Publix Opinion (Dec 12, 1930)

PUBLIX OPINION, WEEK OF DECEMBER 12th, 1930 EXPLOSIVE CAMPAIGN JOLTS DETROIT! MUSICIANS RETURN 10 PITS WITH FANFARE OF PUBLICITY A whirlwind five day campaign not only brought the musi cians back to the Michigan and under the guidance of Publicity Fisher Theatres in Detroit, but Director Art Schmidt brought Detroit to its feet with the realization that something unusual was happening in these theatres. Keynote of this explosive campaign was the return of music after a four weeks’ musicians’ strike, coupled with the opening of the new fall season of screen and stage entertainment. Advertising began with a “Get Ready, Detroit!’’ and a ‘‘Wake Up, Detroit’? angle. Musical atmosphere dominated and backgrounds carried the important message of music in a highly effective and appealing manner, leaving copy space almost entirely clear to plug not only the array of coming attractions but also to get over important institutional thoughts’ to readers. Three of the newspaper ads are reproduced on this page. . Eight column streamers over publicity matter heralded the return of orchestras, leaving the personal appearance of Lillian Roth at the Michigan Theatre, opening the new musical era, to be carried out as an independent unit. Dual Campaign Campaign not only sold the coming week’s shows at both the Michigan and Fisher, but also pounded home the thought that these opening shows were but an indication of what was to follow. Musical backgrounds played an important role in all poster and canopy work for a week in advance. Gigantic stage and musical attractions were featured equally with screen presentations. Lobbies and fronts were brightened with autumn decorations of leaves, draped over shields advertising attractions. Special appeals to the newspapers brought pictures and stories of the symphonies and stage bands, covering the music angle in the daily press. Radio Utilized Radio played a prominent part in the campaign. Six days in advance, announcements went on the air over Station WJR on resumption of the Michigan Theatre Sunday Afternoon Hour, giving a special build-up to musical directors. Radio sections in newspapers carried more than usual space on this angle. Radio also plugged the impending personal appearance of Lillian Roth for a week in advance, in return for broadcasting on her part on arrival. Sound newsreel clip of Miss Roth shot under the Michigan canopy immediately upon her arrival went into newsreels in all Detroit Publix theatres. Tie-up with Crowley Milner, leading department store, resulted in daily co-op ads on Lillian Roth, which combined with theatre ads, other co-op space and publicity to put her personal appearance across with smash effect. Trailer Copy Trailers, advance and current on the screens of all fourteen Detroit Publix theatres, carried messages of definite sales and institutional value. Trailer copy was as, follows: FRIDAY MARKS DAWN OF A NEW ENTERTAINMENT ERA! AT THE MICHIGAN AND FISHER THEATRES A NEW SEASON OF STAGE AND MUSICAL SPLENDOR SURPASSING ANYTHING EVER BEFORE! STAGES ALIVE, VIBRANT WITH YOUTH, ENTHUSIASM AND SIZZLING SYNCOPATION! MIGHTY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAL PRODUCTIONS! STARS OF SCREEN! STARS OF STAGH! LILLIAN ROTH HEADS THE BIG PARADH OF STARS IN PERSON, NEXT FRIDAY. DON’T MISS HER AT THE MICHIGAN! THEN WEEK AFTER WEEK! STAR AFTER STAR! MAURICE CHEVALIER IN PERSON, CHARLES ROGERS IN PERSON, MITZI GREEN IN PERSON, AL JOLSON IN PERSON ONLY PUBLIX MICHIGAN THEATRES COULD BRING DETROIT SUCH A SHASON OF TREMENDOUS ATTRACTIONS! Rights to the currently popular Broadway play, “Up Pops The Devil,’’ have been acquired by Paramount, Reproduced here are some of th Fisher Theatres. g FRIDAY DETROIT WILL BE OR ECTRIFIED BY THE DAWN OF A NEW ENTERTAINMENT ERA! Ceo Sy RCUEK rs bien Toms EASES eet f f >, A xurR METZ CROOK he wan S ROGERS AL JOLSON } ¥3 k Soald Bring You 4 ‘a Semen of Sach PNICUIGAN FIER eS S82 which jolted Detroit into realization that something of major import was happening at the Michigan and Return of orchestras after an absence of four weeks due to a musicians’ strike and personal appearance of Lillian Roth as first of a series THESE ADS PAID DIVIDENDS! e advertisements TOMORROW WILL BEA RED LETTER DAY FOR DETROIT Tomorrow @ new era of stare masical as b lendor el the Michigan and Fisher hasta Sig | teeming with youth, color and enthsslusa! Stage erches: | fra ad mlehty ermphony erberiras wil be back wt the Mh t i i it E g i i 4 i GLEE: 2 LILLIAN ROTH reso at THE MICHIGAN Temocro—A Day Detrolt Never will Fertrt—The Deen of Grescent Saneoe La Miatery! Whee a weahh of new omens oats came carlp—be cond the Srat 6a thrill te ka magnidcercel er ecieeanieowenre DEPIND: THEATRES ON PUBLICXINSKY FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT Oe ? dy Aah AX i ey va ANN) Utes, —— N/A oC d Hn mel i) AN — J) vee ive, || PSE: et of stars scheduled to step across Detroit stages in the flesh occasioned the explosive five-day campaign described in the story on this page. Publicity Director Art Schmidt and his staff developed and handled the campaign with telling effect. Our Symphony and Stage f rchestras are Back at the Bl Hays Pledges Industry’s Support Full cooperation of the motion picture industry in the unemployment relief program and promotion of the “Buy Now” movement to speed up industrial recovery has been pledged by Will H. Hays, president of the M. P. P. D. A. In a letter to Col. Arthur Woods, chairman of the President’s Hmergency Committee for Employment, Mr. Hays expressed full confidence in the country’s ability to regain full prosperity without resorting to the dole system, without pauperization and without strangling taxation. Outstanding among the plans thus far developed by the industry is the placing before the 100,000,000 people who comprise the motion picture audience of the United States of the significant facts of industrial recovery through newsreels, educational features, etc. LOBBY GAG An advance stunt on “The Big Trail” that evoked considerable favorable comment from patrons of the Washington St. Olympia, Boston, Mass., was the painting of scenes from that picture by house artist in the lobby of the theatre. aE a ee Ads of Crowley Milner, idea in the collection, ing star for an ad. It’s Lillian Roth Will Be Guest of Honor THIS MORNING At Crowley-Milner’s in Conjunction With a Junior Misses’ Fashion Show STARTING AT 11:30 O'CLOCK _CROWLEYMILNER'S BIG SPACE — FREE! : leading Detroit department store, the Detroit-Leland Hotel, and publicity fathered by Radio Station WJR augmented the campaign of Lou Smith and his associates on Art Schmidt's publicity staff on the personal appearance of Lillian Roth at the Michigan Theatre. Reproduced here is only a part of the FREE space garnered by this live group of exploitation men. There’s a brand new too—tapping a hotel which is host to a visit a natural! Remember it appearance you play—the hotel will thank you f REPEAT! When you play “Feet First,” or any other appropriate pic ture, don’t forget this spectacular, free stunt! Leonard Worley did it last year in Danville, Ill., and sends it in as a reminder for the next Harold Lloyd picture. The sign on the bottom of the huge cut-out is used as a coun terweight which keeps the display straight. Style Show Nets Free Newspaper Ad Space Style show at the Granada Norfolk, Nebr., put on by Manager Dick Gaston and three leading merchants, netted a 117-inch coop ad. Theatre received the lion’s share of the space for the feature and style show, merchants contenting themselves with insertion of their sig. cuts in the display. for the next personal or suggesting it. a welcome guest at the Detroit-Leland this week is LILLIAN ROTH appearing in person ell rT Liflan Roth Will Be Geest of H Seturday Moning Starting at 11:30, et CROWLEY-MILNER'S In Conjunction With g