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SUMMIT CAMPAIGN IN CANADA
A Many-Angled Promotion Is Developed at Toronto's Odeon to Presell 'Fugitive Kind'
Showmanship as developed at the top
level in Canada is illustrated in a series
of a dozen or more photos sent to Boxoffice
Showmandiser by the manager of
the Odeon circuit's flagship house in Toronto.
Five pictures of the series are reproduced
herewith.
They recount, in short, a summit campaign
on "The Fugitive Kind." which capitalized
on the magnificent lobby of the
Odeon Carlton Theatre. The manager in
question is Victor Nowe. a peer among
master showmen.
Other facets of the campaign were
strong street ballyhoo and effective radio
coverage.
The campaign story is told by Manager
Nowe in outlines attached to his photographs.
auditorium, theatre restaurant and the
theatre art gallery. This 10x4-foot display
was done in a brilliant yellow background
placing full selling value on the
three leading stars, accompanied by the
main tag line, "Three Major Academy
Award Winners" and the name of Pulitzer
male winner. The radio contest was called
"The Strum with CHUM Contest."
Thirty-five free spot announcements
were made prior to our opening. Three different
guitar players were heard strumming
a portion of music, and listeners were
asked to send in their answer as to which
2^ PHOTO AT RIGHT. One month in
advance we featured a special display
panel which measured 20 feet long, giving
full credit to the star names, author, film
title with a cutout from the six-sheet.
Under the full credits, four sections of the
overdoor were given to Brando, Magnani
and Woodward as Academy Award winners
and Tennessee Williams, Pulitzer prize
winner.
1. 20-Foot Star Panel Spotted One Month m Advance
2
Another special standee in the main
lobby attracting attention to the
excellence of "The Fugitive Kind," was a
48x72 display featuring two fine reviews
by Bosley Crowther of the New York Times.
These two reviews by Crowther appeared
in the New York Times on different dates,
and knowing how much Torontonians enjoy
his writings, they were enlarged and
mounted, giving wonderful advance reading
and publicity on the film. The scene
cut used in the Times was included, and
at the bottom of the standee we used three
portrait stills of the three major stars to
give added selling punch to the display.
3^
THE WALKING BOOK STREET
STUNT: For the first four days of
our engagement we had an arousing street
stunt in the fonn of a walking book. The
entire book was all enclosed so that the
only part of the carrier which could be
seen was his legs and feet. Peep holes were
placed at the side and in the top section
of the letter "B" in Brando. The Academy
Award winning stars, Tennessee Williams,
the title and theatre credit along with
excerpts from the one-sheet made up the
copy and art work. Three boys were hired
to do this exploitation job, each of them
doing four hours a day at different periods.
A careful .street routine was well
mapped out each day in advance so the
walking book would be in the best spots
at the busiest times. In the rush hours
an escort always accompanied the carrier.
This walking book which measured over
six feet in height was a real attention
getter.
prize winner Tennessee Williams.
The portion of this large display bearing
the title of the film was dramatically emphasized
with the use of rich red background
against the yellow. At the top,
three star 11x14 stills were used with a
miniature Oscar placed on each still. At
the center and base six other 11x14 stills
were used, giving lots of interesting selling
material to the advance announcement of
the coming engagement. When the film
opened this large display was used at the
theatre front.
t One week in advance we arranged a
radio contest with CHUM which
gave us wonderful publicity at no cost to
the theatre. Through the cooperation of
George Hornberger, Canadian representative
of the Buegdeisen & Jacobson Co. two
Kay guitars were donated for prizes, one
for a female winner and one guitar for a
2. Review Blowups on Standee
c
(
A Six weeks in advance we planned a
large display for our main theatre
lobby, which was placed at the entrance of
our grand stairway leading to the theatre
3. Jumbo Walking Book 4. 10x4 Display 5. Guitar Contest
— 136 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : Aug. 29, 1960
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