Publix Opinion (Jul 25, 1930)

i Hae arena ceaatE EN DOCSULOU CULTIST ERUPT er aed SPEND WISELY AND PROFIT DOUBLY! SUUDORE) STUN TVONGDD ASO SEAR SHARED kDa ST ALLaaT NNN -csvewonnyveturueneneqnenntoenuenasenveetenorrenmiaerins E 3 soptneayott 3 TAME The Official Voice of Publix i PTT \ wp iotiae : I2 More Days To Win Harold Lloyd Cash Prizes! ublix Cen rn sat t uid evpncecntennt ps UNS aurjuimageraneaneesnetaeed Vol. III REQUURCEFULNESS NEEDED! Publix Theatres Corporation, Paramount Bui Iding, New York, Week of July 25th, 1930 _ BETTER SHOWS _ MEAN BETTER © BUSINESS No. 46 OCES S| EFFECTIVENESS OF CIRCUIT NEW COLOR PROCESS. HUES IN SCREEN BROADCASTING SENSATIONAL After months spent in working quietly and steadily on a new color process which, it is believed, will revolutionize the entire screen advertising business, W. Johnson, president of the Theatre Service Corp., has announced that the first series of screen broadcasting, in which the new color process will be used, will be released to Publix theatres in the very near future. The new process was displayed at a special screening of Home Office executives recently. Without exception, it was pronounced the most startling contribution of pure eye-warming and enchanting entertainment that has ever been made to the screen. The colors stood out in clear, knife-like precision down to the minutest: detail of the objects portrayed. One is entirely oblivious of the fact that an Oriental rug, a living room suite, a box of candy or a boquet of flowers are being displayed for adyertising purposes. One is conscious only of witnessing a beautiful, colorful spectacle, comparable to some of the brilliant production finales of first line Broadway musical shows. A complete manual, being sent out by the Home Office Advertising Department this week to all theatres, contains full information on the activities of the Theatre Service Corporation and the invaluable benefits which. the theatres Showing their features will enjoy. Read these manuals carefully. Remember, Mr. Katz wants the most complete cooperation from everyone in Publix in facilitating the success of this added source of box-office revenue for theatres. PICTORIAL COPY SELLS CHILDREN Following up Mr. Katz’ injunction to concentrate more on child patronage, the home office advertising department is seriously considering a change in ad copy aDpeals especially on pictures of juyenile interest to reach this large group of prospects. The development is based on a suggestion by Lou Goldberg of the advertising department who point ed out that when pictorial paper and trailers were used instead of block-print, copy ads, and copy trailers, child attendance was much greater than it is now. Outdoor billing of pictorial 1, 3, 6, and 24 sheets would be advertising that the children could understand far better than that depending upon words in type to convey its message. Both Mr. S. R. Kent and J. A. Clarjz, Ad Sales Manager, commented favorably on the proposal > D0 010-0 0-1 OF O05 0+ O10 O02 1040-00-08 $500 CASH! } ¢ Don’t forget the 9 cash } prizes offered by HAROLD = LUOYD through Publix } Opinion for the best adver}$ tising, publicity and exploita} tion ideas and campaigns on t his latest Paramount release }$ ‘REET FIRST.” 3 Contest closes August 4th. 3 C’mon, Boys, get ’em in! $ See last week’s issue for ; complete details. ° 0-00-01 01-01 0S 0 OO 0-1 0 O101-S +O O10>-O1 0 HOW TO GAUGE ADVERTISING EXPENSES Excerpts from a letter to a manager in the Utah-Idaho district have been broadcast by District Publicity Director Fred E. Hamlin to other managers of the district, advising them to analyze advertising expenditures to see whether too much or too little is being spent on various phases of advertising and whether advertising along certain lines is really effective. Hamlin’s letter is as follows: “your report shows a budget of $90 for newspaper advertising; expenditure was $124.74, — or 30 per cent over-expenditure. Looking over the newspaper expenditures in detail, I note three items —$28.50 in one paper, $51.44 in the other, and $44.80 charged against the midnight show. To put over the midnight show, you spent about as much in one paper as you did on your entire week's current attractions. Receipts of the midnight show were $102. In other words, it cost you 50 cents in newspaper advertising to get a dollar at your box office. Spend Too Much “tT recall looking over the tear sheets on your papers last week. The midnight show ads started four or five days in advance. They topped the current ads in several instances. I wonder if such heavy advertising so many days in advance didn’t hurt the current shows—in effect, wasn’t it advertising, ‘Why see our current show; wait for Saturday midnight’? “The same mistake was made in (Continued on Page Eleven) 10 >-<D-+ © +--+ O+-O-+ 0-04 D+ 0+ O+ 8+ O+0+S10+O-+0+O+0 KATZ SUPERVISES INDIANA DIVISION The Indiana division, formerly under the supervision of J. J. Ru. bens will now be in charge of Henry Stickelmaier, division manunder Divisional Director ager, Haxry Katz. Marion and Youngstown, Ohio, previously in Mr. Katz’ division will be transferred to Milton H. Feld’s division, under district supervision of Sidney Dannenberg. Lexington, Ky., remains in Mr. Katz’ division and will be lin Mare Wolf's district. BETTER SHOWS) DEP | WILL BREAK COMPETITION Only vigorous, expert showmanship can keep the grosses of deluxe sound houses stable in the face of competition from the cheaper priced “shooting gallery” type of theatre, declared Dave Balaban of the Chicago operation after having completed a campaign in which a number of deluxe theatres were put on a straight sound policy. The larger theatres, Mr. Balaban feels, can and must put on better shows because the smaller houses play a similar product with equipment that is as good as any. “In Chicago, especially in the outlying neighborhoods,” says Mr. Balahan, ‘‘a number of our large and beautiful theatres have adopted exclusive sound policies. These are houses that formerly had stage shows, orchestras and all the accoutrements of deluxe operation. They seat from 2500 to 4000 patrons, are beautifully furnished, lavishingly equipped and carefully maintained. Service, operation, personnel and appearance are exactly the same as when deluxe programs were presented. “With the advent of talking pictures, every theatre with a good sound equipment became an active competitor. Their sound was practically as good, their projection was adequate, their programs were as entertaining, and they rendered pleasing service. In addition, their prices in most in (Continued on Page Three Mr. Katz On the Bound Commenting on the recent issue of the new Bound Volume of Publix Opinion, containing a detailed index of sub official statement: “T have just seen the new bound volume of Publix Opinion with its exhaustive index and I feel no hesitancy in pronouncing it the most outstanding and useful daily aid to the showmanly operation of theatres that exists anywhere in the indus An invaluable service in try. so for Publix it is particularly lucid story of Publix activity during two of the most significant It contains detailed outlines of the company’s policies, ideals, modes of doing business and messages from company executives which make a handy, compact and extremely readable text book for newcomers into the organiza years of its history. tion. “I expect every man in Publix not only to have the bound volume easily accessible to his desk but to REFER TO IT DAILY. I have read every single issue, both before and after publication, and I am convinced that it contains a gold mine of useable information which, if drawn upon regularly, will show a consistant improvement in every theatre from a boxIt is a compendium of the company's brain office view-point. power. I want it used!” ject matter in both Volumes eRe teeta ET OS ES TS ‘ ENDS UPON INDIVIDUAL INGENUITY OF MANPOWER _ With the Cost Control Committee, aided by valuable suggestions daily pouring in from the field, going over the circuit with a fine tooth comb for the elimination of needless expenditures and with the entire organization being trimmed down to its most effec WATCH CREDITS ON CANCELLED TRAILERS Destruction of bills for cancelled trailers by the managers and failure of the managers to advise the accounting department of cancellations has resulted in serious confusion, according to T. X. Jones. The same faulty practice also has extended to bills for other unused advertising materials. The vendors continue to submit statements in cases where credit has not been given for cancellation, and the accounting department, in the absence of advice to the contrary, assumes that invoices have been held up or that bills have been destroyed or mislaid. Proper credit has not been given in many instances for trailers returned on _ cancelled bookings. Unless the accounting department is advised of the cancellation, such credits cannot be checked. Another matter in which managers continue to be lax is in the return of trailers after use. Many complaints are being received on this score. And failure to return unused trailers after cancellation for a week or ten days in many instances has made it impossible to obtain credit for the cancellation. olumes I and II, Mr. Katz made this the hands of any theatre man, showmen because it presents a tive fighting strength, Mr. Katz signalized individual resourcefulness as the one thing, above all others, required at this period. In all his recent addresses, delivered at conventions and during his circuit-wide tour, Mr. Katz, in talking of the early beginnings of Publix, stressed the fact that he was never worried about monetary losses or inadequate profits from theatres as long as he felt the proper manpower was being built up. He felt this way because he knew that, once the proper foundation of effective, resourceful and loyal manpower was laid, the company would be ready to cope with any possible situation which might arise. “The time has come,’’ declared Mr. Katz, ‘‘for us to reap what we have sown. “We believe that business is not (Continued on Page Three) Prize Contest Compilations Progressing Work on the compilation of percentages and standings in the Second Quarter Prize Contest is progressing steadily. As forecast in Publix Opinion some issues back, the task of compiling absolutely correct percentage figures for every theatre in the circuit participating in the contest is nothing short of colossal. The statistical work in connection with the Second Quarter contest would be simple enough were it not for the changes which took place in the field during the period covered. It is these changes that have so complicated the figuring of correct standings; and these changes have effected not only theatres but districts and divisions as well, | It is in the interest of absolute accuracy, and with the determination that conspicuous fairness be displayed in working out the percentage standings of theatres, district managers and all others concerned—that painstaking care is being exercised in all this work. It may be that several weeks more will pass before the final result is ready for announcement. In the meantime, Publix officials are requested to be patient and are expected to display a sympathetic understanding toward the problems and difficulties involved.