The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-06-26
TEE FAILURE OF PRIVATE ADVERTISING.
Why Cards, Circulars and the Like are
Failures as Advertising Mediums.
Erron the View York Commercial Bulletin.

[Fro.n the New York Commercial Bulletin.l
Within the last few years it has become
the fashion with some people to do their
advertising i'll their own private way, in
| stead OF through the newspapers. Some
distribute cards. some circulars, some PAM
ph.ets, seine e> an almanacs, and some in
cnnceivabe rstr"sities of oddity, circula-
ting them bv the hundreds or thousands
| through the mails. The printers art has
been taxed 20 the utmost to crafty the
tastes of these. advertisers. Some of the
finest as Well IS Some of the basest speci-
mers Of the art of, engraving, of chromo-
lithographing and of color printing are be-
ing produced for these purposes, snd every
conceivable style of fancy paper is brought
into requisition. The advertisers vie with
each other in the elegance of their designs
and in the costliness of their devices, taking
it for granted that the receivers will con-
form their estimate of the status of the ad-
vertiser to the artistic pretensions of his
advertisement. Some people may regret
that the noble art of printing, at the period
of its highest achievments, should be sub
jected to such debasing uses; but, to those
who thus employ the art, it should be equal
ly matter of concern that the dehasement
so completely fails of the object for which
it is intended With him who notices such
! advertisements at all, the first feeling on
receiving one of these superb specimens of
Typography or engraving is apt to be one
of disgust that it relates to the artistic pur-
snits of his butcher or bootmaker, or that
the sui jects of its elegant illustrations are
chairs and tables, refrigerators and brooms
against the man who has been guilty of
such ridiculous prostitution Sof art, and
without exactly knowing it, he is distinctly
convinced that a tradesnan who spends so
much money in such an incongurous 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 nuisance of both the parlor and
ccunting-room. At home they are never
opened but with disappointment, because
they come in the place of letters really
hoped for In the office the merchant finds
his morning mail stuffed with these intru-
sions upon the seriGns affairs of his business
which he inwarlly curses or inpatiently
consigns to his waste paper heap, In short,
if public vote could he taken, it would
unanimously declare these drumming miss
ives to be All inroe.ab,e nuisance that should
he denied the privilege of the mails
Men uf busin, ss vino resort to this meth
otl of Advertising cannot be ignorant of the
fact that the people whom they would reach
have become nauseated with it. They must
be aware that they themselves disregard
all such appeals for patronage, and what
reas"n have they to suppose that others
ceive their applications with more patience?
Sagacons advertisers are beginning to see
! this, and are returning to tie old ulethod of
j public announcement. The newspapers are
! in every sense tine best medium for advertise
ing, and for Il given result it is by much the
cheapest also. 1t reaches far greater num-
ber of possible customers than any private
Cttu anu IL is more certain To
receive attention. The private circular is
thrown asl:ie rs thing which people have
come to re.ar,. as bore, and which is neg
lected bee 'n5e It's recipients have no time
to attend t" it The newspaper is used in
each!day's hrur leisure, and readers find
interest in r. i,ling its advertisements
well as its lews, hccaa*e Of the variety
they present itnd the information they con.
vey respecting vile iir"rity OF inter
ests. 1t may be s.fu:% e>.:m tel that an
annornre;,.eut made Through the press IL
noticed by fifty readers here, made III u
private way. it would reach but one. If,
therefore, the same amount were expended
IN either case the result would be tifty-fold
better from the former method than from
the latter. There are, undoubtedly, cases
in which the circular is better medium
than the newspaper. Such, for instance, as
where the matter is necessarily lengthy and
the cost of newspaper space would therefore
be very large. But such cases quite
ceptional and the sooner advertisers learn
the folly OF their present large expenditures
in seeking publicity through private means,
the better for their pockets and their
success,