Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-28
HERE Is THE SECRET.
Why You Are NCoaxed Into Reading
Newspaper Advertisements
HOW THEY ARE MADE ATTRACTIVE
Stories of Some of the Feats Of JudiciOus
Advertising.
A CONTEST BIZ PITTSBURG JOURNALS


bright, witty or startling headline among
the advertisements has attracted your atten-
ton as you were in the act of turning over
the pages of The DISPATCH, and that be-
fore you began a perusal of the --latest from
Oklahoma" or the Washington news, for
either of which you were actually shifting
the paper to see, you gave way to curiosity
and really glanced over the lad" to see
what the caption meant.
Possibly it was not mere curiosity. The
headlines may have been "New Handker-
chiefs, and that may have reminded you
that you intended several days ago to refill
your handkerchief case. At any rate, you
psust confess you were guilty of reading the
advertisement
INTERESTING TO READ.
1t wasn't dull reading, was it No; you
had found that out before. Once or twice
when you came over from New York BY
day you finished your novel long before
reaching Pittsburg. Then you picked up
The DISPATCH again, and although you
were sure you had read all its news in the
morning, q second cleaning revealed lots of
interesting little items you had missed. But
afterwhile you found yourself reading the
Topical Talker" a second time. There
were still 100 miles to travel. For a wohder
you knew none of the passengers we'll
enough to strike up a conversation. A
snooze was out of the question, because the
train was on that heavy mountain grade
from Cresson down to Johnstown, and the
vibration from the tightly-locked brakes
was awful Without knowing it you COM
menced reading the advertisements. There
was more of interest there than you had
ever before realized. The hour passed very
quickly.
But did you ever stop to think of the
practical results of one of these big double
column or full-page "ads?" You might
imagine it was simply an experiment of the
advertisers to put it there. Or, no, you
could scarcely think thatw you recollect
that you have noticed the same firms ex-
tensive advertising regularly every few days
for year or two past.
That must cost money" YOU reflect
WHY IT PAYS.
Well, we should say it does. You would
Scarcely believe the figures which dozen
of the greatest houses in this city could
show you on their books as the price of
their years advertising in daily papers.
Then advertising must pay these mer-
chants, you conclude.
"Now, it was on this very point that a
and a representative of The DISPATCH
turned the other day. Fleishman & Co.'s
new stores on Market street are among the
very best advertised in the city. The re-
porter with his instinct for catching "some-
thing new" and with the lesson of expert
ence that the something new" must be writ
ten up in a vivacious, taking way in order to
get people to read and enjoy it. suggested
the remark addressed to Mr.. Fleishman
that therein lies the trick of successful ad-
vertising. To show how this merchant un-
derstands that trick, confidence will not be
violated by citing some of the results OF his
advertising.
Gentlemen with Small Feet was the
line in bold characters over one of his ad-
vertisements in THE DISPATCH recently
Such persons were notified that in unpack-
ing boxes at the store lot of No. and 9x
socks had been discovered. These were
unusually small. They were a size not
often inquired for, but in less than a week
the whole so dozen had been sold. The ad-
vertisement accidentally ran in the paper
one day longer than intended and the result
smell-footed men continued to cali after all
the socks had been sold.
PROOF THAT PEOPLE READ.
Just before the last Presidential election
day the house started an "ad' with the
startling words: Sup Salt River and then
remarked that as many gentlemen were soon
to make this long journey, prices in trunks,
bags and gripsacks had been reduced. The
result was wonderful. There was perfect
rush of men TO the store on election day.
All drought trunks or grips, but amusing
as 1t may seem each explained to the sales
man that ''they were for friends
When Robert Elsmere'' was at the
height of its popularity, Fleishman & Co. s
bookbuyer in the East sent home 200 copies
to be sold at 30 cents each. "Am afraid
you sent too many" telegraphed by Mr.
Fleishman. But be simply put the name
of the book in the advertisement in bold let
tiers. In six weeks he had sold 5000 copies
to Pittsburgers.
EARLY misunderstanding radishes,"
was the way the Fleishman cad" began in
display types in The DISPATCH on April
10. The next two days actually witnessed
an immense influx of people to the store.
They really believed a fruit department
had been added to the emporium. Of
course they were only artificial strawberries
and radishes, and the next days change in
advertisement was headed, ''It was only a
joke of ours" followed up with moral.
FORESIGHT AND NOVELTY.
During period of excitement in the oil
market one of their advertisements began
with the words, Bulls and bears-in a
china store, !" and then explained that their
firm had bought heavily in china and pro-
posed to bear the market.
1t is this catching the eye of the public
by timely, humorous or mystifying style
Of composition that makes adver-
tising immensely profitable. By adapt
ing new ideas in advertising trade is
actually created in dull times Giving
away artificial flowers in the appropriate
season was one of the cleverest of all con-
ceits. By reason of advertising this scheme
Fleishman & Co. did more business in the
first two days of February than they did in
the whole of that month two wears ago. There
is always more or less literary merit in a
well-written attractive advertisement. Mr..
S. I. Fleishman is certainly master of the !
art, his pen having furnished one of the
largest New York publishing houses with
two volumes Of Il anslations from the German
sf Heine. Mrs. Fleishman's translations
from the German are also in book form.
But to cap the climax, and test the full
value of advertising, FIeishman & Co.'S
latest is certainly an enterprising idea.
As will be seen in their advertisement else
where this morning, they propose to pre-
sent 70 all purchasers who will send or bring
them at time of purchase a clipping of their
advertisement from one of the papers, hand !
some souvenirs, graded in value |
according to amount OF purchase.
These presents range in value from 81 to
$40. The experiment begins May 1 and i
lasts until Nav 10. A clipping of the ad- |
vertisement must be handed to the firm iu |
every instance. The DAILY DISPATCH, |
The SUNDAY DISPATCH and several of |
the other daily and weekly papers are |