Paul Gerrard, who runs
the great web site www.movieposterstudio.com
provides some insights into an unusual Alfred Hitchcock collectible.
Many people think that crazy publicity stunts are a recent
development in the world of movie marketing, but not so, as this promotional
mask from Hitchcock's 1963 chiller The
Birds can testify. The concept behind this particular bird-brained scheme
was to allow members of the public free entry to screenings, as long as they
were wearing the mask, and as long as they could match a number printed on the
back of the mask with a list at the cinema box office. It can only be imagined
that the sight of couples parading along the street to their nearest theatre
adorned with this avian headgear was even more disturbing than the film itself.
Still more sinister when you consider this was an adult-rated film, and not
some form of amusing diversion for the kiddies.
And it didn't end there. Not content with ruffling a few feathers amongst the
twittering classes with their seemingly ungrammatical campaign slogan "The
Birds Is Coming", the Universal publicity team had more 'cheep' tricks in
the wings. Here is a small selection of absolutely genuine stunts from the
original campaign manual, hatched by over-imaginative (m)Ad Men, who were no
doubt eager to launch themselves up the pecking order:-
A specially-commissioned crossword was to be copied and distributed, comprising
such fun-filled clues as 37 Down: "The birds ---- the farmer to
death".
Cinema owners were encouraged to antagonise bird enthusiasts by inviting them
onto radio shows and debating topics such as "Birds Do Not Love People But
Hate Them", and that birds are the "Villains of Nature".
Seagulls could be painted in bright colours to attract attention around town
(although thoughtfully the manual advised to "get instructions about
dyeing seagulls from your local Audubon Society, the ASPCA or other local bird
groups").
Talking birds could be enlisted from pet shops and trained to cry out "The
Birds Is Coming" en masse.
Local restaurants were to promote their meals with the slogan "The Birds
Are Here In The Best Dishes You Ever Ate".
Fowl play indeed! We can but hope that the threatened remake of this Hitchcock
classic inspires similar flights of fancy.
(If you want to terrify your own children with this vintage collectibe, Movie Poster Studio
has one for sale. To view, click here)