Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1946)

18 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 7. 1946 SELLING THE PICTURE Every Avenue of Promotion Exploited for Maximum Effect On Zanuck^s ^Razor^s Edge^ wMJfein-s-,.!':,--4H!M* % Monti) November 1946 I THE RAZOR'S EDGE (20th Century-Fox) Exhibitors throughout the country who play "The Razor's Edge" during Christmas week will reap the benefit of an advertising and publicity campaign that has sent this Darryl F. Zanuck production to a world box-office record in its first week at the Roxy Theatre and to a second week that surpassed the first. The pre-selling of the picture reaffirms every showman's belief in the fundamental values of a complete and well organized a^lvertising, publicity, exploitation and radio campaign. Twentieth Century-Fox gave "The Razor's Edge" the bigges{ build-up ever accorded one of its pictures and the record at the Roxy since its world premiere is evidence enough of the power of the campaign. A panel of showmen has selected the effort as the Exploitation Campaign of the Month for November, 1946. In designing the advertising and publicity for "The Razor's Edge" the 20th Century-Fox advertising and publicity departments geared the campaign not only to the world premiere en gagement at the Roxy but also to the picture's subsequent engagements around the country. The premiere served as a focal point for a national exploitation campaign that will be carried on through all subsequent runs. All the elements of the campaign have been assembled in a 68-page, four color pressbook ; the largest and most comprehensive campaign book ever produced by 20th-Fox. The practical manual will give exhibitors in every situation a maximum of selling aids. Twentieth-Fox has been building towards this end ever since the day, three years ago, when the company brought the Maugham novel prior to publication and began laying its exploitation plans while the book was going through its career as a best-seller. Running through several editions, hitting the top of the best-seller list, "The Razor's Edge," through its circulation to 30 million readers, grew steadily in box-office value, continuing this course through the two years of preparation and production. In magnitude and impressiveness, the campaign followed production plans, and made "The Razor's Edge" known to every moviegoer in the country. Publicity on the picture, which had been appearing steadily in newspapers and magazines took a tremendous upsurge during the three months prior to the premiere. The 'break' in the August 10th issue of Life, carrying a nine-page layout of behind the scenes action during the shooting of the film, was one of the first big guns in the concentrated barrage laid down for the opening in New York. Stories, art layouts, features, and photos of the stars continued to break in the top publications of the country. By the time the film goes into national release during Christmas, 13 fan magazines will have carried a cover picture. PAINTED WALL. This painted wall at Loew's Warfield, San Francisco, is typical of the manner in which theatres are preselling "The Razor's Edge" to tie in with the national campaign. This sign covers the theatre's entire side-wall and is 40 feet high. Along with the publicity campaign, the company started its greatest national advertising coverage, with teasers, special, and regular fullpage ads going into the top magazines of the country. Special "cover-type" ads were used, character-introduction teasers made their appearance, and general class ads were seen by readers of such magazines as Life, Look, Liberty, American Magazine, Rcdbook, Ladies Home Journal. IVoinwi's Home Companion, Collier's and the Saturday Evening Post. The eyecatching value of many of the ads was enhanced by the inclusion of the special full-length painting of Tyrone Power executed by Norman Rockwell. In addition, every fan magazine in the country carried large ads heralding the debut of the picture. Coupled with the ads placed by the company was the unusual ad and display space garnered for the picture through tieups with national manufacturers. These tieups, all with nationally advertised products, w^ere selected for their possibilities in connection with local eng-agements of the film. Each was designed for adaptation to local situations, involving dozens of uses. Included are : The Raleigh cigarette promotion featuring Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney in 800-line iiew-^paper ads. Orange Blossom Wedding Rings, with counter displays in 3,000 of their outlet stores, giving prominent mention to the picture. Foreman Fabrics, who, with Kalman-Levens liave manufactured modern adaptations of the gowns worn by Gene Tierney in the picture for distribution to their national outlets. Stratford Pens, with large ads in key newspapers and magazines featuring Gene Tierney {Continued on Next Page) YOGI EMBLEM. The good luck Yogi emblem that plays an important part in "The Razor's Edge" has been adapted to a design of A. Sulka & Co., famous haberdashers, and is being displayed in a manner similar to this store window in Sulka's own New York store, as one of the important tieups affected by the 20th-Fox exploitation crew for the film's New York opening.