New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-14
ART IN ADVERTISING DISCUSSED.
INTERESTING ADDRESS OF ROBERT C.
OGDEN AT THE SPHINX CLUB DINNER


The Sphinx Club. an organization made up OF
the advertising men OF this city held OF its
! periodical dinners last night at the Wadorf-As-
toria Upon these occasions IL is the custom Of
the club to discuss various questions connected
with advertising The subject debated last night
was illustrated Advertising" and in the course
OF the evening many suggestions were heard
looking the Improvement and develop
ment OF pictorial advertisements NJ. NJ
Gillian presided. and there were about nifty
members and guests present. Among the members
Robert c. ogden. George +. Rowell, Ellis H.
Glmbel. Philadelphia; J. Ambrose Butler. Philip
Smith. London, England: Herman Ridder. F. s.
perne j. Seymour II. Crawford. Frank a. Mum
sey Captain H. Driser jr. y. Cleveland, George
KissaIn r. r. Remington. Herbert b. Harding, "A
Cressy Morrison. Charles W. Cotton. ;. >. How
land w T. Deering and +. James GIBSON secre-
tary
After Mr.. Gillian had cordially welcomed the
guests he alluded briefly to the subject ARRANGED
for discussion and introduced the first speaker
Robert G. Ogden a partner in the firm oil Johi
Wanamaker Nh Ogden's address was one VI
extreme interest. and of importance In It's susgeS
tons. Before reaching the serious part VI i.''
speech he made some pleasant illusions to the
club and Its members and amused his hearers oy
illustrating his remarks. At Intervals ms 49,
hand out clevcrly conceived humorous she'c"eS V.
the point which he wished To impress upon ~
members and was rewarded for the ihtrouuo'Io"
d the novelty by many peals OF laush'e'' i W
in part: +, ,,,.o-
Using it may be fairly assumed that ne "s as
STANDS both and Advertising uc' Lic,in any
o: common honesty cOmpc!s me 10 use ,,, -
large knowledge OF pictures. or - tn;IY
the fine arts. and to confess oniy 10 9nwedge still
edge OF advertising ana slsiii'V,
of the relation OF art 70 ADVERTISING, ,o,,,s ortis
do claim however 70 have enough tna a'' which is
merely Mechanical and that which mas r ST" forms
IT faa
sulted from Inc simple impulse that nave III coi
''T' an, NJ xpec1oI TO say something from the stand
point Of practical man Gomez n,s .s, adver
tising II f. therefore due to the adVeii9tu, - -
sble 10 make some suggestions as 10 NV ,r. y. 80
Ln ,dvoufareolsly uscd. Experienced advertisers
know that their appea 70 me pupic' nov, ~,
rdyertsinr which has Inundated the civilized world
has brought much that - coarse IHpuiir, -, ~,
pure water and Therefore E ppre{{,dcc
exists against all adNerilsls An" o ,,,s rsion
IS deep and well grounded as 10 cause '''''''"
IN the public mind. -, -. .h,, ,,os,
Parallel TO this condition Is the fact tha, va 81
ncr"eiye quickly. and wien these Influence 9f
prejudice and du ness are associates 'i,, re'
shows that advertising skilfully done has pmced
vast amounts Of material IN pos'rs,,o 81 and me
w,Id.rnan that supplies the advertising. the ques-
imcian, ard the interest OF tho Indifferent be com
manded7 There many points AT whcn pii', ,
Ing fails that me advertiser must comn".d mo: S
unfary attention 70 his appeals, and JUST A. lils
polnt comes the importance Of Illustrated hdVerts-
Ing The picture rouses the curiosity s"u,.,s VA
sense az humor Appeals to the roAned iaste an"
commands unconsci,usy me Htls'i0! q, w.. :
ago hcholder. and 90 the aaver,.sst Pu, e IN
accomplished would say that art mas ~ p'ce N
advertising -uniquc c@mp'e,e' ,- n6v.n de-
vice and that being The advertiser VINO ignores
element that no cannot possibly auo!d 10 iVs.t g..
This question has very close relations l" the IN
,clcctua7 development 81 the times In which we
Tvs moro vas certainly never 50 much knowledge
OF good ar, among plain and average people as now
Tho japanese are naturally ar'istc az 80 'g ,,e
come under the spell Of tho great artists ancient
Stec,ate AMI enjoy r,,-s and TO un .srstand them
THIS MT IN popular kno" DIG ana ieYr'onr ,.sdh
ar'stic aa|fr''S''S can ,roy In'ercsiinc t. note
charncterit,.r OF the generation Of which We live
and the quick mind Of the business man ot the
velopmeui has been harness.d - the chariot OF
trade. ana ,he combination affords field OF most
We arc now dealing with general condition. and
,irely the various questions OF posters and circulars
magazine pictures and cuts, ior the ordinary daly
seon I'm. ~ u.tra,ion appears in the daily
newspaper. and that the apparently most simple
nold s. the ono that presents the greatest OBJ
II iheqe various suggestions contain grains o.,
truth. Il proves very clearly that every advertiser
should carefully study the Application OF pictorial
ar IN 2dycr-ng 10 it bpS Gc ,d IRE
mont Of his principle but The need ono" admitted
he 30 !
II approach the advertising question IF to- lay
tho aide % business the side Of art. from
both sides. ind In advertising illustrations a
subject which the distributor OF merchandise e.
nores At his peril. The posters OF to-day. whether
they De the extraordinary productions intended 10
advertise the drama. the weird and strange designs
that accompany books. or the general Illustrations
which accompany advertisements in the hign-class
magnzines anori much satisfaction to the artistic
taste. many Of them touch deeply the sense q
humOr and all Of them succeed IN impressluV their
messages upon tho minds OF readers. But Yet the
Ignorance that stu fingers IN illustrated advertising
shocks the artistic mind and dlSguStS the in'cll
gent advertising critic.
The only excuse | Offer ror extended
exposition upon your time and patience is that IN
the Judgment ~ the head Sphinx I have some
practical knowledge ~ the relation OF 20 advcr-
i.sng This knowledge is limited 10 certain notions
or preferences, which would briefly summarize as
follows.
First-Use no Illustration that ia not artistic r
you doubt your critical sense get advice that you
can trust. Above al. do not economic on ORIGINAL
designs. The mechanical side OF your advertising
10 depreciate IT'S influence and power You need the
best art that you can command. No apology or
excuse exists In his day FOR the employment o. In
ferl0r artistic ability
honest useful and dgnined field ot It's own. Do
allow yourscif to be- snubhod by the snobocracy
OF art. Wage warfare against the spirit that sncers
a art applied TO advertising n degradation The
practical things. and that pictorial story Is he
meath the dignity Of the true artist The advertiser
has mission In uniting In some degree the fine
and useful
Thri-fe that your artist accents his l,rnita-
tons. His must be your servant. II II Is other
wise you Will fail OF results
The discussion was continued by several other
members and guests