UNUSUAL DUTIES FOR A LIGHT VAN.
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How the Management of a Large Cinema Lowers Advertising Literature. the Cost of Distributing
HAVING carefully considered the cost of distributing advertising literature, the management of the Piccadilly Picture Theatre, Manchester, decided to employ alight van staffed by six youths and a driver to undertake the work of door-to-door visitation and thus entirely overcome the cost of postal communications. The choice of the concern fell upon a Morris 8-cwt. van.
It had been computed that to send 3,500 advertising leaflets and programmes -through the post each day would incur an expenditure of £7 daily or about £40 per week on stamps alone, in addition to which there was, of course, the cost of envelopes and clerical work amounting in all to over £50. The question then arose: Is there any cheaper way of delivering 20;000 leaflets per week?
In an interview with a representative of The Commercial Motor the manager of the Piccadilly Picture Theatre. Manchester, which is one of the most progressive cinemas in the Country, stated that the Morris van was purchased in December, 1927, express1C for publicity service. Apart from the advertising literature, it carries on all its journeys a staff of six youths and a supervising driver. Its work is confined to the distribution of monthly programmes in all the outlying residential areas of Mune chester.
The Morris van starts work at 8.30 a.m. and does not return to the theatre until the distribution of about 3,500 leaflets has been completed, which is the average daily ,.distribution. On reaching the outlying district, each youth is allotted a round and he takes with him a small bundle of printed matter.
Throughout the day the supervisor in charge of the van is in close touch with the youths in order to superintend their supplies and deliveries of the leaflets.
On returning to the theatre in the evening the supervisor hands in a list of the streets where programmes have been distributed. This summary varies from day to day according to the length of the streets and types of houses visited. Up to the present from 62 to 115 streets have been worked daily.
The leaflets distributed enumerate the films which are to be shown at thetheatre during the ensuing four week.s. Districts outside the Manchester area, such as Stockport, Patricroft, Eccles and -Salford, are also included in the sphere of operations, and the rounds are, so arranged that each locality is visited once a month.
The average daily mileage of the Morris van is about 30. Considering the large number of stops made by the motor, 15 miles to the gallon of spirit used must be considered a good average fuel return.
The sides of the van are painted in
the Piccadilly house colours, orange, black and white, and there are panel spaces in 'which-the--title, of the current week's feature filnt is inserted. The publicity assistants who travel in the van wear smart brown uniforms, with green collars and cuffs. leggings and peaked caps, which certainly give them a very distinctive appearance.