The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-12

spy one Of the old washing powder cards
hanging In q corner. dusty, mudeved, and
moss grown. Sell any Of that powderT
asked the groceryman- Used to sell tons
Of It," he answered. but nobody calls for
1t now. Everybody thought they'd stopped
making IL and they ell ask for these new
powders that you see advertised so much
The groceryman uttered a sad but. unes-
capable truth when he said the public as
sumed that when the washing powder
stopped being advertised IL had stopped be-
ing made. After you have seen a ncme IN
the papers year after year and II suddenly
disappears Ii is a natural inference that 1t
has gone out OF existence 1t is the penalty
you pay for having advertised 1t extensively,
that you must keep on advertising or peo-
pie will think that you are dead
ADVERTISING IN HARD LINES.
A good many advertisers who have
hitherto put out a considerable sum
of money each year to get before
the public have been inclined to cur
tail their appropriation the last three
years on the score OF hard times. In some
Instances this has doubtless been a wise
measure: for example. where people were
dealing in the high-priced unnecessaries OF
life. When times are hard people are In
clined to get along with fewer diamond
rings and Jack roses, but the necessaries
of life people must have. whatever the times
may be. We all want something to eat.
coats on our backs. hats on our heads and
just as many shoes, hard times or easy. We
are inclined, of course, to get these things
at a little lower price when times are hard,
which brings 1t about that in some lines
of trade advertising pays great deal bet
ter when people feel little pinched than
when they are recklessly flush Men who
have paid $40 for their clothes would like to
know where they can get the same for IS,
and wearers of s. shoes are anxious to
learn where s. will buy the same pair. In
other words. If you really have bargains.
good things at low prices, advertise most
when the times are hardest. IL 1t doesn't
pay you, then logic is no longer logic. and
experience counts for naught.
While the cumulative effect Of advertis-
ing gives you the continued benefit OF all
past advertising. in order to enjoy that
benefit you must keep adding present adj
vertising to that which is past Advertis-
ing is like sleighing; If you have fine fall
Of snow 1t will give you excellent sleighing
for little while, but the finest bed Of
snow, unreplenished, soon wears out. If,
however, you have light fall of snow ev-
cry week or two, even IL it's ever light,
1t will keep your sleighing good till spring.
Every time the people see your name in the
paper they think how many times they
have seen it there before. and what fine
business you must be doing; but If they
go a month without seeing your name at
all, you are as forgotten as Balaam and
somebody else gets the trade.
We Americans are not led about to any
extent by tradition. We are not greatly in
huenced by what our grandfathers did, or
our fathers, or even by what we ourselves
did a year or two back. The simple fact
that we have used washers soap for five
years will not prevent US from changing TO
Scourer's soap IL we constantly find 1t
cracked up as the greatest OF all soaps In
every paper and magazine we take up. This
keeping everlastingly at it in advertising
may seem like q very long process. and 1t
certainly is. and IL people are in business
simply for the amusement Of it they can
hardly be advised to put themselves TO all
this amending toll and trouble. But If you
are in business with the hope of staying
there and making money, you will find that
nothing else will give you such certain, con-
slant and effective assistance in accomplish
ing your purpose as intelligent, persistent,
eternal advertising. JOHN p. LYONS.
Copyright, 1850