The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-05
VAST WASTE OF CASH
ENORMOUS SIMS saUANDERED IN
INJUDIcI0Us ADVERTISING.
An Expert Points Out Schemes That
Newspaper II the Best Medium.


TO 500. Oo0. 900; and II you ask him how much
OF this is wasted the chances are that ne
will put down one-half or the sum as dead
waste. II is probably true that 80 per cent.
Of the enormous aggregate OF the annual
advertising expenditure I'm this country
goes 10 waste. This Is most unfortunate,
and IL is most unnecessary. Advertising
has become so much OF a science OF late.
Ii has received in the last few years 50
much consideration and intelligent thought.
that the element OF waste in advertising
ought to be reduced to a very small frac-
ton; and II IL isn't it's the advertisers
own fault.
There's altogether too much haphazard.
hit-or-rniss. take-your-chances sort OF adj
vertising. Many man has everything else
connected with his business reduced 10 an
intelligent system, while his advertising IL
all happy-go-luclCy guess work. Where
such is the case he must expect that his
advertising will be wasteful and unsatis-
factory. There are certain sorts OF sd
vertising that are so nearly invariably a
sheer waste that the sagacious business
man Will make IL a general rule 10 avoid
them.
To illustrate: knew a young man. two
or three years ago. who bloome6 and -four
ished like a green bay tree: he had lie
manners OF Chesterfield. the clothes OF
Beau Brummel and tongue as smooth as
ivory. He got up advertising schemes, ard
this was his modus operandi: He would 20
around to various business houses, tell
them that he was getting up a directory
OF leading firms, In the form OF a large
hanging card, which he was going to dis
tribute to the number OF twenty O. thirty
thousand in all the hotels. postoflces and
other public places of the neighbortng
towns. He intended to have but one house
in each line in his directory, and there
would be space on the margin OF ne card
for a limited number Of advertisements.
A pleasing and plausible youth. be would
soon get the advertisements. Then he
would have hundred or two OF the cards
printed, distribute them among the adver-
tisers. collect the money therefor. and so
on his way rejoicing. He would try the
same thing in a different town, ana sitter
one scheme began to wear thrsad5are IL
would get up another equally simple and
equally lucrative.
THE RISK is TOO GREAT.
This is very fair example OF the aver
age advertising scheme whether it be a
directory, a chart, a guide-book or what
not OF course some OF these enterprises
are honest and worthy; but from their
very nature they open the door for a good
deal OF work that is decidedly dark and
peculiar. The whole trouble in this sort
Of advertising is that you have to trust al
most entirely to the honesty OF the pro-
moter. Where the promoter is an entire
stranger to you, you take the same chances
as you 90 on the street when you give some
thirsty old red-nose 10 cents TO get him
plate Of beans, because he swears on his
heart that he hasn't eaten anything for
three weeks and wants so much as plate
of good wholesome beSns with a glass OF
cold water.
Another notable depleter Of advertising
appropriations is the charity sd. / lately
stumbled up against a professional solicitor
whose career 1 have followed with some
interest He was sleek and well-groomed
as the Prince of Wales, and when l had
last seen him 1 had loaned him a quarter
to get his dinner Marveling' at the trans
formation, asked him what was up "Oh.
I've been getting ads for the Fireman's
Widow and Orphan Relief Fund Souvenir"
he replied with every manifestation Of
delight Perfect pudding! Got every man
/ struck. Had to go in, you know. brave
firemen-wdows and orphans-and l got 20
per cent" And he gave me an unctuous
wink indicative OF infinite content
This mixing charity with advertising Is
very poor business, both for charity and
advertising. The first gets very little out
of it, and the second gets nothing. But
there is a good deal of IL done. Only people
in position to dispensee advertising have
any apprecation Of the number of societies,
brootherhoods, sisterhoods, and heaven only
knows what, whose representatives are out
with space 10 sell in some sort OF publica-
tion-the publication not infrequently being
more in the line Of a private venture and
a pocket-filer for two or three individuals
than a source OF revenue TO the organiza-
ton If you want 10 give something TO
some society, send the treasurer a check.
but don't let some irresponsible solicitor
wheede you into paying hundred dollars
page for advertising which Is not adj
vertising at all, but charity more or less
distorted. And yet there are some men who
do only this sort of advertising. and. be-
cause it does not pay. cry out on all ad-
vertisng as Improbable and vain. much as
a man who is fleeced cut OF 81 for church
fair oyster stew might eternally thereafter
herate the oyster as an overweening ex-
travagance for which no sensible man
would part with good money.
OTHER wAsTEFUL WAYS.
There's a great lot Of good money. too.
wasted in circulars. booklets and calen-
dars I do not contend that all circulars.
booklets and calendars are improbable adj
vertising for / do not believe this 10 be
true: but a majority OF them are In fact.
they all are, unless they have something
about them to give them a general and
permanent value. OF course, IL people are
interested in the subject matter OF your
circular they are likely TO read It. For In
stance IL your circular announces the fact
that you've just bought out a fine. rare old
library the biblIomaniac will read every
word Of 1t. But where what you have 10
say in your circular or book is only OF
General interest. IL must be served up in
particularly attractive form or it viii fiut-
ter gently into the basket. An ordinary
circular without some feature OF permanent
interest distributed from door 20 door. or.
worse still, stuffed into the letter box. has
one universal fate-it helps TO start the
next fire. II, however. your direct adver-
Using is useful in some wsy--f. for In
stance, il is incorporated In little recipe
book. or an account. book. or something
that can be put to some use, IL is very like
~ TO be retained. Paper dolls. which have
been considerably in vogue Of late among