DECEMBER

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Literature Giveaway
Improves Goodwill,
Builds Patronage
Ever on the alert for ;ome gimmick that whl
perform a service for his theatre patrons and
the public, Hugh Borland, manager of the
Louis Theatre, Chicago,
reports three recent
promotions that
paid off in goodwill
and community relations.
Voting machine instruction
folders, supplied
by the election
board, were distributed
to patrons. A large
display sign urging
people to vote in the
recent elections was
Hugh Borland
obtained from a political
organization and placed on the sidewalk
in front of the theatre.
At home. Borland noticed a pamphlet from
the telephone company offering a free Household
How-to-Do-It booklet on request of
subscribers. He contacted the phone company
and obtained several thousand of the handy
guide books for distribution to Louis Theatre
patrons, in exchange for a credit card.
The Poultry and Egg National Board supplied
Borland with 2,000 full-color booklets
containing instructions on how to prepare the
Thanksgiving turkey. These were also given
to grateful patrons in exchange for a credit
card which the donor supplied at no cost.
Borland is now completing arrangements
to give away folders on eggs. His plan of
promoting literature that has special interest
for housewives and patrons is paying dividends.
Women now ask if any circulars are
available before leaving the theatre.
12 Rentals in a Year
Is Geary's Record
Ben Geary, manager of the Athena
Theatre, Athens, Ohio, has establislied a
record of kiddy rental shows during the
year 1952. These are merchant sponsored
programs whereby business firms
rent the theatre and distribute tickets
to store customers. During June, July
and August, Geary consummated ten of
these deals which brought the theatre
Sl.OOO in extra revenue for morning midweek
matinees. For December, Geary has
set two Christmas rentals which will
increase revenue $250. He reports that
merchants are especially pleased with
this type of promotion since it creates
goodwill for them. Since last summer,
adds Geary, there has been a general
increase in kiddy attendance all along
the line which he believes is the result
of the interest the kids take since the
merchant shows were started.
Contest in Newspaper
For 'A Woman's Life'
The Chatham (Kent) Observer in England
sponsored a newspaper contest for "24 Hours
of a Woman's Life" at the Regent Cinema.
Cash prizes and theatre passes were offered
to women submitting the best letters on
"what I would do if I had unlimited money
and 24 hours in which to spend it." Daily
stories appeared in the Observer over a period
of three weeks with accompanying plugs for
the picture.
Greenline taxi drivers who distribute business
cards to their "fares" permitted Manager
G. Williams to imprint the back of the
card with copy advertising the picture. Notices
were also posted inside the cabs.
Small Town Responds
To Sales Promotion
For 'Victory'
There is a premium on showmanship—regardless
of the size or location of a community.
Usually the premium pays off in terms
of ingenuity exercised
by the local theatre
manager.
Take the town of
L a d y s m i t.h, B. C
where the main industry
is logging and the
total population is
3.000; Ralph Conner,
manager of the Odeon
Theatre, and his staff
.
'
i
:
of seven employes put
on a full-scale campaign
that packed the
449 seats; total cost. $2.80.
Conner noted significantly that his engagement
of "Bright Victory" was scheduled
to coincide with a drive for funds by the
Ladysmith Hospital Foundation committee.
The theatreman gave the committee the
benefit of his experience and extended them
the cooperation of the theatre. In return, two
merchants gave display space across their
building fronts signs on the film and the to
fund drive together with copy; "Ours will be ,
a 'Bright Victory' and Yours will be a 'Bright
j
Victory.' etc."
Another merchant displayed copies of the ;
Pocketbook "Bright Victory" in a window
:
display with the public invited to guess the
number for free theatre tickets. This was i
backed with a large poster advertising the
!
theatre dates and tied in with the fund drive. !
A cabinet maker donated a wishing well
(
which was placed on the sidewalk in front of
j
the theatre. The public contributed coins
which went to the fund. If the coin dropped
on a silver dollar in the center of the water-
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[. rBident
7,1 pre:
jijendei
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filled well, the tosser received a "Bright Vici
^CHRISTMAS
SALUTE^