Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
44
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Conducted by B. B. Wilson
THE NEW FEIST CAMPAIGN AND WHAT IS BACK OF IT.
Edgar F. Bitner, General Manager of Leo Feist, Inc., in an Interview, Replies to Trale
Critics and Explains His Reasons for Believing That the Campaign Will Prove Successful.
There have been few stnsations in the lield of
one time, particularly under the business conditions
popular music publishing and retailing to compare existing at present?" queried the interviewer.
with that created by the first announcement of the
"Why can't it be done?" replied Mr. Bitner. "Of
fall campaign planned by Leo Feist, Inc., and course, it was never done before; but then you
which in addition to its tremendous scope includes must remember they never built a Panama Canal
a number of other distinctly unusual features, not before the present one was completed. Of course
the least important of which is the announced in- it is new and unusual, but we have planned just
tention of the house to feature and develop into that. Business conditions throughout the country,
hits four songs all at the same time.
particularly in the music trade, are unusual at
The four songs named are: "Come Back, Dixie," the present time, and to develop an increased busi-
words by Jack Mahoney and music by Percy Wen- ness means that it has to be done by unusual
rich ; "Norway," words by Joe McCarthy and
means. We may be dreamers, but we don't think
music by Fred Fischer; "When You're in Love so. As a matter of fact, practically every inventor
with Someone Who Ts Xot in Love with You," or pioneer has been looked upon as a dreamer
words by Grant Clark and music by Al Piantadosi, until he succeeded. Then he became a genius. We
and "AH I Can Do Is Love You," words by Clark will probably not be considered in the genius class,
and McCarthy and music by Jimmie Monaco.
but nevertheless we have every confidence in the
The views of members of the trade regarding the ultimate success of our latest move and have ab-
campaign agree as to the nerve shown by its spon- solutely safe and sound business reasons for that
sors, but vary greatly as to the possibilities of its confidence.
"In the first place, the campaign at the present
success, it being the general opinion that although
the house of Feist has done some pretty big things time is the work of over three months of careful
in the past, the carrying out of the new program consideration on the part of every member of the
as announced to its ultimate completion is a con- Feist staff. Its features have been criticised, pulled
tract that does not tit in well with the present situa- apart and built anew, until we had something
tion, especially in the sheet music trade, and ap- tangible and proven upon which to base our actions.
'The advertising campaign is the largest ever
pears t<> be a case of biting off more than can be
planned in the music publishing trade, and the an-
chewed.
Realizing that the campaign has not been laid nouncements regarding the four songs will appear
out without some definite reason for its extensive- in publications having an aggregate circulation of
ness, and its other unusual features, a representa- .">,()00,000. Just think what that means! Advertis-
tive of The Review called on Edgar F. Bitner, gen- ing experts maintain that every magazine is read
by an average of five people, and on that basis the
eral manager of Leo Feist, Inc., to ascertain, if
possible, just what the ideas of that house were attention of 28,000,000 people, or over one-quarter
regarding the campaign and its carrying out. of the population of the entire L T nited States, will
Mr. Bitner was naturally averse to going into de- be called to the four songs that are featured. That
tails regarding the plans of his house for obvious means that 5(5,000,000 (yes will see the advertise-
reasons. He did not hesitate, however, to resenL ment, that tli^ same number of ears will hear the
the casting of any doubt upon the probable success music and the same number of lips sing the songs.
These figures should be convincing enough to the
of the venture.
"The featuring of four songs at one time by a dealer who is willing to put forth a little energy in
single house in the way that you planned to do, and combating present conditions just because they
j
accompanied by a guarantee to the dealers that all happen to exist. But, although tlu cost of the ad-
fniir songs will prove hits, has never before been vertising is very heavy, it actually represents only
done in the trade. Do you real'y think it possible a comparatively small portion of the expense of the
to put over two or even three of the numbers at campaign as a whole.
THE MUSIC OF "KILKENNY."
Fiske O'Hara Featuring "Ireland Is Ireland to
Me" in New Show—Other Good Numbers.
The popular Irish actor and singer, Fiske O'Hara,
who opened the season with his new play, "Kil-
kenny." in Minneapolis on August 29, is featuring
very strongly a new Trish song, "Ireland Is Ireland
REAL BIG SELLERS
A Trial Order Will Convince You
"HONOLULU LOU"
"SHE LIVES IN A MANSION OF SIGHS"
"I'M GOING BACK TO BUENOS AY RES"
"WISH I KNEW JUST WHAT YOU THINK OF ME"
"WALTZING WITH MY SUMMER GIRL"
"SWEETHEART OF MY DREAMS"
"LILLIAN WALKER WALTZES"
"OH YOU GIRLS" AND "ALL FOR YOU"
THE REGENT MUSIC PUB. CO.
Lake Charles, La.
"The four songs, for instance, are by writers of
reputation and experience—writers who are among
the leaders in the popular song world of to-day and
have actual song hits to their credit. Reputation,
however, will not always sell goods, so the songs
were put through every conceivable test before any
steps were taken towards even mapping out the
campaign, and absolutely no expense was spared
in trying out the four songs through our profes-
sional department, and in none, of the tests was the
probable salability of the song lost sight of.
"After the songs were selected the professional
department entered actively into the work of ex-
ploitation and centered all their efforts on the four
/lumbers in question.
The managers of our
branches in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, St.
Louis and St. Paul were brought to New York for
a conference, made acquainted with the details of
the campaign, and sent back to their headquarters
with orders to devote every effort to the further-
ance of the campaign. The same orders were
transmitted to our representatives in the field, and
the work of our professional department has been
going on all of these weeks before any real effort
was made to place these songs on the market. The
vvork of our professional staff and our service de-
partment is going right along, and no expense is
to be spared.
"In every way it is a strictly business proposition.
We have to sell a certain amount of music every
month and every season to cover our tremendous
overhead charges. The present campaign will serve
to greatly increase those charges. We shall con-
sequently be compelled to increase our output to
cover it. To do this we have chosen the unusual
plan outlined and have arranged to put all the re-
sources of the house of Feist to back up our pledge
to the dealers. We know that the four songs are
going to be hits. We have told the trade so pub-
licly, and the reputation and bank account of Leo
Feist, Tnc, is back of these statements.
"To accomplish our aim we must have the co-
operation of the retailer, and we are offering him
every inducement to co-operate. We are not tell-
ing him how to increase his business while business
conditions are bad, but are spending real money
to how him how. We are not posing as benefac-
tors of the human race, but we are going to do
more business and the dealers are going to do more
business with Feist songs."
to Me." which was written especially for him by J.
Keirn Brennan and Ernest R. Ball. Mr. O'Hara
puts the song over in the true O'Hara style, which
has in-ured its success. Mr. O'Hara used the song
during his recent vaudeville tour, and through that
medium it has already become quite popular. An-
other song that Mr. O'Hara is using in "Kilkenny 1 '
is "That's How the Shannon Flows," by the same
writers as "Ireland Ts Ireland to Me"; "A Little
Bit of Heaven." etc. All the numbers mentioned
are published by M. Witmark & Sons.
Sensational Song Hits
^
"WHEN I WAS A DREAMER"
A new song writing combination has come to
l'ght ihrough the publication by Charles K. Harris
of "He Was a Friend of Mine," for which Mr.
1 [arris wrote the words and J. E. Howard the music.
"THE SWEETEST GIRL IN M0iNT|R|Y''
"UNDERNEATH THE S T A R S "
" IIN JAPAN[WITH Ml-MO SAIN'*
Two Sensational English Ballad
Successes
"NOBODY ELSE BUT YOU "
"THE BARS ARE DOWN IN LOVER'S LANE ^
"LISTEN TO THAT DIXIE BAND"
I
"IN HONOLULU"
H,£r> C l a s s
"Somewhere a Voice is Calling"
"The Sunshine of Your Smile"
,
I
I
'
By VELLEN COBB
AH3
"°"° nS °" s
Ballad
ByCLAR?
K U M M I R
El^lbtlh Murrty! 5i<>t Sonj Hit
I
^^^j^*«^-
A $5,000 INSTRUMENTAL NUMBER we HAVE IT!
T. B. Harms & Francis, Day & Hunter
62 West 45th Street
NEW YORK
"BLAME I TON THE "BLUES" XT WEARY BLUE)
r'GERALDIME WALTZES"
THE WAITZUITOFTHEDAY