Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

Jiiiu UK UK^o S H O W M J <: N ' S T R A D E R E VIEW Page 25 i\itli ;i Innu'li of tickets in Noiir liaiids ami wait for pcopk' to conu' to \o\\. Instead, go after them. In the .uiaiit "Juarez" campaign book, you'll see photographs of the crowds and the luuiiiiarics who attended the New York and Hollywood premieres. This should guide you in working out the details for your own premiere. Now let's get on to other selling phases of the tihn. Wide Assortment of Layouts First, we'd like to point out that seldom do you have .such an array of newspaper ads as are available on "Juarez." There are sixteen pages of all sorts and sizes of layouts, so that from your initial teaser up to your "last times today" displa\' you'll have a wide assortment of distinctive layouts. There is little we can advise you in preparing your advance teasers in view of the fact that the regular ads incorporate the highlights you'll want to stress. However, we would suggest that you begin your teasers at least a week, perhaps two, in advance, and that you make out a schedule of the ads V o u w d I u t d 1 z e i n the campaign. As soon as your date is set, it would be wise to have a display composed of Muni and Bette Davis heads and this copy, "On Its Way — The Screen's Greatest Achievement— Paul Muni and Bette Davis in "Juarez"— Direct From Sensational $2 Roadshow Engagements in New York and Hollywood," made up and placed in the lobby or foyer where crowds for several days to come will be sure to see it. A trailer with this same copy could also be exhibited well in advance, to be followed by the regular Vitaphone trailer a week in advance. This is a good spot to stop for a moment and caution you to be dignified in your promotion while at the same time being extensive. For instance, we don't believe street ballyhoo would at all be proper. This method of show-selling has its place, but there are many other things you can do which will get over the film's importance without resorting to street ballyhoo. Give this phase of exploitation a rest. Holds Interest for Students Outstanding among your activities should be your school contact, if school is still in session. "Juarez" is a film that holds strong interest for educators and students alike. The press book gives you a sample of a letter which should be forwarded to all educators,_ teachers and students, as well as to patriotic and historical societies, women's clubs, music groups, etc. Once you have the cooperation of school officials, you should go far. A publication known as Film Guide and issued by Film Guide, Taft Building, Hollywood, California, will help pave the way for school promotion. It is especially valuable PAULMjilNI : BETTE DAVIS Suggestion for Lobby Display Utilizing a large illusiTated map of Mexico lor the background, heads oi Paul Muni and Bette Davis can rotate alternately to give this eyecatching lobby display a touch of animation. If you wish, scene stills can be spotted on the map. or a "pillar" of photos can stand at either side. The Picture That Shows How Great The Screen Can Be! PAUL BETTE MUNI DAVIS lyfparlmg tjil of IIB6 fUjtti, bujUJ if BRIAN AHERNE CLAUDE BAINS • JOHN GARFIELD . DONALD CRISP A . OM.E SONDEROAARD • CILBEHT HOIAND • HENRY OfJIOl Dirtcifd by WILUAM DIETERLE WORLD fUMIEU lONICHT AT e:4i HOLLYWOOD THEATRE Smashing N. Y. Opening Ad That impression of bigness, of an achievement in the annals of film history is embodied in this layout used for the premiere of "Juarez" in New York. The ad, along with many others, is available for use in your own newspaper campaign. because "Juarez" deals with a phase of history that is ideal for classroom discussion. With the guide, contests can be worked out to test the student's knowledge of history and to test him on what he has read and discussed in the guide itself. Film Guides are reasonably priced; therefore we suggest you order a liberal quantity now. If school has been dismissed for the summer in your situation, you will have no chance for school promotion. In that case you will have to contact other groups. You still can, however, get letters out to educators and school teachers, for there will probably still be some of them in town. And essay-writing contests, memory tests, sketching contests, map-drawing contests, etc., can be adapted to the general public or, in the case of the sketching contest of scenes from the picture, to local artist groups. Stage "Juarez Costume Ball" You might stage a "Juarez Costume Ball" to which would be admitted only those who come in Mexican or regal court costumes. Besides crowning a "King and Queen" of the ball, prizes could be awarded for the best dancers in different classifications such as the waltz, tango, etc. Going back over other historical films — for instance, "The Story of Louis Pasteur," "The Life of Emile Zola," etc. — you could pick out stills to use in a newspaper identification contest whereby readers must correctly identify at least one of the characters in each picture. The contest could run over a period of three to four days, with cash and guest tickets serving as prizes. A full page feature, suitable for your Sunday newspaper magazine section, is shown in the press book. Here is a feature with strong reader interest, and we have little doubt but that your editor will grab it. There are certain portions of the illustrative matter which you can cut apart and use separately in your house organ or as elements for your advertising layouts. "Juarez", as you will know if you consult the credit box on the opposite page, was based on Bertita Harding's novel, "The Phantom Crown." Blue Ribbon Books, Inc., with offices at 386 Fourth Avenue, N.Y.C., has prepared a campaign featuring a popular-priced edition, iiesides having gotten up a special book jacket which gives amjjle space to the picture's title and cast, the company also has prepared window displays which will be supplied to all book dealers. Be sure that all book shops, lending libraries, regular libraries, and book departments of department stores and drug stores get these displays in their windows and on their counters. Tie Up With Hosiery Shops A new shade of hosiery, known as "Juarez," has been introduced by Artplus Hosiery. Get your local dealers to contact the company at its offices at 319 Fifth Avenue, N.Y.C., for information about attractive hosiery window displays to be embellished with scene stills, poster cutouts, etc. For the engagement of "Juarez" in New York, Franklin Simon's store used a counter display of authentic reproductions of the priceless Court Jewels worn by Bette Davis in the film. The establishment also featured the display in a top space newspaper ad. The jewel reproductions are being marketed with a promotional setup that includes large magazine ads, window and counter displays advertising Miss Davis, and dealer mats for local advertising. Look in the press book on page 39 for more information about this. The brilliant posters, of which the "6" and "24" are the most outstanding, will serve you well as cutouts. An eye-arresting marquee piece could be made from the "24". Rather than try to convey to you in words the types of lobby and front displays you can arrange, we believe actual illustrations will guide you, and for that reason we call your attention to the sketches on page 42 of the campaign book. Selling Ideas Summarized Sell "Juarez" with dignity, with impressiveness and with a high regard for its significance as the crowning achievement of a major company. Sell Paul Muni and Bette Davis as Academy Award winners. Get all the merchant, civic, social and educational cooperation you can muster. Keep your newspaper well supplied with stories and attractive art. By no means have we covered every selling phase, for you will find many in the press book to add to those given here; and you will develop many ideas of your own. But we have striven to cover the vital points in making your campaign and your ultimate engagement a success. "Romance Is In Style" With that line as the basis, the stills reproduced above can be used in a "then and now" window display in which the inspiration for modern women's apparel is shown. The reproduction shows only five of the stills; there are 5 others.