Omaha daily bee., 1885-07-17
UNPRoFITABLE ADVERTISING.
Why Cards, Circulars and the Like
Are Failures as Advertising
Mediums.
New York Commercial-Adyertiser

Within the last few years 1t has become
the fashion with some people to do theil
advertising in their own private way In
stead of through the newspapers. Some
distribute cards, some circulars, some
pamphlets, some even almanacs, and
inconcelvable monstrosities of odddity,
circulating them by the hundreds o,
thousands through the mails. The prin.
ter's art has been taxed to the utmost to
crafty the taste of these advertisers
Some of the finest as we'll as some of the
basest specimens of the art of engraving,
of chromo-lithographing and of color
printing are being produced for these
purposes, and every conceivable style OF
fancy paper is brought into requisltion.
The advertisers vie with each other In
the elegance of their designs and the cost.
lluess of their devices, taking 1t for
granted that the receivers will conform
their estimate Of the status of the sdver.
tiser to the artistic pretentions
of his advertisement. Some people
may regret that the noble art of printing,
at the period of It's highest achievements,
should be subjected to such debasing use /;
but, to those who thus employ the art, 1t
should be equally matter of concern
that the debasement 30 completely fails
of the object for which 1t Is intended.
With him who notices such advertise
ments at all, the first feeling on receiving
one of these superb specimens of typog-
raphy or engravings is apt to ba one of
disgust that 1t relates to the artistic pur-
suits of his butcher or his bootmaker, or
that the subjects of It's elegant illustra-
tlons are chairs and tables, refrlgerators
and brooms; he throws it down with an
indefinable grudge against the man who
has been guilty of such ridiculous pros
titutlon of art, and, without exactly
knowing it. he Is distinctly convinced
that tradesman who spends so much
money In such an incongruous way Is not
likely to be endowed with the common
sense of good man of business or to
sell cheaply.
In truth, however, those who take any
notice whatever of this food of announce.
ments form but very small percentage
of those who receive them. They have
come to be the nuisance of both the par
lor and the counting room. At home
they are never opened but with dsap.
pointment, because they come in the
place of letters really hoped for. In the
Office the merchant finds his morning
mail stuffed with these instructions upon
the serious affairs of his business, which
he inwardly cures or impatiently con,
signs to his waste-paper heap. In short,
If public vote could bs taken, 1t would
unanimously declare these drumming
to bs an intolerable nuisance
that should be denied the privilege OF the
mails.
Men of business who resort to the
method of advertising cannot be ignorant
of the fact that people whom they would
reach have become nauseated with it.
They must be aware thatthey themselves
disregard all appeals for patronage; and
what reason have they to suppose that
others receive their applications with
more patience. Sagacious advertisers are
to see this and are returning
to the old method of public announce
ment. The newspaper Is in every sense,
the best medium for advertising; and for
3 given result, it Is by much the cheap
eat also. 1t reaches a far greater num-
ber of possible customers than any pri
vate announcement can; and 1t Is more
certain to receive attention. The private
circular Is thrown aside as thing which
people have come to regard as a bore,
and which Is neglected because its reci-
pients have no time to attend
10 it. The newspaper Is used In
zach days hour of leisure, and read
srs find interest In reading its ADVERTISE |
nents as we'll as Its news, because of the |
'ariety they present and and the infor-
natien they convey respecting wide di.
'ersity of interests. 1t may be safely
estimated that an announcement made |
hrough the press is noticed by fifty read
'rs, where, made In private way, 1t
would reach but one. If, therefore, the
anne amount were expended In either
ase, the result would be fifly-fold better
rom the former method than from the
after. There are, undoubtedly, csses in
Vhich the circular Is better medium
han the newspaper. Such, for instance,
. where the matter Ia necessarily lengthy
nd the cost of newspaper space would
nerefore bs very large. Such cases are
ute exceptional, and the sooner adyer-
rera learn the folly of their present
rge expenditures In seeking publicity
trough private means the better for {
leir pockets and their success. j.