The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-24
THE TRADITION AND mzzER.'

II there Is one competent authority
on advertising. and particularly ad-
vertising in newspapers, that authority
Is Printers Ink, the Oldest and best of
the publications in its line. It's opinion
is so valuable that what it says is ac-
cepted usually without question by the
most prominent advertisers and adver-
Using specialists in the country; and
one of its recent commentaries has so
field that it is reproduced here in full
and ought to be read by every adver-
tiser in the city:
You find them wherever there are
periodical advertising mediums-the
Grand Old Traditions. There is at
least one among the daily papers of
every city.
The Grand Old Tradition is a news
paper that, so far as direct pulling
power is concerned, has a great future
behind it. On actual returns from
keyed advertisements it would almost
invariably prove to be the most costly
medium in its territory, class or trade,
and for the average advertiser it would
often be better to leave it off his list
entirely. Yet when it comes to adver-
1 Using patronage and advertising rev.
enue these Grand Old Traditions are
usually valuable publishing properties,
to which business gravitates despite
their unprOductiveness.
* x
If that newspapers circulation ran
down to only a thousand copies a
day, said an authority, speaking of a
certain Grand Old Tradition in the
metropolitan field, and the publisher
could keep his circulation secret, it
would still carry as much advertising
as it does now. Advertising is the
last thing to flock to a periodical, and
the last thing to leave it
The Grand Old Traditions among
newspapers are those that refuse to
talk Of their calculations, leaving fig
ures to younger and more productive
competitors, and resting on prestige.
The Grand Old Traditions are silent.
too, and to queries on circulation mat
tiers their publishers reply that every
cultured home has to have such repre-
sentative periodicals. and the adver-
tiser needn't worry about the Grass fig
ures of a circulation that reaches ev-
erybOdy worth while.
The Grand Old Tradition type Of
the advertiser. For certain commodi-
ties it is Indispensable. But every
medium Of this sort carries from sixty
to ninety per cent of business that is
inserted by advertisers without inves-
tigation of circulation or keying of re-
suits. The sOlidest conservative busi-
ness houses. inexperienced in advertis-
ing management often begin in the
Grand Old Tradition field with their
whole appropriations, ignoring newer,
brighter and more popular mediums
that reach the whole people. New ad-
vertisers cut their eye teeth on these
Grand Old Traditions, and in their in
grained respect for prestige, ignore real
values in buying advertising. Many a
business house, through a conscien-
tiOus trial of the Grand Old Tradition.
has decided that advertising doesn't
pay.
\ X
Don't undervalue the Grand Old
Tradition. Even if it is given away,
some people probably read it. But
eliminate all considerations of pres
tige in purchasing advertising space.
No matter who reads a newspaper, its
only value to the advertiser is what it
will bring in dollars in competition
with all other newspapers. Business
men observe no traditions in buying
raw material, labor or transportation.
As they advance from the sentimental
to the actual in buying advertising
space, they viii depend less on prestige
and more on results. The Grand Old
Tradition newspaper is entitled to a
trial with all other mediums. But in
vestigate it. Key it. 1t may not be
the medium it used to be. Perhaps il
never was"
Needless TO say there is nothing of
the Grand Old Tradition about The
Herald. 1t prides itself on preserving
the best traditions of the newspaper
profession, but it is modern enough to
publish it's circulation and invite ad-
vertisers to test it's value to them in
every way possible It's claims to con-
sideration are based solely on its pres
ent circulation and standing; it is an
"Izzer," not a Has-Been.
A man called on the president the
other day with request for assistance