 4000 circus heralds in cheaper residential sections, featuring bargain matinees, refrigeration, current attraction; 200 standees selling refrigeration in merchants’ windows throughout city. a ces a er an) 2O+ SO 9Oe-O Oe D °O°S 2O:-S 0+ DO°-S Or GOS O° S09 SOs BETTER TIE-UPS Bruce Powell of the candy sales department requests all publicity men to communicate with him at the home office when they contemplate candy or chewing gum tieups in the exploitation of any pictures. : “Our direct contact with manufacturers of these products makes it possible for us to assist in the arrangement of more advantageous tie-ups if we are given the opportunity to do so,’ Powell says. ‘‘We will be glad to co-operate in such instances and can obtain more satisfactory agreements than could be reached with local distributors.”’ 4 BD Bo-S 0 0--0 Oe 0 He D0 Oe Oo 9 Go-Go Oe-S Ge SH Oe-S Se G1 Oe So Ge-S-e-H-0Ge-S Oe SOS O18 -B-$O:-@-2O 0-2 Gs-O-+ 0-9-1 8-O-8+-O +O: 20:-O-0:-O 8 ~O-9Be-S9 O--OBs-O+O:-B-+O+-O-8--O 1B e-B-9Oe-B-+ Be -B-0B --B-2 B °-S-0B--S-9 Os-S-1Gs-O-98*-G-9O-O Os “Wadkins depends on the newspapers and heralds in parcels from leading stores to carry his message into the better homes of the city,’ Friedl stated. ‘Street car cards give him good representation in residential sections and \ oP UBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF JUNE ‘6TH, 1930 downtown; heralds for cheaper residential sections emphasize matinee price. Banner, A boards, window displays and standees will ver downtown sections, Trailer at the Strand, which has a lower scale of prices, should influence regular patrons there to attend bargain matinees at the Paramount as well.’’ Special trailer used by Wadkins is as follows: ix) WE MAKE OUR OWN WEATHER! ! When you enter the PARAMOUNT, breathe deeply. You are in an atmosphere of MANUFACTURED WEATHER, Regardless of the season, the weather, or the size of the: crowd, you will al| ways find these pleasant | health-giving conditions. 5 é Come to the PARAMOUNT —the air that we give you to breathe is no less pure, sweet and invigorating than the wine-like air which sweeps over mountain tops and fragrant meadows—the kind of air which thousands seek on vacation days. The PARAMOUNT is a healthful summer resort. Every five minutes, every particle of aif in the theatre is replaced with a fresh one—cooled, cleaned and dehumidified. No draughts, no chills, no unevenness of | temperature—just ideal climate —temperature never more than 75 degrees F., relative humidity 55%. intelligent copy that fits in with bama, Birmingham. terson. Ben Ames Margaret Cul Birmingham... . for the Last Time I’m Broadcasting! I've told you every day this week that “YOUNG MAN OF MANHATTAN” is the best picture | have seen in years. * Please understand when | tell you this, that my job is looking at pictures. Understand further that when it comes topictures I'm “‘hardboiled’’ and hard to please. I've been looking at them for years, have seen many and liked but few, but I'm.shouting from the housetops, that this one suits me to a ““T.”” Here's your chance to make me out a liar. o it if you can, | dare you. See “YOUNG MAN OF MANHATTAN,” and IJ'll guarantee that you will never have been more delightfully entertained. If » Not, dome on to me and. I'll be glad to take any “‘cussin’ ” you may give. Scan this layout idea—worth remembering—and the paper advertising campaign on “Young Man of Manhattan” pictured here was originally set up by District Publicity Director N. Edward Beck for the AlaIt is being duplicated by all theatres in districts of Emmett Rogers and W. C. PatSaturday Evening Post cover mortise which CAMPAIGNS TO COMBAT SUMMER SLUMP = Mothers’ Day Gag Worked With Aid of Printer An excellent stunt for Mothers’ Day has been reported by David Davidson, publicity director for Publix Greater Talkie Theatres of Detroit. From the flower association, |. Davidson obtained a cut showing a mother holding flowers with copy reading “Remember Mother —Send her flowers on Mothers’ Day—tThe best flowers can be purchased at—.”’ Taking this to a-printer, Davidson had twenty proofs prepared free of charge on speculation, there being no obligation incurred if the stunt did not go through. Space on the proofs was left for theatre announcements. These were taken to local florists who in | every case agreed to pay for printing the heralds. So well did the individual theatre managers do with their contacts that 32,500 free throwaways were prepared for them. Heralds contained the proper copy for the flower shop dealers, and lower half was devoted to theatre and picture copy. Seven different theatres were represented in the tie-up. | Point to remember in working stunt of this sort is that finished proofs make it easy to sell the gag to merchants, and many printers will take a chance on preparing the proofs at no initial cost. it! Master news mopolitan or Libe ture pictures with ey = SMART LAYOUT— AND SMART COPY! ry borders all ads measures 3 col. 744 inches, with space available for short, subjects, sig cut, etc. No illustra: tions are used, because of the comparatively unknown cast; border is so distinctive that 100% attention value is assured. Idea is adaptable on any picture from a story which enjoyed magazine serial popularity—Cos rty cover can be reproduced for fuequal effectiveness. If You Were NOT One NOT fed THE SATURDAY | "0" Rewe..yox of the 50,000,000 SY ng: le Ss ° Oo 3 ? 72. “ce . : EVENING PE-$T | F008 ana ptt 4 theca MAL OEMANAT F , : arin . day Evening Post or later in book Form z d f Mod, MM. = Sto then it’s to YOU | am directing this, for : e : INI arrig , I have a real message for you. ur Wife ear E COpy dows ist what of Packitag o 1 ae Y bai Gown to yet Mill it meat StU and re. When you did NOT read “YOUNG MAN. SupP You Dt ae each *fPPing stone ene © sit 7OF MANHATTAN” you denied yourself M oF Th Tt Bes OUNG MA ee . yb ee zs i fe as itis frank -one of the greatest joys possible, It can (0) Rydoohn 5 Faye it ae t Whar me 2 ved only be remedied by seeing it in real life as MIANHA jak jealous oe Mc take Bane Mean to yo © as it is presented to yau in talking pictureTe) 5 + 1 & Le Would a ee madly as ‘ piety see yok Probab Be the Shae ae eee even, more gripping -and, ynough YOM in Vaughn Fees tread Ree ave e fog 2 the best real than the story. Lean did # ic. MAN an to Stans gneek them any re the lose yon ee Fe Lake ie and ba enon them ee live 53 h them, mad to, " is ues for me to. attémpt to supply o! nN” eet eW ty ting re al] em ere itting a jjectives or superlatives to deBAI thrill t© the one most fame eve He Teal, vit, I pe = love scribe it to you. Suffice it to:say that hy face, ix life. The talking screen nd love es Say | ae 2 you'll meet the most real and vital folks ia of tens that the smders A D You, ‘then : this Will mm you've ever: known, people that “you'll 4 ene 3, You aaa come Yours for tha, 22Ything be charmed. with, understand and love. % wees vate, [BERLE Senger ise a Nase giagas igen SWOUNG : p seller of BAL Oe modern ea Lome prepared’, Cnlertann it the mose The bes! al nove, o. ingly El You're’ gop BR in 3 “ec ? Brush sey a vive Oa tee LAT YOUNG RE,!2 set ieend the bea 10 Reasons Why “Young. ¢ viage, 18 POY Gf the au : { ANH it's allt : F P ‘AT eis 5 IP : le ve MEYOUN ; AN, Man of Manhattan” Is the v Year’s Outstanding Picture; THE: SATURDAY EVENING POST’S— most talked of-story last year, when it appeared in serial form; read by millions, BEST SELLER AS NOVEL; Ranked Tast year, NOT as one of the ten, but as the FIRST of the ten best sellers, KATHERINE BRUSH, THE AUTHOR; ‘Who sprung into immediate fame as the result of this her most famous work. % CLAUDETTE COLBERT— as: Ann Vaughn the captivating wife. Remembered by thousands for her work in ‘The Lady Lies,” oS z NORMAN FOSTER; ‘ As Toby McLean, the husband; Star on Broadway of “BLUE MOON,” a sure hit on the talking screen, € CHARLES RUGGLES; As Shorty Ross, the friend; More comical than ever, laughing his way thru the story, GINGER ROGERS; As Puff Randolph, the flapper pest; A perfect type, whom you want to either kiss or kill., A DIFFERENT STORY; _ Not a single song, not a revue, nothing to do with the stage, a NEW type of story. SUPPOSE YOUR WIFE— ; earned more than you did, would it ‘‘gripe’’you,, Ann Vaughn did, and it “griped” Toby McLean. i A DARING FRANK DEPICTION— of m@dern marriage. with all the trials and tribulations of two near famous people. e j “ 7 4 | COOL ’EM COPY! Trailer Copy, Alabama Theatre Yep! It’s Hot Outside! The old pavements on ist, 2nd and 3rd Avenues are boiling—-BUT —‘‘Ain’t WE Got Comfort? flash That’s something to re member folks, that — when it’s as hot as that place we can’t af| ford to mention, out\ side, it’s STILL THAT FIRST BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY in THE ALABAMA. flash WHY?:s ’Cause, here we manufacture our OWN weather to suit the occasion! Old man summer, can do his stuff outside, but in here that first breath ~ of Spring still prevails. ‘flash And “there's an idea! :2¢) When you have to do | that shopping, get all tired out and bothered, so hot you can hardly earry on, drop it all, come in and be cool, comfortable and relax, while you see— “THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN” flash REMEMBER! We open at 11 A. M. and till one o’clock our admission price is only 25¢ DON’T STAY HOT! GET COOL AT THE ALABAMA flash Levy Gets Free Air Plug On Wedding Ring Tie-Up — Milt Levy of the Publix-Balaban & Katz exploitation staff in Chicago procured an hour’s radio broadcast and distribution of 800 window cards by tying in the love interest in ‘High Society Blues’’ with the True Wedding Ring Co. Cards bore photo of Gaynor and Farrell, and plugged the picture at the Chicago and the radio hour. Company has branches and dealers in other cities, Levy advises. Sturdivant Treats Boys And They Reciprocate: Liberty magazine carriers in Indianapolis were entertained at a special showing of ‘Light of Western Stars’ at the Indiana Theatre. In return they distributed 10,000 roto-heralds for Publicity Director B. V. Sturdivant. Similar stunt with Saturday Evening Post carriers procured distribution of 300 processed cards on technicolor in ‘‘Paramount on Parade,’’ and 5,000 heralds. GOLFING TIE-UP Miniature golf course in New Orleans plugged “Spring is Here’’ at the Strand for Manager W. H. Mahoney, who offered three passes for the lowest scores turned in daily.