The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-20
PRINTERS INK AS A SALESMAN.
Liberal Use of Advertising Space the
Way to Reach GeneraI Public.

Joseph r. Kathrens. an advertising ex-
pert of Milwaukee. has views on the pub
licity business. In talking on the subject
recently he said:
The question was once asked me. ''Who
is the greatest travelling salesman and 1
had no hesitancy in making reply: Print
ers' ink" a business represented by print
ers' ink is one that lasts. Printers ink
works while you work and while you sleep.
1t is a salesman who never tires and never
quits; one of whom your competitor cannot
rob you; printers ink is the one great
artery of commercial activity. 1t is the
medium through which the world is made
your individual business. 1t is even posi-
bic, by the aid of printers ink, to force the
sale of an article without merit, but such
prosperity necessarily is shortlived.
There are two kinds of advertising. the
kind that pays and that which does not.
Still, there are many businesses which sur
vive in spite of the latter, which tends to
make the subject of advertising such a
complex problem. No great national COM
mercial success. however, has been
achieved without printers ink. A prerequi-
site Of good advertising is absolute honesty
IN every statement furthermore. to shoot
over the heads of your readers is money
and space wasted. To tell all you know in
a single announcement is like firing at a.
grizzly bear with a scattering charge of
birdshot. while the same load in one bull
let, properly aimed. Will bring down the
bear. BY this is meant that one cannot
advertise. effectively, overcoats and shoes.
for instance, in the same breath. The ar
gument Will be no stronger than its weak
est point. no matter how much time or
thought may have been bestowed upon its
production.
The proper person TO build a house is the
architect, the proper person TO make a pair
of shoes IS the shoemaker, and the proper
person to make clothes is the tailor. When
it comes to advertising. however, almost
any one about the place is considered ca
pable of attending to the job. Sometimes
II Is the bOOkkeeper or a clerk: more fire.
quently il Is the head OF the house" al
ready Overburdened with detail work: or il
may be the dress parade member of the
firm, who may devote a couple of hours a
week at the subject. Advertising is becom-
ing more and more a science, and in order
10 COmpete successfully in the great marts
OF trade the bOokkeeper, the clerk. the
boss and the dress parade partner must
give place TO some quiet individual who
has time 10 think, untrammeled by the care
OF accounts and other duties foreign 10 the
one subject. advertising.
Advertising Is simply telling the story in
the most convincing manner. Sometimes
an illustration helps. and. again. by the
same token, IL detracts from the force Of
the "ad.' To say the proper thing at the
proper time and before the proper audience
is the fundamental principle OF all good,
successful advertising. But 10 do this re-
Quires an experience more varied than one
imagines at first thought. The advertising
man must not only have a knowledge OF
mediums. but must be in thorough touch
with every element and detail of the BUSH
ness he proposes 10 tell others about. He
must also have a knowledge OF human ma
ture. that he may know in what manner
to present 10 his prospective clients the
goods he desires to sell.