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.