Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

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Page 38 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW June 3, 1939 Star Poses with Exhibitors J canettc MacDonald paused in Indiana during a recent concert tour to have her picture taken with several exhibitors. Left to right are Guy Hammit of Crazvfordsville, Harry Frederickson of Lafayette, Miss MacDonald and Arthur Clark of Bloomington. During her tour Miss MacDonald helped mightily to build grosses for her latest MGM picture, "Broadzmy Serenade." ''Dark Victory'' Receives Big Campaign In Buffalo For Engagement at Shea's Theatre A series of effective tieups coupled with an extensive advertising and publicity campaign succeeded in giving "Dark Victory" a tremendous start at the Buffalo Theatre, Buffalo, N. Y., resulting in big business for its engagement. First gun of the campaign was fired when 2,000 invitation-type calling cards were placed strategically in hotel rooms and hotel mail boxes throughout the city. The distribution was concentrated on the four most prominent hotels. To a selected mailing list of prominent social and civic leaders, the manager of Shea's sent out 1,000 postal cards, endorsing the film, and urging them to attend its showing at the theatre. Added to this was the distribution of 3,000 colored heralds, which were used by the house for the first tine in a year with excellent results. The heralds were distributed on a house-to-house basis. The theatre tied in with various merchants in town giving the film widespread coverage in the way of displays and giveaways. The local Beck Shoe store was prevailed upon to imprint 3,000 paper bags with theatre and picture copy, using the bags to wrap all merchandise for several days in advance of opening. The Mayflower Doughnut store, located at the most important corner in Buffalo gave the film a large window display, using stills and copy on the picture. This display was placed over the doughnut machine in the window which normally attracts a huge crowd. Kresge's store used a 40x80 announcement card tying it in with a display of Westmore cosmetics. They also imprinted paper bags with theatre copy, using them for their customer's purchases. The Grant Store used a one sheet with copy announcing their gifts for Mother's Day. Through a hosiery store tieup, 2,500 giveaway heralds were distributed throughout the city. For the first time in Buffalo, the Buffalo Transportation company allowed a theatre to place placards on bus windshields. The Shea Theatres Movie Guide which usually devotes the front cover of the magazine to several pictures, devoted the entire page to "Dark Victory". Six thousand of these were distributed. Fifteen twentyfour sheets were also posted throughout the city. Buffalo's leading periodical and magazine distribution company placed large placards on the sides of their fourteen trucks, tying in the cover of Silver Screen magazine, which bore a picture of Bette Davis, with theatre copy. The theatre distributed 2,500 8-10 photos of Bette Davis and George Brent to employees of department stores. A five-day classified ad contest in the Buffalo Times was good for loads of free advertising with a two-column by eight ad every day including an ad mat. A five day film quiz contest was placed in the local Polish language paper. Hongerer's, the largest store in Buffalo, used a quarter page ad on the Irwin Furniture national tieup on the film, and also used display material throughout the store. Five hundred active officers of the Buffalo women's clubs were addressed at a luncheon at the Statler Hotel and urged to tell their constituents about the picture. Theatre lobby displays were used with New York reviews of the picture, and a large advertising campaign helped bally the picture. Large picture and publicity break's were secured in all the local papers. Good Tieup on "Huckleberry" Here's how the Bohack stores in Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island tied in on "Huckleberry Finn." Wrapped in each loaf of bread was part of a still reproduction of Mickey Rooney. When bread consumers secured the 6 parts necessary to complete the picture, they took them to their nearest Loew theatre and received a guest ticket. The cooperating stores used window streamers, door signs and paper pennants announcing the contest. Boucher Circularizes Music Lovers, Teachers When Frank Boucher found he had the good fortune to obtain a playdate on Universal's "Three Smart Girls Grow Up", he went right to work to sell this attraction to his patrons. Frank now runs the Glove Theatre in Gloversville. New York, a town where response to an exploitation stunt is easy to see. First Frank got up a mimeographed postal card which he addressed to every teacher in every school in the city and to teachers of music, dancing, etc. Since the playdate was at Easter time his copy started off like this : "Would you like to solve your Easter social obligations for your students with a nice theatre party at a show that has been arranged just for that joyous holiday?" Then followed copy about the show (Frank doesn't neglect his shorts selling either) with the theatre's phone number appended so that teachers wishing to bring large groups could make special arrangements for reduced rates and reserved seats. Another stunt was a letter sent to all the music lovers in town. Frank doesn't say just how he got the list of music lovers but we surmise that he was wise enough to obtain these lists from music teachers, from music stores' lists of customers and so on. These letters stressed the musical appeal of Deanna Durbin's picture in which she sang four songs. They started off in this way: "Your name has been given us as one who appreciates the best in screen entertainment and among those who are very much interested in music". It's a swell way to begin a letter and the copy throughout was equally appealing. Congratulations, Frank, on a swell campaign. We'd like to hear some of your activities in the Glove. Patriotism Key of Vital Campaign Week in Fox West Coast Houses As part of the Spyros Skouras Showmanship campaign now in progress among Fox West Coast theatres, the week of May 28 has been designated as American Week. Since the idea dovetails with Memorial Day, managers have been urged to take the cue and shape and re-shape their campaign plans to make the most of this auspicious date. They have been urged to make the dedication of the American Flag one of the most important points of their plans. A flag has been furnished every theatre. Further than this, they are also to schedule showings of patriotic short subjects, special morning and afternoon shows, special theatre parties and special nights catering to such organizations as the American Legion, Daughters of the American Revolution, Veterans of Foreign W^ars, the R.O.T.C., Boy and Girl Scouts of America, and other patriotic organization including the Gold Star Mothers. Why not follow the example of Fox West Coast theatres and inaugurate an Americanism Week in your own theatre? It pays big dividends and will make your house "the place to go." "Park's" Message to Patrons Hailing it as "an important event," and stating that "without hesitation, Frank Capra, master picture-maker, has made of it his crowning achievement," Pearce Parkhurst, manager of the State Theatre, Torrington. Conn., sent personal messages to local residents emphasizing the entertainment qualities of "You Can't Take It With You." We have an idea that the messages were also distributed to patrons leaving the theatre, although "Park" gave no details. Anyway, it's good stuff.