Marketing 'GORGO!'

"How I Would Sell -- GORGO" -- MGM's Technicolor Feature About The Monster With The Heart.
Published in The Motion Picture Exhibitor, March 1st, 1961.
Issue: Volume #65 #13.
Written By Maurice Goldberg, Advertising Department, Milgram Theaters, Inc., Fox Theatre, Philadelphia, Penna.

Monsters have always had an amazing appeal for motion picture audiences. Although they have taken varied forms and different dramatic devices, many have been box office bonanzas and several have achieved recognition as screen classics.

"GORGO" is one that falls in these two categories.

When we kicked off our campaign, press books were not available; therefore, I would like to outline the advertising, publicity, and exploitation in the Fox Theatre campaign on "GORGO".

This motion picture is for the live showman of the large city as well as the small town exhibitor. "GORGO" will appeal to the adults as well as the teenager and small fry, but it's one you will have to go out and sell.

The important thing to sell is the magniture of this gigantic monster, comparing it to the cinema mammoth creatures of the past. Bring home the fact that "GORGO" is the biggest ever. Design an ad that can also be adapted for advance lobby and front with copy playing up the fact that this is the biggest ever. "FIRST THERE WAS 'KING KONG'!THEN THERE WAS 'GODZILLA'! AND NOW THIS IS THE BIG ONE." Dig up some illustrations of the aforementioned two and include them in the ad beside the appropriate copy keeping them on a much smaller scale, which will accentuate the bigness of "GORGO."

There is another effect in this type of ad layout. It also brings home the fact that it's NEW and never seen before, and it will hammer home the idea that it is not to be confused with previous films dealing with monsters.

Something that always stops traffic is mechanical operation of a monster. Your sign shop could make up on of these with a figure of a girl clasped in the right hand, with the hand moving up and down and with the left hand holding a replica of Big Ben tower. The jaws of the monster could also move. To enhance this, a model of the latest missile could be pointed in the direction of the moving figure, with copy to the effect: "Even the latest missiles couldn't stop the terror and destruction of "GORGO."

The Fox Theatre was the site for the World Premiere, and funds were available to purchase extensive television time on the three Philadelphia channels, which will also help the subsequent runs in the areas covered by WCAU-WFIL-WRCV.
The TV trailers are great and do a tremendous job in selling the bigness and destructive power of "GORGO."

The newspaper ads are excellent and there are many to suit every situation. There are two color ads available that we used in the Philadelphia Daily News and The Evening Bulletin on opening day. Catch lines, "THIS IS THE BIG ONE" and
"IT'S ALIVE," plus "SEE SEE SEE" as outlined in the ad proofs, bring out the bigness and authenticity of the monster.

There is a four page herald available that does an excellent job of selling the monster and it's destructive power. This should be used. We used 60,000 in the thickly populated areas of the lower income bracket.

"GORGO" was cross plugged in three of Milgram circuit neighborhood theatres, using regular trailers, lobby 40x60's, and the distribution of a few thousand heralds.

Two twenty foot cutouts of the monster with flashing red eyes were placed on the top of our marquee. This is a traffic stopper. For the smaller theatre, a cutout can be placed on the front, with the same flashing eyes that will help sell "GORGO."

A radio contest has been of great help and was used 10 days in advance of opening. This had the town talking about "GORGO" before our first ad hit the papers. The contest was to have someone locate a photograph of "GORGO" that was
hidden in the downtown area. Radio station WPEN gave out clues each day as to "GORGO's" whereabouts. The photo was found on the opening day with a cash prize going to the winner.

With the mass appeal of monster pictures, we found it advisable in the three colored tabloids, which was money well spent.

With the tremendous amount of interest among the small fry, we sold EARLY BIRD SHOWS on the opening Friday and Saturday.

A good advance advertising stunt was to secure a TV trailer and use it in a projection machine on the front of theatre one week in advance of playdate to take advantage of the transit traffic in front of the theatre.

We planted special artwork concentrating on the largeness of the monster, and it broke in all three newspapers, a total of over two million circulation. The fact that we were given big free space was due to this special art which appealed to the art editors. A bow to the MGM ad men who came up with these special art stills.

Tie up was made with Kable News, publishers of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" magazine, through the United News Company. Panels were placed on 30 United News trucks that travel the Delaware Valley area.