The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-05
individuality in Advertising.

|
! In the whole range OF newspaper growth
| and progress there Is no feature more str:k-
ing than the development of individuality
in advertising. This branch Of the busi-
ness, beginning with the introduction of
types slightly different from those used in
| the body Of the paper for news and other
matter, has advanced until it now consli-
| tutes the most conspicuous, the most high
| ly individualized and as a rule the most ar
t.stic portion of the whole publication. The
| intelligent advertiser. rightful,y regarding
lis purchase of newspaper space as tract
which he must cultivate If he wants to
make il valuable, has studiously sought to
accomplish that object by giving his an
nouncement an identity of its own both as
to phraseology and mechanical appearance.
To this end art, literary skill and technical
genius have all been made TO contribute,
ard the result IS that the advertisements OF
great esta bis hment like those whose bull
letins appear every day in the columns OF
The Mail and Express, present an unbrokeE
series OF models Of lucid expression. clever
Illustration and typographical excellence.
By this persistent struggle for indiv:dual.-
ty the advertiser speedily and indelibly iden
titles himself before the public. HIS pat
rons know that his announcement viii ap-
pear in a certain position in this newspaper
or that, and that ii will be distinguished
by peculiar style of type. headlines and
general arrangement, making its presence
clear at a mere glance. This individuality
is frequently strongest when it appears III
the simplest forms and characters. Sharp,
Iegible types, plain rather than fancy per-
manency of position and display. and de.
scriptions written IN brief. strong, straight
forward terms are the elements which COM
bine to give advertising that force of in
dividuality without which it is rarely as
profitable as it ought TO be.
A striking instance of the value Of this
quality appeared few days ago in Boston.
A prominent furniture firm, whose an.
nouncements in the papers of that city
have enjoyed cleverly established identity
for many years, undertook an experiment
to ascertain how far it's methods of adver-
Using appealed to the public eye. An ad-
vertisement was prepared and published in
the customary style of the house. offering
certain pattern Of table at an attractive
price, but the name and address of the firm
were purposely omitted, the object being
to discover whether the public would be
able to identify the establishment by the
form and arrangement of the announce
ment is best shown by the fact that on the
first day after the offer appeared the firm
sold 105 of the tables. thus anonymously
announced as bargains, thirty Of them on
orders that came from other towns. The
meaning of this is that the firm by adopt
ing plain, simple style of advertising and
sticking to 1t steadily and persistently. had
so indnividualized itself before the public
that its announcements. even when pub
lished without name or address, were in
stantly recognized.
There is no lesson in this experiment for
the great advertisers in this city They
know the art already in all its branches, as
their daily announcements abundantly tes-
tify. So great and clear is their individu-
atty that they can repeat the Boston test
with the certainty of still more striking
results, if they were at all doubtful on the
question. There is, however, hint in the
case for the advertiser who, because Of his
inexperience, is not yet receiving a full re-
turn from his investment IN newspaper
space. He must learn that advertising, IN
order to bring the largest profits, must be
continuous, and that il must have an in
dividualty of its own-some distinct, I'M
varying, predominant characteristic capa-
bic of catching and TRANSMITTING the interest
of the reader the instant his eye scans the
page on which 1t is printed.
1t is just as easy to buy an acre Of space
as II is to buy an acre of public land, but
neither will yield harvest unless it is in
diligently planted and cultivated. To man
age a column of advertising space year In
and year out. and make it source OF pro
fit TO the owner, IS work which requires
literary and artistic talent. The first task
is to give it an identity which every reader
will recognize at a glance. The advertise
ment must appeal to the eye first of an.
then TO the confidence of the person who
reads it, and finally to his needs and to his
purse.
Artistic arrangement and mechanical exc |
cution are the foundations of success in the |
" hole undertaking. From them an indi- |
vidualty of style and method must be de- |
veloped. and with that much accomplished. /
the advertiser is in position to command as |
much daily, intelligent attention as they |
pay 10 the news columns of their favorite |
journal.