The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-10
A LESSON IN ADVERTISING.

A LESSON IN ADVERTISING
A Fair Oaks and Orangevale cores
pendent writes to the Record Union"
as follows:
Eds. Record Union': Living this
distance from your city are a number
OF readers who would often be slad
to attend lectures, concerts, entertain
ments, etc., given there. Their only
means of learning of them is the press
and as the announcements are very
often made in the paper on the day OF
the entertainment, by the time the pa
Per breaches US it is too late to avail
ourselves of the opportunity l have
often been disappointed in this way
and SO have others and it has been sug-
gested that your attention be called to
the matter if perchance some remedy
can be found FRED SHELDON.
Orangevale and Fair Oaks, June 1th.
The answer. and the only one poss.-
BILE to be made, is this; that the rem
sdy lies with the people who announce
the events referred to. But this sug-
gests that something should be said of
and to these people in their own inter-
est, namely, that as a rule they COM
init grave error when they fancy, as
save by curtailing in advertising their
social and entertainment affairs. As a
rule promoters Of these events, from
Church socials to concerts, from balls
and parties to varied entertainments,
from lectures to scientific and sociolo-
gical gatherings church benefit and
charity entertainments, proceed upon
the theory that all they can save in adj
yertising lis so much made. AS a rule
they select the cheapest advertising de-
partment in a newspaper, ,juggle with
words in order to get along with the
smallest possible number of lines, and
upon the basis of fifteen-cent or
twenty-five cent advertisements of an
entertainment beseech the press to give
them local space worth fifty fold the
cost of the eribbed and poverty-strick-
en- advertisement.
As rule the press does not measure,
as we'll it might, the extent of local
reference made to such events by the
amount Of advertising, but rather by
its news value. However, this should
cut no figure with the advertiser. The
advertisement he makes of his matter
ds worth every cent he pays for it. re-
gardless Of the gratuity of local notice.
This gratudty does not always follow
an advertisement, however. The better
order Of newspapers refuse to notice
an event that is so far cheapened as to
consort in the advertising with Lost,
found and Stolen, Wants and General
Notices. Advertisers there are in glo-
tperience and know by the application
of reason that the full. prominent, gen.
serous advertisement pays the best
That which most prominently and fire.
Quently addresses the eye and reason
is. the best advertisement always,
whether 1t is in the columns of the
newspaper. the pages of the magazine or
ON the wall of the Office or public build
ing, though it is conceded by the wiser
advertisers that the newspaper is far
and away the best vehicle for carrying
any sort Of advertising. But whatever
the agency employed, the advertise
ment that Is poor. poverty-stricken in
appearance, cheap, starved and cor
nered. Is waste. The Record Union
has strdven for years to impress upon
advertisers OF social events, entertain
.ments and the like, the truth that the
cheap corner, the few words and the
form of advertising, since it produces
the most meager results.
The true science of advertising such
affairs is to announce them early, daily
1nt new and attractive form and in the
best column But who is there in
The newspaper business who does not
daily listen to such pleading as this
. We cannot afford to advertise this at
lair much. Our other expenses are toe
heavy. By the way, what is the very
least space and the cheapest in which
We can announce this event once
And, now you will give us a good, long
strong local, won't your" Alas that
this pitifui, mistaken. uneconomic and
p5rsimonous plea should continue, des-
pite the experience of advertisers who
win by employing the most attractive
positions. the best reading lines, and
the most frequently repeated announce
ments.
The latest reliable advices are to the
effect that the President and Cabinet
are considering the proposition OF
forming two OF more skeleton regi-