Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1890-12-28
BIG ADVERTISING
How New York Merchants kpsnd
Fortunes for Printers' Ink.
TIMELY HIsIS on MODERN METHODS
Prices Paid - Nsw York Papers tor
ssSgfs tssass-Aa Aggrsgas~ Of si<s,-
ooss ooo Per inaum g Publishers
OF ths tnitsa states aad an 2aA-

t1ssrS S1Aca aIc H0c>l4S~s W iAtt -
bsg advertising For = retail mer-
chant. IN New York. Sc. 900 per year is
sum which few exceed. The we'll
known house of L. j. Denning 4 Co,
eaeeessors 10 A. I. Stewart. are credited
with spending about 100000 during
the pasl year. No other house in New
York is believed To spend As much.
The majority of the other large retail
houses are supposed 10 keep under
$4,000. From personal investigation
and other information, | hardly think
there are over half dozen who exceed
$4,000. A great many pay the news
papers as much as $4,000 per year,
and il requires at least that much to
make any considerable show IN New
York. Should new firm start in with
ever SO fine store and ever SO large
stock, they would find il necessary To
devote upward of SAC, 900 to advertising
IN order to take rank as competitors
with the older leading houses.
Sunday Is the great day for retail ad-
vertsing ~ New York. While there
are nsaBy who are uncertain rs To Its
being as good as Monday or other work
days, the popular opinion is strongly In
favor of extensive Sunday advertising.
During the remainder of the week,
some advertise on alternate days,
changing from one paper To another,
endeavoring to be represented at least
twice each week in each of the leading
dailies.
One reason why so much money is
required to do justice TO the case, Is be-
cause there are so many good papers
published here, and it seems impossible
to leave any out absolutely.
All told, there are eighteen or twenty
daily papers, counting morning and
evening editions.
The big advertiser must include all Of
these, to 4 greater or less extent. Add
to this list. acountless horde of weeklies,
monthlies, and suburban papers, and
you can readlly see that To give each
paper the merest morsel, would eat up
a fortunel Then, too, advertising RATES
are high "a column IN the Morning
World costs (f all display typel. $3.50
on week days. and about $2l0 on Sun
days. The Tines, Tribune, Herald and
Sun are about as expensive. The even
ing papers charge from $40 TO 500 per
column, according to position. No dis
counts are allowed by the larger papers
Tor time cpntracts or large spaces. The
man with the ten-line advertisement
pays no more III proportion than the
man with a page.
Advertisers who pay but limited at
tentlon To that part OF their business
and imagine that anything will do"
should see with what accuracy and
great pans the big advertisers of New
York prepare their announcements.
Many firms employ men to prepare
their adv ertisements for them; others,
and this d lass is by far the largest, will
trust no one except a member of the
firm to write and pass upon the matter
before 1T is sent out.
The firms who have distinguished
themselves for the brightest, best, and
most effective advertisements are ex-
tremely careful, and devote patient and
intelligent efforts to their every an
nouncement. Those who read and ad-
mIre the exceptionally prominent ad-
vertisements, perhaps think they are
the off-hand work of genius who
couldn't write n poor one If he tried.
On the contrary / know the head of
great house, who will study for DAYS
over the wording; alter and amend it
half dozen times, and finally when
each and every superfiuous word has
been stricken out, and each phrase
carefully polished and rounded, each
figure verified, sends it out. OF Ofcourse,
it must not be supposed that he spent
his entire time on the advertising, but
such spare moments as he could find,
and often hours too.
Merchants who write their own ad
vertisemcnts, should subscribe regular
ly for the Sunday papers of such cities
az are noted for best efforts IN adyer-,
Using. The following cities can be
called leaders: Philadelphia, Chicago,
New York, Boston, Omaha. Atlanta,
Buffalo and Pittsburg. The advertise
ments in the Philadelphia papers show,
on ATT average. the greatest amount
of skill IA preparation; the Chicago
papers use the best STYLES of display
type, and have the most artistic adver-
tsing; Omaha, Atlanta and Buffalo.
each have a combination OF goVd
points, but have also blemishes; New
York and Boston papers have occ lsion-
often good specimens of artistic dis
play. Cincinnati, st. Louis, and some
other large cities, are gwen over so
thoroughly TO the use of "poster" type.
that good writing Is lost, and artistic
display impossible. One would think
that New York and BROOKLYN would
have the par excellence of handsome
advertising, but they are far from it in
my opinion. 1t IS partly the fault of
the advertisers ana partly the fault OF
the papers.
The evening papers show some tasty
advertising, but with the exception of
the Tribune and Times, none of the
others are Ia the race.
The Herald cannot be included IN the
list either way, for il has no display
type except composite letters. As be-
tween the horrld black heavy-faced
type used IN the sun. World. JoETnal.
Press aud largely in the Times. ] must
prefer the neat effect Of the Herald
style Sull | believe the "h p " e.
dunn" would meet ali ohlecta8s aa,a
serve all advertisers most effectuslly.
Who vii adopt il first
Striking and attractive show windows
are yearly becoming = feature OF hoi-
lday trade.
Another constant source OF sdmira-
ton and euTiouss interest = TIE daily
psntominae Of .sssntry duty which can
Re seen on top Of bailding At the cor
ner Of Fourteentb-st. and ; Yth-sve.
4 photcgrspher has painted some
special offers Of cheap work on the sde
of his hssilding. II - too hga 10 be
seen by tae cFnlnarv rssser-by. a. be