Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1945)

20 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW January 27, 1945 ^Keys^ Campaign Includes^Salient Treatment of limited Space^ Ads 20fh Recognizes Need For Small ^Selling' Displays In Preparation Of Wide Variety For Any Ad Contingency One of the many unusual facets of 20th Century-Fox's outstanding advertising campaign on "Keys of the Kingdom" is the varied collection of ads for small space shown in the advertising supplement to the company's press book for the picture. The preparation of these small ads, in addition to the regularly prepared larger ones under Hal Home's direction and the direct supervision of Charles Schlaifer, is an example of the forthright, forceful type of thinking by 20th's adver theme for selling as the bigger ones do, including variations of the Douglas Crockwell oil painting around which the entire campaign has been constructed. The variations have been made to handle restricted space requirements and do not mar the beauty and efifectiveness of this outstanding montage illustration. Selling copy has been included in all but the smallest ads. Distinctive, hand-drawn, decorative line and border treatment distinguishes "Keys" advertising from any other on the pages of newspaper amusements sections. This schematic treatment also is part of the smaller ads. Running from 140 lines on one column to as small as 14 lines on one column the ads actually sell, rather than just be part of an amusements directory. Included also are several 112 line ads (56 X 2) and smaller two column displays measuring 28 lines (14 x 2). None of the sizes given here include the theatre slug space, which THE GlOftfOUS SrOKY OF AN UNCONQUERABLE MANl THE KEYS OE THE KINGDOM Directed by JOHN M. STAHL , Produced by JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ A. J.CRONIN'S THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM ., JOHN M, SIAHL ■ lOSEPH L MANKIEWIZ IHEfiEISOI Three of the many small ads from 20th Century-^ox's campaign for "Keys of the Kingdom" are shown here in actual size. The top ad is 56 lines (28 x 2) and the smaller ones are 14 lines each. They illustrate the distinctive treatment given by 20th's ad men, using the book motif, and the Douglas Crockwell illustration. tising men in the preparation of the entire campaign for "Keys" and is in direct contrast to occasionally shallow advertising-planning for some other big productions in which small space ads are casually neglected or entirely omitted. Value of Small Ads Since most theatres are without the services of their own artists, engraving facilities are not available, etc., there is evidence that when small, hand-drawn ads are not prepared by the distributor, theatres will use the limited facilities of newspaper composing rooms in the preparation of plain, type-face ads small enough to fit pre-determined budget requirements, thereby not getting full selling value for space expenditure. Theatres will not exceed space buying beyond the requirements they consider necessary to do a good seling job. The preparation of even concededly excellent big ads to the entire exclusion of the small space displays therefore limits the effectiveness and defeats the purpose of the exclusively big ad campaigns. Small ad proponents also offer in argument the fact of growing newspaper restrictions in advertising space available to theatres and other advertisers. Small "Keys" advertisements use the same can be as large or as small as desired. The fact that 20th Century's advertising department has allowed for every advertising contingency in the preparation of its complete campaign for _ "Keys of the Kingdom" and in its concentration given to developing ads of such small stature for a picture as important as this, is a tribute to the company's confidence in the showmanly intelligence of America's exhibitors, who often have expressed indignation at apparent neglect of this (to them) very important part of any campaign. Lawn Tieup for 'Dragon Seed' "Dragon Seed" received a neat exploitation stunt from Earl Jones, manager of the Waller Theatre, Laurel, Del. He made up cards which were tacked on sticks and placed on lawns and vacant lots with the copy: "Keep Off the Grass ! Dragon Seeds Planted Here" On "Summer Storm," Jones employed a street bally with a boy dressed in boots, rain coat and hat and a sandwich sign with copy reading : " 'Summer Storm' coming to the Waller Theatre, etc." ^Song to Remember' Victor Record Tieup In an over-all promotion tie-up with Victor Records, Columbia's home ofifice exploitation department has arranged a campaign encompassing every angle of advertising to get "A Song to Remember" across to the music lovers of the nation. Three national radio programs, sponsored by Victor Records, in addition to day-and-date local shows in New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Cincinnati, are included in the deal, calling for ample plugs for the picture. One of the Victor shows, "Alusic You Want," has been made available on records for first-run theatres to plant with stations other than those regularly carrying the program. One-column and two-column newspaper ads have been arranged by Victor's advertising department to run in key spots throughout the country. A direct-mail campaign has also been prepared. Dealers have been furnished with various display materials, including lithographed one-sheets and window streamers. Photographs of a suggested window display were forwarded to allof Victor's agents with the suggestion that they supplement the material furnished by Victor with Columbia accessories. Victor Records' house organ and trade and consumer publications, with a total monthly circulation exceeding 1,200,000, have been prominently playing up, with full-page layouts, "A Song to Remember," for more than .six,:months. The Victor radio program^, tied iri 'on the deal, are : the "Music America Loves Best" program, heard Sunday on the NBC coast-to-coast network; the "Music You Want," Tuesday and Thursday show, heard on fifty-four stations; and the Intercollegiate Network program, which is also heard two days a week. MGM to Fete 'Beauty' Winners at Luncheon MGM will announce the names of the three national winners of the "Miss Anniversary Bathing Beauty Contest," launched last June, at a luncheon in New York next Wednesday (31st). The contest was part of the company's TwentyYear Anniversary celebration and was conducted in connection with showings of "Bathing Beauty" on a national plan directed by Howard Dietz, \>^ice-president and director of advertising, publicity and exploitation, and William R. Ferguson, exploitation director. The judges who will make the selections directly preceding the luncheon are Vincent Trotta of the National Screen Service; Arthur William Brown, president of the Society of Illustrators ; Earl Wilson, N. Y. Eveyiing Post columnist; Russell Patterson, illustrator, and Cieorge Frazier, associate editor of Life magazine. The winners, selected from photographs of the 27 finalists chosen from over SOOO contestants who appeared in person on the stages of more than 250 theatres, will receive prizes of $500, $300, and $200 in war bonds. Complete Premiere Plans Mort Blumenstock, in charge of Warner advertising and publicity in the East, and Larry Golob, eastern publicity manager, were in Macon, Ga., this week to make final arrangements for the special benefit world premiere of "God Is My Co-Pilot" in that city on Feb. 21. Gold Returns From Sales Meets Harry L. Gold, United Artists Eastern sales manager, returned to New York Monday after attending company sales meetings in Philadelphia, Boston, and Cleveland.