Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1944)

Aim For Feminine Appeal On War Film While "Wing and a Prayer" is strictly a war picture witl: an all-male cast and limited star power it is a well produced, directed and portrayed story of a secret mission of a U. S. Aircraft Carrier. It is a film you need not hesitate to endorse, but you will no doubt arrive at die same conclusion that we did in weighing your campaign plans on the picture. It must be given a shot of Woman Appeal for the ladies who steer away from war films. You will have to channel your advertising ofif the amusement page and scatter your fire if you are to get the desired grosses to which this is entitled. Newspaper Campaign The action and war angles are, of course, the most easily put across, and early ad proofs from the pressbook indicate that there will be plenty of mats available to direct your message to the action fans. This selling is approached through the "Now It Can Be Told" slant; also with straight action copy: "Pay OS hi the Pacific," "Meet the Jap Hunters," etc. Remember that Tojo is no longer premier, so avoid using his name in your copy. On this sort of picture it is important to plan ad copy ^ which "will create an appeal to the ladies who read papers and decide the family movie habits. The logical place to reach them is through advertising on the woman's page. In conection with the Showmanalysis we have created a layout for this purpose in the form of an endorsement ad personalized for local reader interest. Since the photograph of a girl is the only woman's face appearing in the picture, this adaptation of a frained photograph as a motif for ad copy is perfectly justified. If such an illustration is not available in the pressbook you will easily be able to procure such a mat from your local newspaper's mat service. It would be found among mats designed for photographic studio advertisements. Another style of feminine appeal ad could be built around a series of pin-up pictures of. the film's handsome male stars, using as your NAYAl STRATEGY REVEALED/ \mm IS OUR NA.VY? ^>;^^ \ SEEN BY JAP f*P,V^ i\ PLANES SUT BAN »l If^^ WITHO'jr flOMTiWO ''WING AND A PRAVER. NOW IT CAN BE , SAFELY REVEALED.' 'wing*j:°prayer' SEE VICTORY THBlT«e AO • P/H* I SMALL SPACE TEASER CAMPAIGN Four small ads above, reduced from 1 col. X 1 1/2 inches, are designed to run on consecutive days with the one at left reduced from 1 col. X 2 inches planned to run on day first pre-opening ad breaks. headline copy: "Aren't They Handsome, Girls?" This body copy could follow : "They're the pinup boys of the U. S. Navy. Good looking, daring, heroic fellows like your sweetheart or brother, or husband who is in there pitching in the Pacific skies against the Japs. You'll thrill as you share their exciting adventures, their fun and fears, their thoughts and dreams of you back home. Come on along with them on a 'Wing and a Prayer,' on a secret mission which will prove the most memorable experience of your lifetime." By placing such ads on the woman's page you not only get your message across to the ladies but you heighten the psychological feminine appeal of your picture by cashing in on the prestige of the page. Teaser Campaign Five original teaser layouts have been designed by STR and are reproduced on this page. While they are only rough drafts, they are offered as a basis for your local preparation of small-space teasers employing type exclusively, or art and hand lettering if the facilities are available. If you consider them satisfactory for use as reproduced, they can be easily enlarged to one-column width direct from this page by a local engraver. These teasers are designed to build interest in the "flattop" Carrier X on which the action of the picture is predicated. They could be used in advance, one each day, on the amusement page, or scattered through the various pages of the paper, all on one or two days, as your budget dictates. The small size and punch they pack make them particularly valuable where space is costly. Radio Spots or Contests With interest running high in the exploits of our Aircraft Carriers you might be able, in collaboration with the program director of your local radio station, to line up a series of questions concerning Naval aviation which could be used on some established quiz program in advance of your opening. Offer guest tickets for winning answers. You might build spot announcements around such questions as : "How does a speeding plane land on the short flight deck of a carrier without going off the ot;her end into the ocean?" Then follow with "see" copy plugging the picture. Another spot idea would be : "Remember when the news commentators after Pearl Harbor were saying, 'Where is our Navy?', 'Why doesn't the Navy corrie out and fight?' Well, now at last our security permits the secret strategy that won us the Battle of Midway to be revealed — and how thrilling the story of the exploits of Carrier X proves to be in the giant, action-packed, funand-fury motion picture, 'Wing and a Prayer,' coming to the Victory Theatre, etc." Tieups and Displays You may be able to get a photographic studio to make a free photo of the wife or sweetheart of a Navy aviator serving on a flattop whose home is in your town, for delivery overseas. The offer could be made through your theatre and the pictures could be used in a lobby display along with pictures of the boys obtained from local parents. If you prefer, the photo gallery in your lobby could be confined to the flyer's pictures. A display of this kind should be easy to plant in a prominent store window along with posters and stills from the pictui'e. A .Y A PICTURE HOW MUCH I IT meant/ WILLIAM^ HilllfS BICKFflRO • SIR CEDIIC NARDWICLE Victory Body copy for the two column ad illustrated above could read as follows; In the morning he could say "Did you have pleasant dreams, darling?" At noon it was "How are things with you today?" In the evening, "I'm thinking of you sweetheart," and as he hit the sack it was, "Good night baby, daddy's off to slumberland, I'll be seeing you in my dreams." I learned a lot about photographs and heroes and mail from home and the burning question, ''What is it like to kiss Betty Crable?" I thought I had seen just about everything in the movie line and then I attended a screening of "Wing and a Prayer." This is another fine production — a Navy-Air picture that mothers and dads, sisters, brothers and sweethearts will enjoy, and I heartily recommend it. Copy For War Slant Ad Now It Can Be Revealed — Secret strategy of the Pacific How Navy planned the Victory at Midway The hush-hush mission of Carrier "X" The thrilling lives of our Navy fliers The drama of Pearl Harbor revenge Thrilling — Heart Warming — Gripping! women's window display could be built around the "pin-up boys" idea mentioned in connection with woman's page ads. The photos or blowups could be displayed with pin-up treatment and copy could be slanted along the lines that "these dresses (or other feminine merchandise) are the style preferred by the pin-up boys of Uncle Sam's Navy." Float Ballyhoo A flattop trailer could quite easily be converted into a rather realistic aircraft carrier where art shop facilities exist. Plane models of the proper size and type could be attached, and banners on the sides could carry the plug for the picture on a city-wide tour, with the float available for parking in busy main stem locations at peak traffic hours. Several girls on deck in sailor costume would be good for displaying a series of copy cards to be held up until read by the onlookers.