Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-01-06
Rise of the Advertisement.

N6rllsluB COluLuuS VI TIC newspaper
presented a monotonous appear
ance from day to day. They were
written in formal style and con-
densed to a few outlines. All that
is changed. A look now through
the advertising matter of a live
newspaper is interesting, and to
many even fascinating. But an
examination of it is far more than
a pastime. 1t is full of valuable
business points and opportunities,
and brings clearly to mind Cow
per's thought of "a map of busy
lite, its fluctuations, and its vast
concerns" With an increase of
vitality in advertising has come
the writing of advertisements as a
profession. The aim is not to be
literary, though a good advertise
ment has claims in that direction.
Flashing an idea clearly into the
mind is the purpose. In the most
lucid words and the most taking
form the expert writer of adver
tisements seeks to impress the
reader with what is offered and the
best reasons why it should be pur-
chased. First catch the eye, then
the attention, then the judgment,
and the object is attained.
In this way a glance over the
advertising pages has come to be
like a walk through a street of
great bazars, with show windows
full of ticketed goods on every
hand; or like a great clearing
house on the intelligence office
plan, where the reader at his ease
may select what he wants or offer
what somebody else will want.
There is no noise, no crowding,
no waste of time, no importantly
that can not be dismissed with
out a word. Another excellent
feature of a live advertisement is
its verify. 1t costs money and
means business. 1t is not printed
for the fun of the thing. Then it
is presented in honest rivalry and
must stand the test in columns
that are open to all the respectable
elements of trade on equal terms.
In the course of time the public
becomes acquainted with the
methods of each advertiser and
quickly acquires an aptness in Sc
lection. The name of the steady
advertiser at length becomes a
household word.
Sometimes it is said that a large
part of the feminine world on
opening a newspaper read the
marriages and deaths and then
turn to the fresh advertisements.
1t would be nearer the fact to say
that a woman who is the head OF
the family reads the important
news and then settles down to
study the advertisements that
touch her round of duties. Such a
course is perfectly natural and
business-like. Men look over
advertisements for the same rea-
son, though in the line of their
own daily transactions. The law
of choice is at work in both cases.
All mankind loye a bargain, all de-
sire to keep up with the spirit OF
the times. So the utilities and
the attractiveness of advertising
grow from year to year. The
specially trained writer and the
artist combine to render it more
pleasing and effective and all pos
sible typographical ingenulti' art
employed TO the same end. Ad
vertisements are frightened, also
by the value of newspaper space
There may have been a time whel
the eye OF the reader avoided the
advertising columns, but that Il
past. This is an era of enterprise
in news and no less of successful
progress in advertising.-Glob'
Democrat.