' Ad~apting Ads On Local Levei IT'S IN BLACK AND WHITE! ^ ",„/oi,:> '^''e,. \- * ^^ I inMX Technmlor '- *»< to is •'oJf'^.LsL^' '«/„?««,,>, "< "'/„>, >c.">o;,«» 4
'i' Quest for Milk Queen Launches 'Milkman' In Sturgeon Bay Herb Graefe, manager of the Door Theatre, Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and three-time winner of a BOXOFFTCE Bonus for exceptional showmanship, came up with another humdinger of a tieup in his campaign for "The Milkman." The deal took on national proportions when he sold the local dairy association on the idea of selecting a Milk Queen. The project got under way with a search to discover a "queen" in the local high schools. Additional interest was whipped up when Graefe persuaded U-I to have the Milk Queen up for consideration in their casting department. With the full cooperation of the dairy association, a roving cameraman was dispatched to the local high schools to take photographs of contestants. The photos were then displayed in the most prominent drug store in town, with full credits for the theatre and the picture. The Future Farmers of America were brought into the promotion, and when the winner had been selected, she was crowned by the secretary of the organization and presented flowers and gifts provided by the dairy association. All milk trucks carried banners advertising the playdates, newspaper co-op ads plugged the picture, and the newspaper was especially cooperative in publicizing the contest and "The Milkman." Graefe reported that this campaign was his final effort in behalf of motion picture promotion. He is giving up his managerial job to become manager of a new radio station in Sturgeon Bay. Scotsmen Circularized For 'Bonnie Prince' Norman Duncan, manager of the Strand Theatre, Vancouver, B. C, mailed postcards to all citizens of Scotch descent announcing "Bonnie Prince Charlie." The Hudson Bay department store devoted a full window to a display of tartans, with stills and posters from the film. The inside of the theatre lobby was decorated in the clan colors. A Scotch piper outside the theatre attracted the attention of passersby, and a pipe band accompanied by a local Scotch society marched to the theatre opening night. Theatre usherettes wore Scotch hats a week in advance, with lajjel cards announcing the opening. 'Breakthrough' Herald Financed by Car Renter Bernie Depa, manager of the Strand, Lexington, Ky., sold the back page of a herald campaign on "Breakthrough" to a car rental firm. Prom the national guard he obtained an equipment exhibit for the lobby, and borrowed military uniforms, which were worn by all members of the theatre staff a week before opening. He planted two five-minute star interviews with the most imoprtant radio station in Lexington, and promoted a contest among war veterans who related humorous experiences while in service. The contest was held during a VFW dance, with winners selected by audience applause. NUGGETS Abe Ludacer, manager of the Valentine Theatre in Toledo, covered all lobby walls with trellises painted white and trimmed with artificial spring flowers and foliage. Over the top of the trellis he placed a sign reading, "Spring comes early to Loew's." Poster frames were filled with 40x60s advertising some of the outstanding spring hits booked for the Valentine. Leslie Brown, manager of the Rex Cinema, Stratford, London, England, tied in with the national contest sponsored by the distributors of Whisk products, to select local talent for participation in the district finals. Eliminations were staged at the theatre and winners received cash prizes plus an opportunity to compete in the finals. Grocery stores handling Whisk products distributed 10,000 entry forms. Brown reports that added stage attraction helped to swell normal boxoffice receipts. Bob Newhook, publicity manager for the State and Orpheum theatres in Boston, promoted an effective plug for "Born Yesterday" by tieing in department store full-page ads boosting the sale of television sets. All TV sets pictured in the ads showed scenes from "Born Yesterday" on the scanning screen, with credits. Bar Association Aids 'Yankee' Publicity Arnold Gates, manager of the Stillman Theatre, Cleveland, received wonderful cooperation from the Cleveland Bar Ass'n in publicizing "The Magnificent Yankee," following a screening of the picture for leading members of the group. The screening was publicized by stories in the local dailies. A tieup was made with Stratton Motors for a street ballyhoo several days prior to opening. A large two-sided sign was placed over the top of a new Mercury, with copy recommending "the year's greatest film production and the great new Mercury car" as the two best buys in the city. The car was driven through the main shopping sections and outlying districts. Premiere of 'Air Cadet' Is Studded With Brass The world premiere of "Air Cadet" at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio was climaxed by a full day of civic activities and demonstrations sponsored by the army air force. Participating in television and radio interviews from a stand in front of the theatre were high ranking army officers including seven generals. The interviews were carried over station KABC and KEYL-TV. The air force Famous Names band was flown to San Antonio from Washington and entertained the premiere audience from the theatre stage. More than 15,000 guests were invited to nearby Kelly Field to watch the performance of an acro-jet team of air force aces. 'Music' Tel-U-Grams Are Sent to Homes In Toronto Area Tiff Cook, manager of the Capitol Theatre in Toronto, used a number of effective lobby stunts to exploit "Mr. Music," and then concentrated on outside ballyhoo. Two weeks prior to opening, musical notes, bars and staff plus the picture title and star names were lettered on the floor of the lobby. This was covered with colorless shellac for protection, and attracted marked attention from incoming patrons. Ushers and doormen wore circular cardboard disks on their uniform blouses, with teaser copy. For a mailing piece. Cook devised a Tel-XJ- Gram, simulating a regular telegram, which was imprinted with copy inviting the theatregoer to help celebrate Bing Crosby's 20th year in show business, etc. Five thousand of these were mailed to all householders in nearby districts. The upper marquee attraction signs were covered with transparent boards on which the star and title were cut out. Fifty window cards were spotted in prominent stores in the north Toronto area. Cook invited Mrs. B. Music, a Toronto resident, to pose with a picture of Bing (Mr. Music) Crosby, and planted the photo with the local press. A giant postcard was installed in the lobby, addressed to Mr. Music in Hollywood and lettered with an anniversary greeting which Capitol patrons were invited to sign. Several thousand grocery bags and paper napkins were rubber-stamped by ushers, with copy: " 'Mr. Music' at the Capitol, etc." Cook reports that the campaign helped the picture to gross the fifth largest take at the Capitol in the last three years. Windows on 'Singing' Window and merchandising tieups helped exploit "If You Feel Like Singing" for S. E. Pascoe Williams, manager of the Ritz Cinema, Woking, England. Displays were set with shoe shops, a wool shop, a wine store, stationers, gown shops, hairdressing establishments, chemist and music stores, tieing in the various product over the title: "Tf You Feel Like Singing' shop here and buy, etc." BOXOFFICE Showmandiaer :: March 24, 1951 — 71 — 33
Change language