The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-01-25
CHATS ON ADVERTISING.

| 1t is the clever advertiser nowadays
who succeeds. Mere space won't do. IL
is as ineffective in trained communities as
is the barbaric splendor Of some suddenly
enriched bonanza king. The blare and
| glare Of the brass band method OF Rdver-
tising pals on civilization restless for
novelty and spice. Pleasant as it would
be, to the newspaper, to recommend that
the best inducement to trade is the big
gest and noisiest display, no far seeing ad.
vertising manager would do it. He would
| see at glance that its failure to meet ex-
| pectations would breed dissatisfaction and
distrust, In the end he would lose the ad-
vertiser altogether
900
With conditions and purchasers chang
ing each day, rules cannot be infieXible
But here is one rule which every Scranton
merchant can bank on. It's cleverness
that counts The buyer must be coaxed,
not browbeaten into buying Remember
the infinite dexterity OF the man who
angles for trout. Recall how he gets his
| hooks and line and reel into perfect order
| before he hazards a cast. Recollect the
pains with which he adjusts his leader
! Every merchant. by the way, should once
| IN Il while try q leader. something special,
something catchy, something that'll land
J yon ofiish trout. The tou.twine, bent
| pin idea Of tishingis all right, when you re
out for mud sills or suckers. But it won t
do when you angle for black bass or trout.
900
Cleyerness means many things. 1t
means, 10 the first place, an advertisement
that IS up to date, one that shows to the
most casual glance new feature of real
interest. Newspaper readers more and
| h4 tbrnnUh THAR
over the bum-drum matter and browsing
about for novelty. The best novelty, in
many cases, is something that excites a
laugh. Tickle mans fancy and you i'm
mediately have first mortgage on his at.
tention. Life is serious enough when
you're not reading your paper-when
you're digging for dimes and distinction
there is surfeit Of seriousness when the
whole paper is serious.
coo
A comic cut with good diplay line
leading up to it, is often effective. But
don't work it to death. No novelty can
stand repetition. A catchy verse, putting
some quaint thought in unique dressing
is helpful. The style Of Typography should,
when practicable be made special study
1t is worth merchants time, IL he have
no skilled assistant, just to sit down and
study outforms and fashions in type set
ting calculated to excite curiosity Let
the cash boys work on this. You'd be
surprised what money making diamonds
in-the rough lurk in the active think-
mills OF those never to-befound when
wanted urchins who carry change.
900
But we're getting off the main track,
We were talking of cleyerness. Wen have
more to say on that, anon. just now, TO
show what cleverness will do, let me bring
to your notice the little "poem'' that crept
into leading magazine AMI was paid for
with IS check, which is really an "ad" of
the first water. But it was clever witty.
unique. The fellow who blue pencied the
poem manuscripts was fooled in spite Of
his astuteness And the "ad" caught ON.
We're willing to give the beneficiary of il
the benefit of another free insertion. out
of homage to his cleverness. Here it is:
/ shrank to meet mud -encrusted swine,
Aud then he seemed to grunt. in accents
rgde,
Huh Be not proud, for in this fat Of mine
Behold the source Of richness for your food ="
fled md saw field that seemed at first,
One giant mass OF roses pure and white.
| With dewy buds mid dark green foliage
| nursed,
And, as fingered o'er this lovely sight,
The summer breeze, that cooled that South
Whispered, Behold the source of Cottolene,"
900
Be clever. Be live. Be "up to date,
Advertising will paw you If you do; and
unless you are an especially well known
man, it won't pay you If You don't.