The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-04-15
Newspaper Advertising.

est to the public. Faith in the adver-
tising medium has been, it is true, of
slow, but always steady, growth, while,
where many have feared to venture, the
few have rushed in and secured vast
and speedy gains. The advantage of
legitimate advertising has too often
been demonstrated to be questioned at
this late day. but so many itinersnt
advertising schemes have, during the
past few years. been foisted upon the
public as rivals to the genuine and we'll
proven article. that the usefulness of
the latter has been somewha overlook
ed and in many cases underrated. The
manner In which q tradesman intro
duces himself to the public is pretty
safe gauge of his respectable and if
he presents himself in such style as
TO offend good taste. the chances are
that he will suffer both in pocket and
reputation. A mistake which is frequent.
ly made by business men, is not in not
advertising at all. but in placing their
announcements where they will bring
no adequate return for the outlay, OF
this. ali apt illustration is the plan of
distributing circulars. No one who has
ever witnessed the almost superhuman
efforts of q circular distributor to get
rid of his stock could not have failed
TO notice the cOntemptuous reception
the printed paper receives at the hands
of the public, being either absolutely
rejected or only taken to be glanced at
and thrown away without further
thought. Nor do the circulars that are
directed and mailed to the public fare
much better. The inability of trades.
men to attract the attention Of the pub.
lie by circulars and the like has spurred
them on TO adopt newer and more ex-
pensive methods. The public must be
bribed into taking what it is unwilling
to receive without some beneficial con-
sideration. Cards containing puzzles
or pictures or mechanical figures attach
ed TO them, and other similar delusions,
are accordingly prepared to catch the
eye and trick the people into accept
ancc. They generally, however, result
the same as the circulars; the novelty of
the thing having worn off, they. too,
are discarded and rejected. The new
est illustration of unprofitable adver-
tising comes to US in q recent prospectus
of an European stock company, organ
lied for the purpose of introducing a
patent by which advertisements may
be impressed upon china-ware, so that
the hotel guest, after finishing his ver-
micelli soup. may, perchance, read in
the bottom of his plate of some vermi-
fuge warranted sure cure.
All these schemes Of obtruding bust.
ness enterprises upon reluctant pub
lie are but the Legitimate offspring of
the only proper. respectable and re-
munerative way of advertising. Of the
superior advantages of the newspapers
and magazines as advertising mediums.
we have the testimony of reputable and
prosperous merchants al over the
world. In Europe. particularly, where
competition in trade is most extensive,
experience has shown that the news
paper far excels any other method of
advertising. An established newspaper
reaches q class of people who are in a
measure affected by what they read in
it and its influence in coming the
opinions of its readers can neither be
questioned nor estimated. The object
of the advertiser is not alone to have
his notice reach the greatest number of
people, but to have their attention par
ticularly directed to il, and in no way
can that object be more surely attained
than in the use of on able and popular
newspaper. Were it necessary to ap-
peal to any particular class OF adver
tisers in order to establish the super
iority of the newspaper over every other
medium of advertising. none could be
found better qualified to testify on that
point than those engaged in the dra-
matte profession. For them the entire
array of bill-bosrds, posters, gutter
snipes." circulars, cards and rock and
fence embellishments have been i'm
pressed into service, but they have
failed to accomplish the good which q
few lines in properly conducted jour
nal has at one-tenth the expense
brought about. But one result has
attended this peripatetic mode ofadver-
tising-the overcrowding OF theatres
with visitors on "deadhead" billboard
passes. to the exclusion of more profit
able auditors. The adoption OF the news
paper Is the sole medium OF advertis-
ing by theatres generally is Q strong
indication of its worth and superiority.
The advantages of the newspaper
over oil competitors are neither few or
ill-detined. A well-established news
journal has o circulation far exceeding
that which even the most desirable
circular or hand-bill can attain. The
newspaper is sought for by the reader,
and depends not upon trickery, device
or force for its introduction to the
public. 1t occupies o place at the FIRE
side, and its opinions ars carefully read
and usually concurred in. II is mis-
taken idea that the advertisements in
newspaper are never read. Intelligent
readers invariably examine the adver-
tising columns of their papers as care
fully as they DO the news items. There
is charm about q collection of adver-
tisements. both in its information and
variety, which TO the mind In search Of
topics Of interest when once experience
ed is irresistible. If any one doubts
this, let him peruse the advertisements
in one issue of his daily or weekly
papers, and he will bs astonished ct
the vast number and variety of strange,
Interesting and desirable things, many
of which he has never before heard OF.
which crowd its columns. There Is no
doubt that there is large class Of peo-
pie who invariably read the advertise
ments in q news paper with no other
object than to satisfy wise curiosity
or furnish amusement for the hour.
From such. q we'll placed advertise