The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-29

Business FOTCe.
The convention of the Merchants
Association, held in New York city
few days ago was productive of much
benefit to the retail merchants. a
topic which Interested those in atten-
dance, and which is worthy "A repro
duction in our columns, was "Adver-
tising as a Business Force the
speaker being r. c. Ogden. He said
in part
1--WE all know that advertising is
business force, and "A great power
that has to be recognized most thor
oughly. Concerning the principles
that have to do with it l am not at
all clear myself If l should under
take to make an analysis of retail
business should divide the subject
into three parts-the merchandise,
the service and the advertising. All
three are equal in their importance
to the other; but | should character
ize the advertising as the dynamic
power OF the business.
with the public mind fixed upon
business as it now is, with the compe-
tition that exists between the traders,
it is undoubtedly the fact that with
out advertising of the proper kind, a
business cannot be successfully prose
cuted to any large degree. There
fore, consider the advertising as the
force that is to vtalize all the other
work that may be put into the bust
ness.
Il should say that one mistake of
the advertising merchant is that he
does not take advertising sufficiently
seriously. 1t is regarded as an ele-
ment that is somehow important,
but yet little strange. 1t is not
thought of, | think, generally as
holding the very serious and import
ant relation to the public at large
and to the business itself that it
really should occupy. Therefore, l
think that retail merchant cannot
possibly eXaggerate to his own mind
the importance of the relation of his
advertising to his business.
"a great deal of advertising fails
of its results because the advertiser
gets discouraged. The most success
full advertising that | have ever
known is that which has been eX-
plotted on IA very large scale. The
man who has had the courage to ad-
vertise to u certain extent and spent
100000 should have the courage to
spend another $1,000, and vitalize all
the rest. Lack of courage is one of
the most common experiences Of ad-
vertisers. | am speaking now of
newspaper advertising and the adver-
tising of general merchandise.
advertising taken seriously in the
retail business makes the policy OF
the business; it is the fundamental
thing, the cornerstone. Therefore il
demands the attention of the head OF
the business. | cannot think of any
concern so large in its affairs, so ex-
tended in its ramihcations, with 50
many responsibilities resting upon
the head of the business as to make
the advertising subservient to the
general management OF the business;
to make the head of the business
ignore the advertising.
'"rhe column of the newspaper is
the merchants rostrum. 1t is his
pulpit. 1t is his stump. From that
he addresses the public at large,
From that he speaks to his constitu
II - Ii
vertising is the channel through
which the merchant speaks to the
people he desires to address.
But if a man is not going to waste
his money in advertising it mus
never be stupid. 1t should be put il
simple and forceful language. hav,
very long held that advertising ha
taken it's place in the literature O
the land. 1t is one of the marks O
the development of the intelligence
are looking at it, not only as mer
exploiting of merchandise, but a
characteristic literature Of our times
SIN order to gain the respect OF a
intelligent community, advertisin
must be in first rate English. Tha
cuts both ways. 1t not only con
mands the respect Of the intelligen
and the critical reader, but it convey
its sense 10 the ordinary reader. II
the uncritical reader the ungraI
natical man, it conveys the sense fla
more quickly than can be done il
any other way"