Even child players can be turned to advertising account, as witness the following full-page ad. in the Motion Picture Magazine: “Your Little Friend, Little Billy Wirth, Whose Mother is Glad to Testify to the Value of Imperial Granum, the Unsweetened Food.”
National advertisers, up to the present time, have paid considerably more attention to the heroines than the heroes. Possibly it is because it is much easier to appeal to the women, but the odds should be more balanced. Tobacco, hosiery and sporting-goods manufacturers are to name just three kinds of advertisers who could employ a prominent male player to advantage.
Why not name the next new branded article you put on the market after a motion-picture star? I happen to have advance information of a cigar manufacturer who has christened a new cigar after King Baggot. I understand, too, that Lillian Walker, Edward Earle, Leah Baird and Eleanor Woodruff are open to receive offers.
How can the photoplayers be approached? In the first place, a player can not secure too much publicity, and if he neglects this important factor he loses much of his popularity.
Great as is a motion-picture player’s need for publicity, he will seldom allow his name to be exploited by an advertiser without adequate remuneration, as he feels that he, too, should reap some of the financial benefit.
XXVIII.
BOOSTING YOUR BUSINESS WITH AN ADVERTISING MOTION PICTURE
Are you a storekeeper who would blazon the path of originality, yet would not object to the increased outlay?
The advertising powers of the motion picture have been fully realized by the large manufacturers of this country, but the average retailer has confined himself to the slide.
With a film, however, you can cause a small-sized sensation in your town, for folks will look upon your effort as a home product. You can not, of course, live upon publicity, and the true test will be the extra amount of business it brings. Once the interest of people is aroused, there can be no doubt concerning the latter.
The most suitable kind of photoplay is the comedy. You may have a commercial motion-picture photographer located near by, in which case you can avail yourself of his services. Failing this, however, there are a number of concerns who do nothing else but produce films for commercial purposes.