Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-01
WASHINGTON CITY:
The Philosophy Of Advertising.

following Judlclous reparks upon the SUB
ject Of advertising, which we commend
to the attentive consideration of our
readers, with the single remark to con-
sumers, that in order to buy cheap they
should patronize those who keep their
goods and wares before the people through
the columns Of newspaper:
"Reader! don't hesitate. don't pass
this article over: We do not design to
puff our own profession, but we desire to
show you how intimately connected it is
with all the business affairs of society.
Laying aside all considerations re-
specting the moral influence of the press,
or the immensely of it's power either for
good or evil-we shall only speak of the
results of it's effects in matters of trade
Sc In this age of enterprise and compe-
tition in every branch of business, sue
cess depends entirely upon energy, ac-
tivity, and untiring industry-he who
would reach the goal must keep moving
Or he incurs the risk of being distanced
or run over.
g 1t is an old adage that competition
is the life of business the truth of
which is daily verified.
g Never in the history of the country
has business been more hourishing and
never, perhaps, has competition been more
active. Not only do individuals compete,
but cities, States, communities and socie-
ties are vieing with each other as to which
shall best succeed, and the fact IS that
those ,Uho advertise the most succeed the best:
look at the most fourishing and prosper
GUS cities, and you will find in them thou
sands and hundreds of thousands of print
ed sheets, from the size ola double blanket
to that of an ordinary hand-bill, covered
acknowledgements of every article, which
ever emanated from the ingenuity and in
dustry of man; and not satisfied with
this, the shrewd City Merchants, fill the
columns of the country papers with mott
ceS of their whereabouts, and the goods
they deal in.
The effect of this, that they draw to
themselves the trade that might by SINH
lar efforts have been stopped on the way
g But not alone do the votaries of trade
use the newspaper press to their personal
advantage, but religious sects-Eterary,
scientific, and charitable associations
political parties, &C., &C., all derive bene-
Tits, notoriety, and success from the same
means.
"What is it that induces Clergymen,
Doctors, Philosophers, Artists, and In
ventor, to travel hundreds of miles to our
large cities to hold their conventions and
deliver their lectures What is it that
sends Kossuth, and Meagher and Gavazzi
and the numberless other celebrities in
the same direction? Why nothing but
the newspaper press Nth its army Of repor-
ters,-all know that every word spoken,
tho heard by hundreds, are read by mil
lions.
''And what is the effect on business by
the inducement thus given to this accu-
mutation of attraction It bring con-
sumers, and customers, to the very doors
OF the producers and traders-hence it is
that to the Newspaper press is due almost
entirely the prosperity that now exists
in those cities. Why should not similar
causes produce similar effects elsewhere !
But some people say, and the old TO-
geps especially, that the advertising costs
too much.
'Now let us present a small calculation
based upon figures applicable to our in
land cities or towns.
THE average profits of trade is about
ten to fifteen per cent. per annum-sav
ten, so as to be within bounds. The cost
of advertising in ordinary and general
cases if judiciously made in brief, terse,
frequent daily advertisements - would
cost about $25 per annum-this sum at
10 per cent represents the profit on sales
amounting to $3.50 per annum, which is
less than SIS week. Does any man of
common sense believe that he could not
increase his sales more than S. a week
by advertising9 Why, there are thou
sands and tens Of thousands of dollars
sold in Philadelphia to people in the Vi
entity Of Trenton, who would buy them
here IN preference if they only knew
where they were to be found-or # those
,rho had them for sale 1couh enly hare the
p0liteness to inuite purchasers TO bug.
again, suppose that one hundred per-
sons paid each S25 per annum for adver-
tiseinents, what becomes of the $500
thus paid? Is it lost to the community Z
Not at all; a great part of it is appro-
priated to the wages of printers, carriers,
reporfarS nreSSman snd other ON njoyt,as =.