TOTAL

Radio Provides Big Noise
For State of the Union'
Almost every conceivable type of promotion
has been employed to sell "State of the
Union" in key cities throughout the country.
Boyd Sparrow, manager of Loew's In Indianapolis,
cormected with two radio contests,
which yielded numerous air plugs for
the picture. A two-week contest was promoted
on Paul Robert's program over WFBM
in which listeners were asked to write letters
on why they believe Indiana to be the best
state in the union. Prizes were guest tickets.
The second contest was staged on Easy
Gwyn's WIBC program, with listeners asked
to write letters giving their opinion on the
present state of the union. Sparrow promoted
a $100 Zenith phono-radio combination
and 25 record albums as prizes for this
contest.
Bumper strips were placed on 300 Red taxicabs
plugging the picture at no cost. A 36-
foot banner was suspended the length of the
upright sign, providing a good flash up and
down busy Pennsylvania avenue. Sparrow
also planted a three-coltunn fashion feature
in the Indianapolis News and promoted a
four-column Angela Lansbury suit co-op ad
with the Indiana company, plus a two-column
co-op ad with the H. B. Wasson Co.
PHILCO TIEUP IN BUFFALO
In Buffalo the picture was exploited for
its Great Lakes engagement by a Philco tieup
arranged by Charles B. Taylor, publicity director
of Shea's Theatres. 'Window streamers
were placed in music and radio stores
throughout the city, with theatre playdates
imprinted. Taylor connected for four large
co-op ads: one with Philco, one with a beauty
salon, one with a luggage company and one
with a jeweler.
Window tieups figured prominently in
Taylor's campaign. A presidential poll was
conducted in the lobby to build extra interest.
Lou Cohen, manager of the Poll in Hart-
Mirror display in water color, publicized "State
oi the Union" in Wilmington, Del.
Window display at the Greyhound bus
terminal in Buffalo set by C. B. Taylor
of Shea's.
ford, plastered a 24-sheet on the lobby floor
on "State of the Union," which aroused
the curiosity of theatre patrons two weeks
prior to opening.
In Bridgeport, Conn., John DiBenedetto,
assistant to manager Matt Saunders, planted
the Van Johnson transcription for free radio
time with a local radio station. For seven
days in advance of opening, Harry Osborne,
disk jockey, ran a contest on "State of the
Union" with theatre tickets as prizes.
Oscar Doob, manager of the Aldine Theatre
in Wilmington, Del., decorated his 5x7-
foot mirrors with a huge painted map of the
United States and title, cast and playdates
in the background. The marquee and upright
sign of the theatre were painted on
the map at Wilmington's approximate location.
Doob promoted plugs with the Man
on the Street broadcast, and numerous window
displays tied in with women's fashions.
PROMOTES LARGE CO-OP ADS
Large newspaper co-op ads showing Angela
Lansbury wearing three different costumes
were promoted by Bill Reisinger, manager
of Loew's in Dayton, from the Troy-
Pearl Dry Cleaning Co. It was headed, "How
is the state of your wardrobe?" and carried
theatre credits. The ad appeared in the
Dayton Journal on two successive days.
Reisinger took advantage of two local rallies
by presidential candidates Stassen and
Taft to distribute heralds headed, "How is
the 'State of the Union' "?
Western Union supplied miniature telegram
forms with the message, "Don't write. Telegraph
congratulations and best wishes to any
State of the Union." Playdates were imprinted
at the bottom.
Abe Ludacer, manager of Valentine in
Toledo, had 300 window cards which looked
like political advertising tacked all over the
city before primary day, with announcements
of the "State of the Union" playdates. Station
'WTOL featured a song contest in which
listeners were asked to submit the names of
states represented by the varloas songs
played.
Milking Contest Draws
4-H Club Entrants, M
Merchant Support
The first cow-milking contest of the season
got under way recently after Duke Elliott,
manager of the Strand, Carthage, N. Y.,
sold local businessmen the idea for a special
stage attraction. Elliott proposed his plan at
a meeting of the merchants committee of
the Chamber of Commerce which was attended
by representatives of the 4-H clubs
from two counties.
The contest was formally sanctioned with
a dairy, the merchants, 4-H groups and the
Chamber of Commerce supporting the
project. Two elimination contests were scheduled
for May 14 and 21 with a grand final
on the 29th.
Cash prizes and gifts were offered to winners
with a special prize for the milking
champ chosen from among business and professional
men whose knowledge of milking is
less extensive than that of 4-H members.
Two cows were obtained from the local
dairy and each of the 4-H clubs in the area
entered their champion milkers in the contest.
The milking champion of the county
was determined by the weight of the milk
produced in a given time limit.
The newspapers throughout the area devoted
large publicity spreads to the contest,
playing up local experts and entrants. The
Rialto attractions came in for regular notice
in these stories. Elliott also promoted
several co-op ads from the dairy and other
merchants who participated, with the theatre
attractions again coming in for prominent
mention.
Blind Date Contest Aids
'The Voice' in Toronto
strong advance and current exploitation
marked the engagement of "The Voice of
the Turtle" at Shea's Theatre in Toronto.
Fred Trebilcock, manager, and exploiteer
Jimmy Cameron arranged for a local furniture
company to sponsor an "I Married My
Blind Date" contest, with major prizes offered
to the winners.
The store also plugged the contest in its
regular newspaper and radio advertising and
in a full window display.
A saturation advertising campaign on the
radio brought the picture a holdover for a
second week.
Costumed Couple Tour
For 'Bride Goes Wild'
Bob Portle, manager of the Elm Street
Theatre, Worcester, Mass., used a street ballyhoo
to exploit "The Bride Goes Wild." He
had a couple dressed in bridal costume drive
around the business section in an open coupe
with banners reading: "Just Married—On
Our Way to See, etc." The stunt turned out
to be one of the most effective he ever used,
according to Portle.
Bike Rack Gets Publicity
Eddie Cltne, manager of the Park in New
Hyde Park, N. Y.. has a parking rack for
bicycles at the rear of the theatre for the
convenience of patrons, and got himself a
free newspaper plug because of it.
'
34 —508— BOXOFFICE Showman^iser :: May 22, 1948