VCOMMERCIAL ADVERTISING
As an advertising medium the film stands unrivalled, and, probably, in time to come, it will supplant the flaring posters so distasteful to our vision, and which disfigure and desecrate our landscapes.
Various manufacturing firms could further avail themselves of this latest product of visual exhibition. Manufacturers of gas mantles could demonstrate the whole process of the manufacture of these flimsy yet durable illuminators, from the extracting of the fibre to the finished article, the candle powers of each, and what they are used for.
Again, an opportunity occurs for the Ediswan, Mazda, Tantalum and other electric bulb manufacturers to represent the blowing of the glass and the fixing of the sensitivefilaments which convey the electric current and produce cheap illumination.
British and colonial railways have found the cinema a good substitute for the glaring advertisements in their endeavours to lure the holiday-makers to the beauty and health spots served by their train systems. This method of advertising would speak more than volumes and be more vividly impressed upon the minds of the audience than by many an hour of searching through railway and holiday guides, or touring announcements.
Visualize a trip on one of the railways—say, passing through impressive mountainous scenery. As each station is passed and the journey progresses, bird’s-eye views could be shown of fruitful and restful country never seen before, and sometimes it would help to influence a holiday-maker who is contemplating where to go for his next holiday.
The Continent could be advertised upon the screen by companies conducting tours. We should see Parisian life as it is lived, the boulevards and cafes, and everywhere the places of national importance. The architectureof our towns is too often deplorable, and in contrast to that seen in towns like Hamburg, Frankfort, Brussels or Milan, not to mention the great capitals and the cities of historic beauty and significance like Florence, Venice and Nuremburg; these majestic structures would appeal to all lovers of the finer arts.
The prejudiced and those behind the times may argue that the “pictures” are suited only to the illiterate. But, judge the cinema as our minds dictate, the fact remains that this new vitalizing force has entered into the educational progress of to-day.
Keen competition in manufactured articles has brought about increasing difficulties in the sales of machinery. The manufacturer has learned, by sad experience, that it is sometimes impossible to convince his prospective customer of the superiority of his product over that of a rival firm, without actual inspection. Size prevents him from carrying his machine to the customer, and distance will not permitthe customer to go to the machine. In this dilemma the progressive manufacturer has joyfully hailed the advent of the motion picture film which enables him to display every step in the manufacture of the machine or articles, and every phase of its operation.
When the maker of machinery, plants, and equipment asks the average person to look over blue prints and written descriptions, and thus form a conclusion as to the worth of his products, he usually finds himself in a difficulty. It is mentally impossible for the general run of people to visualize or imagine a plant or machinery in working and running order from an inspection of drawings and written descriptions, no matter how graphic or conclusive they may be.
Machines are generally too large to be shipped around for inspection by the prospective customer. It is physically impossible to ship all plants and processes, and very frequently the prospective purchaser cannot arrange to visit a place where machinery can be inspected. The modern motion projector is light in weight, small in size, and can beeasily operated. Films can be shown at any place, at any time, and are the ideal method of demonstrating the salesman’s wares. Some manufacturers are making a speciality of these portable projectors, which may be tapped to the lighting circuit and used in the office of the prospective customer, with a blank wall as a screen.
This method of exhibition has been hailed with delight, and the number of manufacturers availing themselves of this medium of salesmanship grows in number day by day.