The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-26
The A B c and xYzof
ADVERTISING
SERIES OF TEN rAlks ON AoynRIIslsd M 9
written b, Seymour Eaton Of Phisdeiphis NO. O

Most department store advertising may be
divided into three classes: bad very bad and
damned bad
Bargain advertising is in the first class 1t does
sell goods; but if well done it could easily make
three blades of grass grow where grows now.
The worth $20-now- St2 so" bargain offer has
been done to death The people buy the $3.50
article because $12 so is much they want TO pay
because they have seen the goods because they
have intelligence enough to know that .ksy getting
good value for the price, but for every who buys
there two others shoo-ed off by the roll-up,
tumbe-up, throw-up your money hurrah.
An honest bargain properly announced is always
good advertising. II l controlled newspaper page
should one-third OF it, down the side for legiti
mate bargains. l should put the word Bargains or
"Today's Bargains at the top and with the descrp-
tons of the articles should give selling prices only
say nothing in figures about values cost prices
use that space for describing the goods. should
make the descriptions as brief possible. leave
everything to the imagination OF the customer except
the selling price; and now and then should omit
that; let the customer come to the store TO find out
Then should make these bargains look like charity
by very contrast by using the remainder of the page
to advertise my regular priced always-in- stock cloth
ing and dress goods and carpets and furniture and all
that sort of thing and should make this department
full of life and spirit and enthusiasm for the goods
as TO make my counters irresistible.
The store that breaches is in the second class
Preaching isn't advertising Il may be entertaining
and instructive; il may anayze TO nicely the ethical
policy Of the store il may impress the weak minded
with the fact that this store is great public bsneaotor
powerful influence for good in the community sort
of merchandise university which ought to be endowed
by the State But preaching doesn't sell goods; it
doesn't draw a crowd.
The formal refrigerator. my brass plate-is- suf
cent advertising is in the third class II has all the
dignity and drawing power Of corpse Mark you.
not criticising the idea. The idea is fine To be
chosen people clothed in purple and fine linen to
bask in the sunshine of wealth or OF aristocracy or
Of fame to eat where eats TO drink what il drinks
to what il wears to buy where il buys, TO talk
what il talks, TO dress your poodle dog with what it
dresses its poodle dog; to be somebody exclusive,
two removed second hand that is
greatness; and people pay big money for greatness
for the varnsh veneer. II is the adver
Using that is bad. 1t might easily quadruple the
trade and yet keep within the boundaries of the elect Ex
elusive people don't think You don't need salt their
They follow leader like a lot Of sheep Your business
advertiser TO capture the leader the belwethsr Of the
The is easy The others will pay for the privilege
of standing in line.
Embalm and bury the brass-pate advertising. Use the
space talk your Some of them read adver
II poor pebean should happen 10 read about
goods and wander into shop by mistake let him do
the worrying.