The record-union., 1893-11-18
SOME PRACTICAL TRUTHS.

The Los Angeles Times begins an edi-
torial essay with the words advertising
Pays" So it does, and he who has not
reached that conclusion is deficient just
that much in his business education. It
has been too often demonstrated that ad
vertising pays to be considered any
longer matter involving any doubt.
But there is advertising and advertis-
ing. There are not few classes that do
not pay. Not a few advertisers proceed
upon the assumption that the readers of
advertisements are not possessed of ordi-
nary intelligence, and are won most
easily by adjectives, explanatory state
ments and glowing exaggarstion.
The truth is, that the average reader is
as shrewd as the average advertiser, and
perhaps little more so. He is perfectly
aware that the advertisement is written
for the especial benefit and profit of the
advertiser; that it has peculiar end in
view, and he therefore looks upon it with
a certain degree of justifable suspicion
and doubt. If the advertiser is awake to
this truth he will avoid all attempts to
deceive the reader. or to draw his atten-
tion by appeals based wholly upon the
inflamed statements of the advertise
ment.
The secret of good advertising is to be
,-ooeo.,o III -, all s+otay,,a,,Fe 70 oddrass
the reason of the reader; to indulge in no
clap-trap exclamations and adjectival
rhapsodies Let the advertiser state his
case clearly, briefly, strongly, but in a
manner appealing to the good sense of
the persons addressed. 1t is well enough
to awaken curiosity, to attract attention
by novelty of address, to invite the
reader to perusal OF the matter by the
forcibleness and popularity of it. But it
is mistake to exaggerate; greater mis-
take to estimate the reader as possessed
of too little intelligence to read the adVer-
tisement between the lines.
1t is persistency that gives much of
value to advertising as well as the
method employed. So. too, it Is
the reputation the advertiser estab-
fishes which gives his advertisement
strength. People very soon find out if
representation and performance keep
faith. When they are once convinced by
their experience that the advertiser is a
strict truth teller. and that whatever he
represents in his advertisement is the re-
Election of the exact truth, that mans adj
vertising takes character in the readers
estimation that nothing can break down.
To enjoy the reputation in the commu-
nifty of telling the strict truth in his ad-
vertisements is capital for the business
man that will never take wings. 1t is in
vincible to hard times and impregnable
to insolvency; the business may fail, but
that capital remains.
The place of the advertisement has a
great deal to do with its effectiveness.
The best of all places for the good paying
advertisement is in the daily newspaper,
and preferably in the home newspaper.
There are no other avenues of publicity
through which the people can be so di-
reetly and effectively reached. The only
exception is where the clientage sought
by the advertiser is foreign. In such
cases it is the part of wisdom to address
the desired patron in his home paper
rather than in the journal of the home OF
tbe advertiser. Hence it is that the ad.
vertisements of Eastern houses are con-
stantIv to be found in the REcoRD-U UNION,
because these houses are bidding for the
patronage of the area covered by the
RECORD UNION and not reached SO wei
by the Eastern journal.
Where the local advertiser finds hi
Eastern rival thus appealing to the peopl'
of his own section, he finds reason WHY
he should compete with him in such ad
dress. in order to convince the hom
cliantare that it need not send TO the Eas
for that which it can as well procure a
home. or may order through the hom
house. Such competitive advertising de
mands much skill, and may be said to b'
of the best order.
Because the newspaper Is the Des