Will Superman Fly?

by Nick Coston

Prime Time Edition

Halloween, Thursday, October 31, 7:00PM EST

In 1978, I know, most of you had yet to be born, the first of many Superman films hit the movie screens. You know, the one starting the original Superman, Christopher Reeve. I was working as a winter assistant manager, home from college, at the Plitt Orland Square Theatres, a nice 4 screen multiplex just outside Chicago’s Southwest side. It played to packed crowds from the minute it opened on December 15^th. At the time, it was the most expensive film ever made with a budget of $55M.

My father, in 1978, was an executive with one of the largest movie theater chains, after selling off our family entertainment properties. He said the big wigs above him were all holding their collective breaths that this would be a massive hit, as the entire Christmas line-up that year was riding on it.

I asked my dad if I he thought Superman would be a winner. The commercials, the trailers and the supporting promotions were huge, lines were already forming at theaters in NYC and LA several days out. From all the hullabaloo around the opening week, this screamed box-office smash.

But would it be?

Our dad was no chatterbox, he didn’t mince words and talk for too long when asked a question. Unlike his two sons who still never know when to stop yapping, my dad stood in our kitchen before heading out to the film’s preview, held the night before the film’s opening day, stared out the alley window, took a deep breath, then he spoke.

“Son, the first time that Superman flies on screen, we’ll know by listening to the audience if we have a hit or not. If they believe he’s flying, it’s gang busters. If not, we’ll both be out of jobs.”

Dad came home later that night from the downtown theatre previewing the film, as we weren’t invited, looked up at me as he walked into our home and simply said, “oh yea, he can fly” as he exhaled.

“Get to the theatre early tomorrow”.

The reviews that early morning of December 15^th, mostly in newspapers and national morning shows back then, were glowing. “Boffo” as Variety, the world-famous entertainment trade magazine would proclaim.  The catchline in the ads that day proclaimed, “You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly”. They did, and we had a massive hit of our hands. Besides that, it was also a very fun film to watch. It catapulted actor Christopher Reeve into the stratosphere. So to speak.

I have never forgotten that line. Not the one from the poster, but my dad’s line about believing Superman can really fly.

I’ve whipped that question out often, mostly when new ad technologies in OOH have hit the landscape. Again, that’s how old I am. I used that line when digital bulletins came on the scene in 2005 (Superman clearly flew), again when blue-tooth tech was attached to Washington, DC transit shelters, in a way to send signals to passing smart phones hyping the ad in the shelter box (Superman crashed and burned on that one) and when camera-tech jumped on the scene around 2013 so we could get real-time impressions of who’s seeing our OHH copy (took Superman a few extra tries to fly, but he finally got it as he’s still flying).

There are plenty more instances where I’ve used my dad’s quote from 1978, but alas, Superman didn’t get his red boots off the ground. It happens.

So, remember, when launching a new OOH product, do the Sam Coston test so that you don’t exceed your expectations. Ask yourself and those around you, does the product work for you, do you understand it, would you pay money for it? Can you explain how it works? Test it, demo it, throw a few sneak previews.

Bring popcorn, some Dots and large Coke.

Then ask yourself, will Superman fly?

Sam Coston in his early years, well before Superman could fly, cruising around in his drive-in theatre he built, the Niles 31 Outdoor, Niles, Michigan, late 1940’s.