Boxoffice-May.03.1952

. . then
. .
by HAVILAND F. REVES
VoNCESsiON SALES Can be given a substantial
assist by the intelligent use of one
of the world's greatest media of advertising—the
American motion picture screen.
Enough exhibitors have adopted it as a
steady policy around the Motor city to
show that it can be successful in many
type of situations, including both indoor
and outdoor theatres.
ACHIEVES MAXIMUM IMPACT
The situation is almost ideal from the
advertising man's standpoint:
1. Visual presentation, combined with
audible, represents about the maximum
impact upon the human senses—both are
united in the effective use of the screen.
2. A captive audience than cannot readily
escape the message, except by closing
both eyes and ears, is at hand.
3. This audience is in an entertained, relaxed
mood, and highly receptive to adequately
phrased suggestion for a bit of the
service a refreshment stand provides,
whether food or drink, candy, gum, popcorn,
or hot dogs, according to the house policy
and the individual's taste and pocketbook.
4. The cost is negligible. Since the screen
and the mechanical facilities to produce the
message are part of the basic investment
and operating costs of the house, this advertising
is virtually free.
5. It is P.O.P.—Point of purchase advertising—the
type that solid thinking in the
field of promotion today considers one of
the most desirable of all, as any current
business paper of advertising will demonstrate.
TRAILERS ARE 'NATURALS'
The use of screen trailers is the obvious
means to reach this audience and a variety
of styles of presentation, appeals to various
tastes, and choice of details-—are available
Suggested
That
Sells
If you're in the mood for food .
Copy
we
invite you to visit our Snack Bar during the
Intermission and look over the Goodies on sale!
Everything from a Taste to o Feast! Condies .
and Refreshments of every variety wait for you.
Intermission! Time to get your Candy and
Popcorn in our Lobby. It will add to your enjoyment
of the show.
Say, Folks . . . We
have a wide selection of
tempting, delicious Candy Bars . . . and
toasted Popcorn in the lobby.
fresh,
Any attendant will make change for you. Get
you Taste Treat Now.'
Copy se!ectcd from National Screen Service
trailers.
REFRESHMENT SERVICE
to the exhibitor. Those using It, as seen In
one city, ranwe from the conservative. blKtlme,
af f illiitod United Detroit circuit, to the
rather new and highly enterprising Saul
Korman circuit, from the smaller indepondciil
hou.ses of thi' metropolis to the farflung
upstate operation of the Butterficld
circuit. Each does it in a little different
way, usually one worked out by trial and
error in his own operation.
Perhaps the Community Theatres operation
may serve as a pattern, because this
circuit has long been known for its emphasis
on operating a high standard type of
refreshment service. Trailers are purchased
from Filmack, and used in both indoor and
drive-in theatres.
VARIETY IS
IMPORTANT
Refreshment trailers are literally taken
for granted as an essential part of sound
show operation in this circuit, and it was
almost surprising to a Community executive
to learn that some exhibitors do not
use them. Variety and lack of monotony
are key points here. The circuit has a set
of four different trailers, which are rotated
between its various drive-ins. Each
is run for about 30 days in succession
then it is felt to be time for a change.
Thus, each trailer should have a maximum
of two runs a season in each theatre.
Each trailer is individually designed
from the ground up by Community, according
to Adolph Goldberg, a partner in
the circuit. Copy is worked up on such
things as butter corn, the nationally advertised
brands of candy sold, soft drinks,
and other items handled in these theatres.
The entire stand is covered in each trailer,
but one or two items may be featured. The
length is about two minutes.
The trailers are spotted in different
positions in the show, according to the current
program. Having them come at different
times also means greater audience
impact, since the regular customers will not
become used to expecting them at a given
point and cease to pay attention to the
screen almost on schedule.
SELLING CHATTER FOR DRIVE-INS
The trailers used in the drive-ins are
usually silent, with a musical background.
Occasionally a special record is cut for this
purpose by some locally popular, radio disk
.iockey, using his name on the platter. His
copy consists of selling chatter, which can
be put on the amplifier system while the
trailer is running, or even run independently,
as during the intermission.
Indoors, the use of trailers is more restrained
in Community. The feeling appears
to be that drive-ins offer a natural
opportunity to interest people in the purchase
of refreshments, since they are in an
outdoor, hunger-building environment with
a bit of the park or carnival atmosphere,
while the indoor theatre offers a more dignified
variety of showgoing. Indoors, talking
trailers are used, and are normally run
about every 30 to 60 days only, to stimulate
Continued on following page
BOXOFFICE May 3, 1952 11