The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-06-11
Success and Failure Among Advertisers

Success and Failure Among Advertisers
Recent statistics, according to Brad
streets Commercial Directory, show that
in all lines of Industrial life more than
four-fifths, or over eighty-two per cent OF
all who failed in business in the United
States last year, were brought to that
condition primarily because of lack OF
equipment, either natural or acquired,
mental or financial or through lack OF
education in their respective lines OF
trade.
1t is clear and plainly evident that
poor and superficial preparation for bus
mess life is one great weakness of our
present il du strial training-the broadest
of all avenues leading to failure. 1t is this
lack OF proper equipment which causes
certain advertisers to fail while Others
gradually work their way to eminent
success and great wealth. The great
study with the advertiser, therefore,
| should be how to start right, how to go
on right, how to constantly keep fully
equipped.
Advertising is q science. What would
be thought OF young man or youth who
developed genius for mathematics, who
said, 81 will not study arithmetic, or
algebra, or geometry. | will not give
time to the teaching of the professors and
masters of that great art but will work
all out for myself arriving at better
methods, through the power OF my own
| intellect and genius However great
his natural ability he could not progress
far in lifetime But if he availed him.
self of the knowledge left to all as a her.
itage-treasure accumulated by thous-
| ands of great minds in the years and
| ages past-then might he become great
| III the profound science, and possibly re-
nOwned through some advance or i'm
provement or simplifying OF method.
The same holds true in the science of
advertising the man who becomes great
in it must possess genius of a certain de-
scriptiOn ; and he must ever be student
first, to secure the wisdom of the past
and present second, to keep in the van,
to be a leader in the rapid march of
progress.
As the ordinary youth readily learns
enough OF mathematics to very well
serve the purposes of ordinary business
life, so may the ordinary advertiser sue
ceed moderately well with the same half
careless study and the same lack of
genius.
Hard, patient work accomplishes much
In one sense industry and research are
the parents of genius. Thus, advertisers
without genius, who study the science
moderately, succeed fairly, while those
who have natural genius in high de-
gree, but who will not work to learn from
others, almost invariably fail. But great
success is the result of the happy union
OF natural genius and careful, patient
study and investigation.
Printers Ink, published weekly, at 50 a
year. by George p ROweli 4 Co., New
York
This little magazine is an educator it
| teaches the science of advertising From
an editorial standpoint it is able. Its
| contributors are, in the main, the most
| successful advertisers and advertising
| experts. It's advertisers are very largely
the ablest advertising agencies and the
| liveliest and most val able advertising
mediums. Its proprietn', the strong,
| leading advertising agency, OF whom
| that progressive, thoughtful student and
| teacher of the science of advertising, Mr..
George p. Rowell, is the head. The
reaoer is constantly brought in contact
with many of the brightest and abest
minds who are interested in advertising.
| Such interchange of thought means con-
| slant progress.
1t is an exchange for the promotion
| OF the science of advertising through
bringing together, in free .3cussion. the
| ablest minds. publication calculated
| to succe Sfully educate and develop the
advertiser, it sta. Gs entirely unequaled
and unrivaledin this or any other country
Issued weekly, its teaching and influence
are continuous on the reader; thus are
men guided and developed almost with
| out realizing it. This continuous educa-
| lion means continuous progress for the
great field of advertisers. Do not under
| stand me as saying that all wisdom in
| the art is to be found in this magazine,
| but | do say that more is to be found
| there than in any other single channel
| i'll the world. The chart is a little thing,
| but on it much of the safety of the mari
ner depends. Printers Ink is the chart or
guide to whom many advertisers already
| owe much of their safety and success.
For twenty years | have constantly
| advertised. Successful at the start,
| through the value of an original, pop
ular idea, was weak enough to fancy
| that knew something about advertising.
| The loss of over one hundred thousand
| dollars in 1872 made profound impress
sion on me, to the effect that knew moth
| ing about it, | went to work to try to
learn the art, and, by constant endeavor
and study, have been able to hold a
place in the ranks of success.
Could have had at that time such a
| magazine such an exchange of thought
such teacher and educator as Printers
| Ink, | think | should have saved over one
| hundred thousand dollars in 1872.
! also believe | should have made more
| money, and with less worry and care as
the years rolled by.
The reader doubtless infers that !
would pay very high price for Printers
Ink if necessary. | would pay one thou
sand dollars year for it, if it could not
| be secured for less. simply because believe
| it to be worth more than that sum tC
me in my business.
The successful lawyer studies the LaG
| Reporter, the successful physician and sur
! geon the Medical and Surgical Rerie,r, and
the successful advertiser Printers Ink.
Mistake not, reader. This article i.
not intended to tlatter and does not
flatter. Flatlery initiates as nearly as
possible the form of honest, deserved
| merit, and the one is only too frequently
taken for the other Happy are those
| whose keen perceptions enable them to
clearly distinguish the true and substan
tial from the false and hollow
f. c. ALLEN.