The talking machine world (Jan-June 1925)

32 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD February 15, 1925 Tie Up With St. Patrick's Day and Easter Wm. Bliss Stoddard Tells How Several Retailers Through Special Holiday Window Displays and Publicity Stirred Up Sales How many retailers are making the most of St. Patrick's Day? Regardless of whether or not their ancestors came from the Emerald Isle, all good Americans wear a green ribbon on St. Patrick's Day. Music and dancing are leading characteristics of this light-hearted race, and a good business in phonographs and records can be done if they are suggested forcibly several weeks in advance. By all means link up with St. Patrick's Day, and have the store and and windows a mass of green, with all the symbols of the occasion. How the May Co, Tied Up The May Co., Los Angeles, Cal., made a regular Irish festival out of it, sending broadcast cards of invitation: COME TO OUR ST. PATRICK'S DAY CONCERT Saturday, March 17 Listen to Irish music, old and new Souvenirs for all The concert was given in its music hall, and on the platform, which was hung with Irish and American flags, was a talking machine and a large harp. A local harpist had been engaged for the occasion, while one of the salesmen in the phonograph department had charge of the records. The concert was divided into two parts, each lasting an hour, with a half hour's intermission, when visitors had a chance to promenade, as well as to look over the large stock of records appropriate for St. Patrick's Day, which were shown in a booth trimmed with shamrocks. There was a phonograph in the booth and the attendants were only too glad to demonstrate any records desired. The first part of the concert consisted of old Irish ballads and reels, such as "Kathleen Mavourneen" and "The Low Back Car," while the second consisted of modern Irish melodies popularized by Chauncey Olcott, Andrew Mack and John McCormack. Realizing that however patriotically or sentimentally inclined they might be, the younger generation would be fed up on an evening of nothing but Irish airs, there was a supplemental program of the latest dance music for the St. Patrick's Day dance or party. A printed program had been distributed, at the bottom of which appeared the words, "All the songs and instrumental pieces heard here to-night can be secured in our phonograph department. Ask for a complete list of Irish music at the Shamrock Booth tonight." In order to call further attention to the Irish Timely sales promotion campaigns in connection with holidays can not be surpassed as sales stimulators. The function of all publicity is, of course, to create a desire for a product, whether it be talking machines, records, radio or anything else, and in the case of the merchandise handled by music dealers the period just prior to holidays seems to be most prolific of results. Holidays are times of merriment and the importance of music in this respect is undeniable. Get out of the rut and take advantage of the forthcoming holidays to put over real profit-producing drives. music the May Co. arranged a display to advantage in one of their windows. In the rear corner was a cabinet phonograph, set on a platform banked with ferns and tall Easter lilies. On top was the cardboard cut-out of a little fellow in yellow rompers, holding a sheaf of pink ribbons running to four white rabbits set about the display. Each rabbit stood beside a big cardboard egg of pink, blue, yellow or green, on which a record appropriate for Easter was hung. Nests in the corners held juvenile records instead of eggs, each presided over by a white cut-out bunny. An Easter Drive In order to feature their Easter church music their other window was gotten up as a choir loft, banked with palms, ferns and Easter lilies. Behind this floral bank stood a half dozen lifesize cut-outs of choir boys in white robes, singing an Easter anthem. Behind them could be EIGHT POPULAR VICTOR ARTISTS In Concert and Entertainment Personal Appearance of Eight Popular Favorites on One Big Program A live attraction for live dealers and jobbers Bookings now for season 1924-1925 Sample program and particulars upon request PHILIP W. SIMON Manager 1674 Broadway Now York City Popular Ensembles including Campbell & Birr Sterling Trio Peerleu-Qsartet seen a pipe organ, and at each end were tall lighted candles. A card bordered with Easter lilies suggested: ENJOY EASTER MUSIC AT HOME All of the inspiring music rendered in the churches can be had on our records — solos, duets, quartets and choruses. Let the invalids and the older people enjoy the music you hear in church. Look over our stock of devotional and inspirational music, and gladden the hearts of the shut-ins with some new records for Easter. Barker Bros. Catered to Easter Brides And then comes the Easter bride. What better gift from loving parents, business associates of her husband or father, or her own girls' club than a high-grade phonograph? This was the idea of Barker Bros., Los Angeles, when they started the campaign of phonograph advertising in early Spring. Their ad. showed the cut of the bride, in all her wedding finery, standing before a cabinet phonograph, with the caption, "The Most Appreciated Gift for the Home." The window they arranged attracted much comment and had crowds in front of it constantly. It showed the living room of a home, with the bride reclining on a divan. Seated beside a phonograph, in a big arm chair, listening to the music, was the groom. Suddenly the crowd looking in at the window would be surprised to see the figure straighten up, go to the phonograph and place a new record upon it. His movements were wooden and automatic, and the public could never be quite sure whether it was a human being or a mechanical figure they were witnessing. As a matter of fact, it was a young man from the movie colony, with face glazed with a film of wax, who, for several hours each afternoon, impersonated a wax figure, and called attention to their phonographs and records. Their newspaper advertising called attention to the fact that if a phonograph had not been included among the list of gifts it should be one of the first articles bought for the home. Practically all young couples receive some checks for wedding gifts, and it was pointed out that one of these checks could be used as the initial payment on a talking machine, and that convenient monthly payments for the balance could be arranged. Unique Easter Window One of the music houses of Chicago had a novel display that called instant attention to their phonographs. In the center of the window was a big paper egg, four feet high. By a mechanical arrangement a door in this egg would open, showing behind it, in a shadow box, a high-grade phonograph. At one side was the cut-out figure of a big rabbit in red coat, with stick pointing to the egg, while at the other side, gazing in admiration, was a young woman and two little children — all cut-out figures. Overhead was a cable, garlanded with ferns and Spring flowers, from which at intervals Easter records were suspended, while a big white card, lettered in gold, advised: "An Easter Surprise." The ad. likewise showed a mother and several children clustered about a phonograph and the card was captioned: AN EASTER SURPRISE Think what a delightful surprise for the wife and kiddies a Blank machine would make. Come in to-day and see on what easy terms a phonograph and records can be purchased. F-RAtfK. BAtfTA. Fire Destroys Music Shop Jersey City, N. J., February 5. — The machine and record stock of the Central Talking Machine Co., 371 Central avenue, was completely destroyed by fire recently. Damage was estimated at $10,000. Ice-covered pavements and high snowbanks on each side of the street delayed action of the firemen.