Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1947)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 18, 1947 Lowering Busi; {Continued from Page 14) than an average amount of concern from those entrusted with the task of keeping dollars flowing into the cashier's till. It does strike rae that, with food occupying the top position in the public mind, that tieups with grocers involving the giveaway of merchandise — or the acceptance of ticket stubs for discounts on quantity sales, of¥er promise of attracting customers. Or the reverse, with the grocers sales tickets accepted for theatre admissions and redeemed by him at full price. To get on to factor number two : the high rate of attendance at athletic contests. From what I've observed of the prices charged at these contests, the attendance records being set seem to refute the severe drain for bare necessities on the pocket book of Mr. and Mrs. Vox Pop. I checked the attendance records of one night at events taking place in four cities ranging in population from 250,000 to 500,000 and found that approximately six per cent of the total population were spectators at the various contests. And this did not take .in bowling alleys, soft ball games and other free or dime admission shindigs like amusement parks, etc. The figures I got were for expensive entertainment such as midget races, baseball games, football games, etc. Array of Activity In addition, I determined that the number of these events is — and has been for some time — on the increase. A few years ago any week with more than one big athletic event was unusual. Now, in any city of consequence, there seems to be an array of activity every night except Sunday. For the most part, the hands of theatremen are tied when it comes to oflfering active competition because the local college, high school, etc. is taking part. However there are instances, such as Softball games between commercially sponsored teams, where a small admission is charged and where the city fathers overlook the enforcement of certain ordinances and statutes enforced against you and other licensed tax-paying establishments. These games are frequently played on grounds paid for by local taxes and you are o-verlooking a big competitive factor when you permit the charging of admission to go without protest. Remember, the amusement dollar is getting smaller and smaller, and evefy step you can possibly take — without prejudice to your theatre — to restrict its outlets is a move toward added receipts. Since the attendance records above seem to contradict the earlier indication about the required outgo of "bare existence" coin cutting big gaps in theatre receipts, it seems pertinent to point to an obvious though frequently overlooked premise that goes a long way toward making the seeming contradiction logical ! Not all but most athletic contests are of amateur status, with local colleges, hi.gh schools, etc. pitted against adversaries from neighboring communities. Since practically every local kid has parents and relatives and the local Chamber of Commerce, civic clubs, etc. thrive on the promotion of intercommunity rivalry, it seems quite natural for the citizenry to scrape the bottom of the spending corn barrel to root for Little Willie and the home team. At least that's the only kind of reasoning that makes sense in explaining the actual figures I've gathered. While this is the kind of competition that precludes all possibility of aggressive resistance, there are still ways of "nipping at the edges" of related activities and making a bid for your share of the advance spending as well as the after-game dollars that are certain to be loosely tess Barricades handled. There are many ways of capitalizing on the spirit of these occasions, but the one that promises the most in immediate profit, together with a sizeable reward in long-lasting goodwill, lies in making your establishment the engine of local enthusiasm. Here are a few of the steps essential to major success. You add those additional steps needed to fit your situation and circumstances : Decorate your front with the colors of the opposing teams; get the cheer leaders to use your stage night after night to instruct the audience in the rendition of songs and cheers for the local team; hold a pre-game party for the players and arrange for their introduction to the audience; get in with the local athletic staff and arrange for theatre passes to outstanding performers in return for the privilege of loud speaker announcements about the attractions at your theatre; hold an after-game party for the opposing team with the localities as hosts ; get slides made with the words of local school songs and make them a part of every performance two or more days preceding each game; make mention of these activities in your daily publicity columns (you can get on the sport page with special stories if you are in .good standing with the sporting editor). It is very important in planning activity of this kind that you approach the matter enthusiastically and endea\or to make each unit of the scheme as big and impressive as possible. If you go at it half-heartedly there will be little or no interest after the first night. Make it noisy and enthusiastic with plenty of action every minute and the crowds will keep growing as the season progresses. Right now the scheme applies to football, but it can and will work if used in connection with track meets, baseball, basketball and other sport activities. Last, but by no means least, of the factors affecting theatre attendance is the growing tendency of department stores, drive-in sandwich stands, outdoor beer gardens, etc. to provide free movies as a customer magnet. The drain of amusement seekers through this source is' tremendous and deserving of instant and aggressive action. In practically all instances 16-mm. projectors and film are used. Rentals are obligingly cheap and none of the expensive measures demanded of theatres are involved. The well-paid Union operator is not required ; no regulations as to safety are in effect — or if they are I ha\e still to hear about the first instance of their enforcement — and the places exhibiting the pictures are not required to pay the excessive amusement rate for advertising space in the newspapers. I have personally read the ads of these establishments making a feature of their free movies and subordinating their merchandise to secondary position. Yes, some of the Remove RivoU Sign Cooperating with the Broadway Association to remove from that New York thoroughfare the characteristics which have turned the Great White Way into the Great Gaudy Way, reminiscent of Coney Island and a honky-tonk midway, Managing Director Montague Salmon of the Rivoli Theatre has removed the giant four-story sign which covered the facade of the Broadway house. "Broadway," said Salmon, "has a certain obligation as the amusement center of the world. Good taste must prevail. There must be good taste in advertising entertainment as well as in entertainment itself." Removal of the sign reveals an architectural replica of a Grecian temple. ads were of larger space than those carried by licensed theatres. You can probably conjure more effective means of combatting this threat if it exists in your community than I, but I'd suggest that your first move be to the Moving Picture Operators Union who could, and should, insist that their men be employed as projectionists at the established weekly rate. As a group, these fellows have strong political power and may be able to influence official action. It would also be ad-visable to attend the showings in the large department stores and examine the safety precautions. Most of these exhibitions are held in small auditoriums that become jammed to the rafters during the free exhibition. If essential exits, etc. are lacking, it is your civic duty to demand enforcement of the regulations governing your establishment. A careful watch of the attractions being offered is also advisable since I have encountered one instance where the identical attraction was playmg the theatre and the department store day and date. The exchange releasing that picture should be penalized and most assuredly you should not be required to fulfill any contractual obligation on a 35-mm. subject that had been exhibited in its 16-mm. version as a free attraction. In some instances you may be able to bring about a cessation of the practice by appealing to the store management and elucidating on the unfairness of the situation. These concerns would kick up one heck of a rumpus were you to devise a way of giving free to all your customers the kind of merchandise they offer for sale. Another avenue that may prove highly effective is the mailing of letters of protest to the top executives of offending producing companies. This free movie practice is big and growing bigger. Better stop it before it stops you. Our Advertising Approach In l*ser proportion I have had reports that looseness in our advertising approach had brought about public resentment and a feeling that our claims to the greatness of this or that film were false. The new advertising code will, I hope and believe, correct this and quickly restore any confidence we may have lost through an altogether unforgivable laxness in this important phase of our public relations. Another factor mentioned quite frequentl}' — this one of paradoxical complexities in that, while it effects attendance, it presages much good for ourselves and the world at large — is the inordinate increase in attendance at religious ser\ices. I am told that itinerant revival groups featuring specialty entertainers have been enjoying tremendous turnouts and that established congregations are swelling to proportions demanding extra service periods and, in some instances, increased facilities. This quite natural aftermath of the war, bringing people closer to the Word of God and daily worship, is certain to reflect to the ultimate benefit of ourselves and all others. We shouldlend our every assistance to its furtherance and in doing so we'll be compensated times over in goodwill, lasting respect and the personal satisfaction of "a good deed well done" for whatever small attendance may be lost through public pursuit of religious practice. I'd like to suggest that every exhibitor determine the denomination, name and the hours of service together with the name of respective curates, of all churches in the vicinity of his theatre and have single-frame trailers made as part of a "Go To Church Sunday" strip, and that it be given must position on the Saturday program. You'll be surprised how the men of the cloth will respond to this gesture and be still more surprised at the added business they send and the assistance they'll give on attractions of merit. Try it.