The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-20
Newspaperdom.

There seems to be no end to the or
ganizing Of advertising clubs. Almost
every city has it's local space,
"press," or quill club, or some sim
liar association. Then there are the
Association Of American Advertisers,
which is composed of general advertts-
ers, and which confines it's work to as
certaining actual circulations; the
American Newspaper Publishers as
ISOLATION, an organization for the
benefit Of but comparatively few news
paper publishers, and the American
Advertising Agents association, which
is composed of the leading general
agents of the United States, and inA
terested only in maintaining agents
commissions and wedding out the ir-
responsible parties that continually
appear in the advertising world. There
are the Quoin club, an organization
Of magazine men exclusively, and the
Sphinx club, {. sort of mutual admira
ton society, composed largely of adj
vertising "mugwumps," numbering
among it's membership some of the
brightest and brainiest men in Amer
lea.
The Boston Space club, however,
even though largely local in it's pur-
poses, comes the nearest to our sug-
gested plan for great national or
ganization, "The Associated Advertis-
ers," Of any club in existence. 1t is
very pleasing to know that our minds
have met on this general idea and
broad scope of work.
! E. F. Olmsted, advertising mana
ger Of the. Natural Food company,
Niagara Falls, N. Y, suggested to me
some time ago the idea Of the nation
al organization. T have been evolv-
ing. this idea in my mind, have talked
with many of the leading advertisers
and publishers, and fully concur with
' Tod hot l.. \
idea to organize such an association,
which would bring together all men
interested in advertising.
MI. Starke's Suggestions.
would suggest, as start, that the
Boston Space club and all the various
advertising clubs and associations elect
i delegates to represent them at pre-
| liminary meeting, to be held at some
central point, a plan for the organiza-
ton and the presenting Of the cardinal
features Of the scheme to every buyer
and seller of advertising space in
America.
No undue haste should mark the
organization Of the association, and all
personality must be eliminated. Every
one interested in the problem of pub
licity should be invited to join the new
organization and, if possible, they
should come together once a year in a
great national convention-the buyers
and sellers Of advertising space-or
neutral ground, to discuss plans for
cooperation and mutual benefit.
At this national convention Of the
Associated Advertisers, papers could
be read and discussions held which
would be Of intense interest, and
would bring about in time a mutual
understanding between the publisher
and the advertiser, showing that each
/ tc no. o,>Hy 70 1on of al, Nv
In the past, there has been lack OF
cooperation, such as is found in nc
other business. The association will
predict, mark revolution in business
relations between buyers and sellers
Of advertising space.
The point that would be we'll to have
brought up at the convention particu.
larly, is to show how dependent the
buyer and seller are, each upon the
other. The publisher, especially il
view of the increased cost Of produc
lions and the reduced subscription
price, Is almost wholly dependent upor
the advertiser for his profits. On thu
other hand, the space user is equally
dependent upon the publisher.
There can scarcely be conceived two
elements in the business world that ar,
so vital to each other as success. The
bringing together Of these two inter
ests will, am convinced, demonstrate,
to the publisher the necessity Of hi
active cooperation in the advertiser
behalf, or, in other words, his makins
every dollar the advertiser puts in hi
publication profitable investment.
What the Publisher Must Realize.
The publisher must realize that i
the space he sells does not pay, tn,
advertiser cannot afford to stay; tina
he must not keep raising rates simpl,
because he thinks the advertiser will
stand it. or because he needs more in
come, but he must keep the rate
where his space can be used witt
profit; in other words, he must striv
to give one dollars worth of publicit,
for one dollar.
He must gain the advertisers con
fdence by telling what his actual cir
culation is, by having one rate an
one condition for a certain service
the same to all, and under no cir
cumstances yield to the temptation t
accept business at cut rates. His self
respect demands this. and a publishe