Like with publications, one must, of course, discriminate between the good and the bad. What Becker, Mayor & Company did was to arrange matters with their string of retailers and loan each the film. They naturally knew the best theater suited for their purpose, and got the exhibitor to show the film for a small fee at the evening show. When each was through with it, the film was despatched to the retailer in the next town, until the whole territory was covered.
If you want to do this everywhere at the same time, it means a little more expense in having copies of the film struck off. Pictures of ladies’ underclothing can hardly be shown in the ordinary way. The Gossart corset concern surmounted this difficulty by showing it only at matinees, to which ladies only were admitted. The film showed the corsets being fitted on living models.
XV.
BOOSTING CITIES AND PLEASURE RESORTS BY MOTION PICTURES
The first aim of the city boosters and Chambers of Commerce is to get the public to visit their communities. How, then, can this be accomplished? The usual way is by distributing attractive literature setting forth everything calculated to “lure” the visitor, but, in the majority of cases, the efforts of the publicity man fail to have the desired effect. “It is all very well of you to inform me of the advantages of your city or pleasure resort,” the man in the street might say, “but how on earth am I to know whether it was not written by somebody with a tendency to exaggerate? Again, I have to picture things before my eyes from cold print. Why not, therefore, have this done for me?”
It is for this precise purpose that the motion picture has made itself conspicuous as an advertising medium—one differing from all others.
An exemplification of what can be done came to the limelight when the Western Michigan Development Bureau had a series of films, comprising three reels altogether, taken to boost western and northern Michigan. The principal features of the pictures were the scenes of such prosperous towns as Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Petoskey, Cadillac, Manistee, Frankfort and Charlevoix. These show the industrial buildings, shipping industry by lake and rail, public parks, commercial and residential portions and recreation resorts. Additionally, the rapid development of western and northern Michigan was covered, as also were the excellent roads, fertile agricultural lands recommended to prospective homesteaders, fruit orchards, and the various industries.
Among other towns to employ motion pictures in a similar way may be mentioned Pittsburgh and Santa Barbara. The latter distinguished itself at the San Francisco Exposition by arranging a forty-minute show at intervals during the day. A lecturer heightened the interest in the films. The exhibit covered a floor space of four thousand feet.
The St. Louis municipal authorities made use of a motion picture several months ago to educate ignorant foreigners and their offspring to know the main features of their city in particular, and America in general. These American citizens in the making are now able to say a good word for their home town when called upon. The film was exhibited free in suitable places, like a Catholic church, police station, Jewish synagogue and a public school. On the first evening over two thousand children, of Italian, German, Greek, Irish and Russian parents, were present, along with their guardians. The picture depicted scenes of St. Louis, New York Zoo and American industries.
Because America can learn from England is my reason for citing the case of Blackpool, which is the Coney Island of Europe. In this case a photoplay was employed, a comedy of fifteen hundred feet, to be exact. A glance at the synopsis below will reveal its mirth-provoking possibilities. I was not able to see the film, so present the version gotten out by the advertising manager.
The plot is laid by August and September, the famous clowns of the Blackpool Tower Circus, inviting their old uncle and aunt to see the sights of Blackpool.