Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1942)

18 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW September 19, 1942 Presenting an Array of Practical Sales Ideas for Your Exploitation Campaigns A picture of the charming, intimate type that is certain of enthusiastic reception by your customers, but the lack of prominent names makes it necessary that you resort to extensive exploitation to attract the attendance the film deserves. The story centers around the quaint Tulip Festival celebrated yearly in Holland, Michigan, which makes it a natural in situations near that community. One scene shows the townsfolk engaged in washing the streets, which offers opportunity to tie in with a local clean-up campaign that might, in turn, be used to swell the scrap metal piles. The background of tulips is a natural for flower stores and grower tie-ups. Such merchants could be persuaded to assume part of the expense of co-op handbills and arrange for distribution in their respective neighborhoods. Don't overlook the always popular presents of a flower for lady patrons as compliments of the cooperating establishments. By getting all of the local florists together you may be able to stage a flower show in the lobby, and the garden clubs should also be contacted for exhibition of plants, etc., with prizes to those adjudged best by a committee of florists. The story centers around seven daughters, six of whom assist their father in running a small town hotel. This fact lends itself to cooperation from newspapers and radio stations based on the recent influx of women into the positions formerly occupied exclusively by men. MGM's home office was flooded with letters in response to a small reader in a New York paper stating that the company wanted^ to contact families with seven daughters. A theatre could get similar response to a small paid ad in the classified section of the local paper. The resultant response would be the occasion for a publicity story inviting all such families to be guests of the theatre. Select seven girls clubs, seven high schools, seven factories, seven neighborhoods, etc., and arrange to have each have their prettiest member to participate in a contest on the stage of your theatre to determine the most beautiful of the seven sweethearts. If you are able to get more than one group of seven to participate you can hold a final contest at which the most beautiful of all would be properly crowned as Miss (your town) of 1942. The girls in the picture run elevators, hop bells, clean the hotel lobby and do other work generally performed by men. Interest the newspaper editor in running a contest awarding tickets to the theatre for the longest list of occupations formerly considered as the work of men which women are now performing or capable of performing. The completed list might be valuable in stimulating interest among women to prepare for taking over various duties when the men of the town are called to the colors. The contest idea can be turned into more constructive channels by getting competition under way in department stores, industries, etc., with tickets to the theatre awarded as prizes in interdepartment contests for the "Sweetheart" salesgirl, the "Sweetheart" punch press operator, etc. ; the prizes to be awarded to the girl showing the best accomplishment in her allotted work. You could sell a lot of war stamps by putting a small dice table in the lobby a week in advance with a pretty girl from one of the prominent war emergency groups in attendance each night. Charge a ten cent war stamp for one throw of the dice and give free admission to all who throw the numeral seven. Portions of the action show the seven girls as musicians and entertainers for the guests of the hotel. This should be of interest to the music stores who would give prominence in their windows to the stills showing such action. There is also the possibility of interesting groups of, or individual girl musicians to perform on the stage with prizes awarded those adjudged best by the audience. A portion of the footage is given over to scenes of a vocal teacher training the I'oice of the eldest daughter. On this angle it may be possible "to interest local voice teachers to have their best pupils appear on stage. There is always considerable interest in needle work among women and you could easily arrange with the editor of the women's page in the local paper to offer theatre tickets in return for the best instructions for creating novel Stills for Tie-Ups Here are some additional suggestions for merchant cooperation in your campaign on "Seven Sweethearts." Left, above: nightgowns; below: cooking utensils. Right, above: piano or musical stores; below: dishes. designs in crocheting, embroidering, knitting, etc. You could even make a lobby show of cleverly executed specimens that would attract much attention from women patrons and build good will among the more settled ladies who perform such work. An old fashioned well figures in the film. You might arrange a "wishing well" in your lobby. Use a large mirror in the bottom and have stills from the picture and catch-line ads, painted on small signs, attached to the under side of angled pieces of wall board placed near the bottom so they will reflect their message to those looking into the well. A sign reading "look in tbe wishing well and see one of the seven sweethearts" would heighten the interest. The gazer would see a reflection of themselves in the center entirely surrounded by copy and stills from the picture. In the closing scenes all seven daughters appear in wedding gowns. Your local department store will give its best window to a display of wedding attire using stills from your pictures as a centerpiece. There is also the possibility for newspaper advertising tie-ups with local stores with space devoted to what the bride should wear, etc. Interest to the page of ads could be heightened by a story, set center, asking readers to submit their idea of the best bridal costume from the merchandise advertised on the page and offering theatre tickets for the best replies. The use of Dutch Boy and Dutch Girl costumes on ushers and cashiers in advance of the attraction will serve to build interest in the showing. If there happens to be a Dutch War Relief Society in your town don't overlook the possibility of getting them to work on an adv'ance (Continued on Page 20)