Universal Weekly (1920, 1923-27)

Vol. 22, No. 21 Universal Weekly 45 LAUQH MONTH COMMITTEE OFFERS $8 50.00 IN PRIZES The national laugh MONTH COMMITTEE, which is conducting the Laugh Month campaign for the Short Features Advertising Association, has just announced plans for the distribution of $850 in cash prizes to exhibitors or theatre employees conducting the best exploitation campaigns tying up with this national drive during January. The prizes will be distributed weekly, the first prize for each of the four periods in which the month will be divided being $100. The awarding of the cash prizes will be in the hands of a committee consisting of the editors-in-chief of six national motion picture trade publications— Joseph Dannenberg, Editor The Film Daily, William A. Johnston, Editor Motion Picture Neivs, Martin Quigley, Editor Exhibitors Herald, Arthur James, Editor Motion Pictures Today, William J. Reilly, Editor Moving Picture World and Willard C. Howe, Editor Exhibitors Trade Review. The contest will be open to all exhibitors, house managers, publicity representatives or others responsible for the originating and executing of theatre publicity and exploitation campaigns. There will be no restrictions as to the size of the theatre and the amount of money spent on any campaign will not enter into the decision of the judges, the awards being made to those who in the judgment of the jury have conducted the best campaigns for their particular theatres and under their own peculiar circumstances. For this contest an exploitation campaign may include newspaper advertising, newspaper exploitation tieups, straight newspaper publicity, tie-ups with merchants, straight street ballyhoos or any other form of exploitation stunt. In submitting an entry in this contest, the exhibitor should describe each factor in his campaign, as the judges will consider the campaign as a whole and take into account the co-ordination of the various factors in the campaign. The first period for which prizes will be awarded will be from January 1 through the. week ending January 9. The second period will be for the week ending January 16, the third period for week ending January 23, and the fourth period including ENTRY BLANK FOR LAUGH MONTH EXPLOITATION CONTEST (Use this coupon to file your entry in the prize contest for the best Laugh Month exploitation. Send entry to Laugh Month Committee, 218 West 42nd Street, New York City.) Name of Theatre Address City or Town State Name of person responsible for campaign (This is the person to> whom money will be paid if this entry wins) Is theatre first run, second run or subsequent run? Seating capacity Population of city or town Was campaign for one day, two days, three days or a week? Was a particular comedy exploited? If so, give title and name of distributing company (It is not necessary that a particular comedy should be exploited, it being sufficient if the campaign boosts Laugh Month. But if a particular comedy is exploited, it must be a short comedy — not more than three reels.) Rules for Laugh Month Exploitation Contest Contest open to all exhibitors or theatre employees responsible for exploitation campaigns. Campaign can include advertising posters, publicity, tie-ups, ballyhoos and any form of exploitation. Description of campaign not over 200 words must be sent with entry. Proofs or clippings of ads and publicity stories and photographs of ballyhoos or other displays must be submitted. All campaigns to be eligible for prizes must tie up with Laugh Month. If campaign is based on a particular comedy it must be in the Short Feature class (not over three reels). Prizes are as follows for each of the four weks: 1st prize $100.00 2nd prize 50.00 3rd prize 25.00 4th prize 12.50 5th prize 10.00 and three additional prizes of $5.00 each. the rest of the month with the extra Sunday, January 31. The entries for the first period will close at noon January 23, for the second week they will close at noon January 30. Entries for the third period will be received until noon February 6 and exhibitors will be given until noon February 15 to get in their entries for the final period. Exhibitors can use the blanks to be printed by the trade papers to send in their entries in this contest or they can give the required information on the form on this page, but all entries must be mailed to the National Laugh Month Committee, 218 West 42nd Street, New York City, so that they will be received by the committee before the closing dates mentioned above. Attention is called to the additional prizes awarded by the Stern Brothers to exhibitors whose campaigns exploit Century Comedies. For full details, see page 38.