Some cinema advertising slides were advertising- advertising! But when this slide was made (1930s-1950s) it could boast some very important sales points.....
'Solus position' is an advertising term and means that the ad is isolated away from other, competing ads. One slide at a time was shown during the intermission 'advertising run' and each filled the screen. All eyes would have been on the ad as the cinema would have been darkened.
'Full Colour' was a worthy claim at a time when most domestic printing did not do colour that well. This was a common complaint of photographers which persisted into the 1960s. Even when television arrived it was black and white for over a decade. All the more reason for cinema advertising to have an impact.
'Low Cost' is a relative term, but 'good value' would be a true claim. The advertiser could place slides in one local cinema or across the whole chain- or any number in between! This kept the ad where the customers were.
With these selling points no wonder cinema advertising slides were a popular way of marketing. MAVtech's collection of local and national cinema advertising shows just how sensationally popular they were. Have a browse on Kete by searching 'cinema advertising slide' to find out!
But slides weren't the only way of advertising on the 'big screen'. By the late 1950s 'Dominion Screens Limited', which serviced and was owned by the Amalgamated Theatres chain, was selling screening time for one minute advertising films and Screens Advertising Limited sold space for one and a half minute ads.
