Modern

Newspaper Features
Twin Contest Which
Showman Set Up
A newspaper contest developed around a
human interest angle netted front-page publicity
and art spreads for three months in
the West Memphis News for Bruce Young,
manager of the Crittenden Theatre, West
Memphis, Ark.
Young decided that there must be quite a
number of twins in and around the community.
He contacted the editor of the West
Memphis News, sold him on the human interest
angle, obtained his full cooperation and
launched an enterprise to make the citizens
of the community aware of all the twins
in the area.
The local photographer agreed to take pictures
of all the twins who registered. From
the photographs, newspaper cuts were made
and each week the paper ran a large cut
of the Twins of the Week. At the same time,
Young used a short trailer picturing the
Twins of the Week. Interest in the contest
grew to a point where everyone in town
watched the paper, and entries poured in
from town and county. Local merchants
donated prizes so that every entrant received
a free gift.
As a final climax. Young and the newspaper
will have a party for all twins in the
area, at which time motion pictures will be
taken of the group for exhibition on the
Crittenden screen.
TV and Radio Broadcast
Ballyhoo 'Iwo Jima'
Local publicity developed around veterans
of the Iwo Jima campaign exploited "Sands
of Iwo Jima" for Warren Butler, manager
of the Lyric Theatre, Salt Lake City. Butler
invited 70 veterans of the campaign to be
guests on opening night with their wives.
They were seated in a reserved seat section.
The invitation was widely publicized by the
press and radio commentators.
A five-minute television broadcast was
promoted over KDYL-TV featuring two
brothers, both marines, who met on Iwo Jima
while looking for each other's grave marker.
The brothers were also starred on a 15-
mlnute radio show from the stage of the
Lyric on opening night.
An advance lobby display and special outside
front was created for the current showing.
Bus cards and bum.per strips on taxis
and privately owned vehicles also helped.
Street Broadcast Plugs
Midnight Spook Show
Elmer DeWitt, manager of the Valentine,
Defiance, Ohio, received help from the announcer
of the WONW Man on the Street
program in exploiting a midnight spook show.
During a special broadcast, the announcer
wore a Frankenstein mask which completely
covered his head and face. Persons were
interviewed in this fashion and a few passes
for interviewees squared the deal. The show
was mentioned several times during the
broadcast. An usher, bandaged from head
to foot like a mummy, stood by during the
broadcast with a sign plugging the dates.
Here's Easter Answer
For What's Cooking?
Theatre managers looking for a good
£aster promotion caji take a tip from a
tieup arranged by Warner Bros, with
the toy department of Macy's in New
York.
By special arrangement with the distributor,
the store will feature Bugs
Bunny in person from March 18 to April
15. Bugs will be impersonated by an
actor in a special bunny costume. Children
visiting the store prior to the
Easter holiday will be presented to Bugs
Bunny and have their photographs
taken with him, similar to the Santa
promotions around Christmas time.
Macy's is devoting a considerable
portion of its sales campaign on
Easter toys towards the promotion of
commercial products utilizing various
Warner Bros. ca