Part 13

You may be too far removed from such movie-producing centers as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Jacksonville. Fortunately, however, there exist private concerns throughout the country which make a specialty of local work.

XXII.

SELLING SHOES BY MOTION PICTURES

Mr. Shoe Manufacturer, take your choice. Which would you prefer to boost a brand of shoes by--an industrial film, a comedy photoplay or a trick film? That is a matter for you personally to decide, for my responsibility ceases after mentioning how each type of motion picture has been employed by other shoe manufacturers.

The George E. Keith Company, manufacturers of Walk-Over shoes, introduced themselves to the motion-picture public with “The Making of a Shoe,” said film being exactly one-reel in length. The camera man went to Campello, Massachusetts, for his material, and first panoramed his camera outside the Walk-Over plant. Once inside, evidently nothing escaped his notice, for he covered everything, from the leather inspection to the polishing of the finished soles.

Credit must go to the Krohn-Fechheimer Company, of Cincinnati, for being the first to present photoplay stars. Their film, “A Footwear Romance,” featured, to use a studio term, Ruth Stonehouse and Bryant Ashburn. It was easy to capitalize these two attractions, so full-page announcements were taken in the leading motion-picture magazines.

This was how the fans were appealed to: Glancing across the aisle on the Pullman, Edward Blair saw a pair of feet so small, so bewitchingly dainty, that at once he lost his heart to the pretty feminine possessor. But who was she, and where was she going? Resorting to a bit of clever detective work, he found that she wore the Red Cross shoe--a clue that led up to some startling information. But afterwards came the greatest shock--when he discovered her as the servant in the home of Miss Eugenie Hatton, the girl he must marry to win the fortune of his eccentric uncle.

How would you have this story end? Would you have him marry the servant-girl, whom he really loves, or Eugenie and a fortune? How it really does end will be a big surprise to you.

The star players, of course, were especially mentioned, as well as advising readers to see the film when it came to their town.

The opportunity to present the direct appeal was not overlooked, for the Krohn-Fechheimer Company offered to send the complete story of the film. With the synopsis was enclosed a card of introduction to the local Red Cross dealer.

I understand that the film was handled by a Red Cross dealer in every town, who arranged for its showing at the most desirable local photoplay theater, calling attention to the fact in his newspaper announcements.

The trick film is capable of putting over many amazing advertising stunts, and for impressing a name on the public it can not be surpassed, if equaled. While I can not recall any American shoe manufacturer having adopted same, we can take a leaf out of Germany’s book.

A clever idea was carried out by the Dorndorf Shoe Stores, which establishment used a film that presented a jumbled heap of letters, these eventually merging into the word “Dorndorf.”

The same concern employs another film which shows shoe-boxes traveling unaided from the shelves to the customer, who allows the shoes to try themselves on his feet until a pair proves suitable. Then appears the apt subtitle, “Dorndorf Shoes Sell Themselves.”

XXIII.

FILM ADVERTISING FROM THE PHOTOPLAYER’S VIEWPOINT

Business and art do not usually go together, but this can not be said of Edward Earle, the popular photoplayer.

“Perhaps why I evince such a great interest in advertising,” Mr. Earle began, “is the fact that without it a photoplayer would soon find his popularity on the wane. A player must, first of all, possess ability, as otherwise the most brilliant publicity campaign in creation will fizzle out.”

Having thus broken the ice, I got down to business.

“Do you advocate the film as an advertising medium?”

“Well, yes, and then, no,” he remarked, thoughtfully. “It is the forceful methods adopted in film advertising to which I am opposed, and which, incidentally, are responsible for the medium not having attained the popularity of its older sister--press advertising.

“One of the points in favor of the latter is that you are not compelled to read the advertisements. They win out on their own merits, for if one is sufficiently compelling your attention is automatically attracted.

“But the ‘make-up’ of the motion-picture theater screen differs in that only one thing may be presented at a time. If an advertising film is unfolded, you have no other alternative in the darkened hall than to give it your attention.

“Nothing is more abhorrent to the people of this democratic country than compulsory methods,” Mr. Earle continued, “and it is my belief that motion-picture advertisers unconsciously get in bad with their prospects. It is a human trait in buying to be able to choose between goods of the same kind, but as the exhibitor only rents out his screen to one advertiser in each trade, the public can not possibly discriminate.

“You will have to go far to find a magazine or newspaper that doles out monopolies to advertisers. I honestly think that this condition of things has a tendency to make advertisers dull and listless. Competition is the life and soul of publicity, and makes the advertisement writer put plenty of ‘pep’ into his copy.

“Once the present forceful methods in film publicity presentation are abolished, the medium will enter an era of prosperity.”

“Do you consider this treatment can be avoided?” I asked.

“That all depends,” Edward Earle replied. “You see, the average photoplay program occupies two hours. To lengthen this in order to include advertising picture, the exhibitor has either to open his show earlier or else curtail his performance. The former step would not be practical, as his busy times are from seven to eleven in the evening, in which hours he has to give two performances. The latter move, however, would not meet with the approval of his patrons.