XLI.ATTRACTING TRADE WITH PHOTOPLAY STARS
Both the legitimate and vaudeville professions have their followings, but neither can even slightly approach the huge and widespread popularity enjoyed by the motion picture. A conservative estimate places the number of fans in this country at twenty millions, which number support the twenty thousand photoplay theaters.
The personal element counts big in this industry, and the leading photoplayers come foremost in the affections of the fans. There are more than two hundred well-known motion-picture players appearing before the camera to-day, and each movie patron has his or her favorite. And this is just where theenterprising storekeeper can pounce upon this opportunity for all it is worth, which is a good deal.
If in view of what has gone before, you are still skeptical that an amusement can not be mixed with publicity, I have only to cite the method adopted by a trader in Los Angeles. He gave over his window display to photographs of famous film players and arranged them in an artistic manner. His window happened to face the sidewalk, and the pictures created so much attention that the sidewalk was congested. Two policemen, to cope with the situation, had to have the crowd line up and only allow each spectator three minutes in which to view the photographs. All day long the line extended over a block, the windows arousing the same amount of interest during the subsequent days of the exhibition.
It might hardly be a sound businesspolicy to display only photographs in your store window to the total exclusion of your ordinary wares, for the underlying idea to get passers-by to view the goods set out in the window and act as a sort of temptation to buy. I would therefore propose that the photographs be mounted on boards at the back of your window, so as to allow the window to be dressed in the ordinary way. This should achieve the desired object satisfactorily.
You will find, on approaching the motion-picture producing companies, that they will only be too willing to give or loan you photographs of their stock players. The local exhibitor will supply their addresses.
Another dandy plan, if you are in the custom of offering premiums, is to present each person making a purchase of a certain small amount with a post-card of a popular screen player. You canpurchase these for $3 per thousand and have the selection you prefer, for you will naturally require more of Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin than players of lesser renown.
I am not acquainted with any instances where retailers have adopted the preceding plan, but if same can bring full houses on dull nights to motion-picture theaters that distribute such pictures to spectators, then it is a positive thing that it will help along your slack days.
Popularity contests are all in the fashion to-day, and it is possible for every town to arouse the patriotism of the fans by permitting them to vote for their favorite player, presenting, perhaps, the one heading the poll with a suitable souvenir on behalf of the town. This stunt, of course, must be worked in co-operation with the near-by motion-picture theater.
It can be arranged that each patronon entering receives a voting blank, which he is to fill up and return to the girl in the pay-box. The exhibitor should announce on a slide that the standing of the contestants will be announced each day in the window of your store.
You will secure, for practically no expense at all, plenty of publicity, resulting in increased business.