Naturally, to secure the desired results, you have to work in co-operation with the dealers throughout the country. Now, with a film alone you can accomplish this much satisfactorily, but an attractive slide shown on the screen after the film has been run over fills the gap O. K. It also acts as a follow-up and direct-appeal stunt, for it is no earthly use familiarizing people with your goods without acquainting them where they may be obtained locally. Put forward some attractive proposition and get the people to action. The slide has always been a device more eminently suited for retailers on account of it being inexpensive, and the manufacturer should therefore only employ it as an ally to his movie publicity campaign. Then both will work to mutual advantage.
VI.
USING THE FILM TO SECURE FOREIGN BUSINESS
At this time, when every live manufacturer is hastening to place his “made in America” goods on a large scale in foreign countries cut off by the European war, he will, naturally, be responsive to all publicity mediums which offer value.
Creating a demand for your wares in new lands is, as one is well aware, a far harder task than is capturing fresh business at home, so, if the desired volume of trade is to be obtained, there must be no stinting on the advertising campaign expenditure. It is doubtful whether there is any publicity outlets that can outshine the versatile motion picture in the all-important capacity of a results bringer. If you are inclined to doubt the pulling powers of this medium, allow me to draw your attention to some convincing facts in its favor.
In Serbia, most of the photoplays shown in the theaters there hail from the United States. On the authority of Deputy Consul R. J. Nevakavitch, of Belgrade, I am able to state that, two years ago, American fashions became suddenly popular in Serbia. It is of frequent occurrence to run up against men—and it is not confined to the younger fraternity—in Belgrade with their hair cut a la American, while their clothes show that the native tailors are endeavoring to approach Uncle Sam’s style. In addition, American types of hats, shoes and boots are largely in demand.
If films of the fiction variety have such an effect on foreigners as this, there can be no possible room for doubt that advertising pictures pure and simple can produce even better results individually.
The main setback to the opening of business relations in new countries is the strict conservatism of the dealers, who have a great dislike to entering into negotiations with foreign manufacturers, just because the language, money, weights and measures are different to what they are accustomed to. The Belgrade consul furthermore suggested that this might be overcome by tackling the prospective consumers first at the movie shows. The preference that would ultimately spring up for American products would practically compel the local dealer to respond by stocking the same.
Before the present war was in the air, a commercial body named British Industries, Limited, comprising the leading manufacturers, prepared an eight-reel film. The principal industries were dealt with, each merchant being allotted eight hundred feet in which to tell his “story.” The complete picture was exhibited, not only in John Bull’s colonies, but in foreign countries as well.
Germany, too, recently boosted its industries in foreign markets. The Association for the Promotion of Foreign Trade arranged for the taking of a series of films. These were shown abroad, and the lecturers, who discoursed on the pictures, worded their speeches so general in appeal that the public was unaware of the true purpose of such demonstrations.
Now, of course, these things have been knocked on the head, which is all the more reason why our biggest manufacturers should get together.