The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-27
From the New York Evening Post.

From the New York Evening Post.
@-IB study of advertising seems to
(0 have perennial charm for the
American public. Hardly a
month passes but some magazine finds a
new and inviting phase of this modern
art to lay before its readers The solid
literature of advertising is also growing
rapidly. 1t is risky nowadays to venture
upon literary illusions A professor of
English says that he never dares to adorn
his lectures to his students with any quo
tation older than the comic papers of the
previous fortnight. But no difficulty is
felt on this score when one draws on adj
vertising phrases. Only mention "57 va
rieties," and the ready laugh follows. Adj
vertising is the one form of present-day
business for which nobody ever suggests
publicity as remedy. BY it's very nature
It must avoid the secrecy and quasi-con-
fidential methods in vogue elsewhere. For
this very reason, as Mr.. Frederick Dwight
suggests in the Yale Review for August,
a survey of changes in advertising meth
DDS affords an index Of changing bust
ness and social conditions of the coun-
try at large
The technique of the subject is almost
as extensive as that of scientific agricul-
ture Whole volumes have been compiled
on the art of writing advertisements. Ac-
counts have propounded schemes and
schedules to measure the profit and loss
resulting. Commercial schools and col
leges devote courses of study to the sub
feet Indeed, the capstone of the curric-
ulum of a well-llnown business college
is an elective upon window Dressing"
'@The Psychology of Advertising" has
served as door of approach for the en-
pirical study of the mind of the mob
how it's attention is caught, its interest
enlisted, its humor ticked its will moved.
The economies of advertising has opened
up one of the disputed questions of the
day-whether advertising is a parasitic
industry or whether it yields really pro-
ductive service. Proverbially, sit pays to
advertise" But this is only the individ-
ua1istic view. Per contra, it is argued
that for society as whole it costs to
advertise.
Perhaps the commonest aspect of adj
vertising has to do with its humorous
side. Nothing is so current with the
public as an epigram converted into an
advertisement unless it be an advertise
ing cartoon which speaks a language
more universal than the fondest cult
vator of Esperanto ever aspired to- Here.
too. there is a reverse side to the medal.
Only recently Governor Hughes signed a
ha Inn IF
improper intelligence which sought refuge
under the shelter of trade publicity. But
what shall be said of the invasion of the
privacy of life by using without permis-
sion or pay photograph for bruiting
abroad the merits Of some proprietary
article? Fortunately, the "Black Hand
methods of publlcity-printing blacklists
and boycotts of antagonistic firms seem
likely to get black eye in the courts.
Gompers Is still out of jail, it is true.
but his methods are at discount. The
wanton invasion of the walls of the sub
way stations remains as yet unrepulsed,
but we may hope for better things when
the new lines are built.
Mr.. Dwight, in the article referred to,
shows admirably how the study of adver-
Using casts considerable light upon
changes in business and social ethics. A
hundred and fifty years ago "the adver-
ing tradesman grovelled." He hum
bly, solicited patronage" and felt lively
sense of gratitude for past favors." The
wholesale dealer published plain unvar-
nished tale The public was informed of
the street and number where it could
buy ta,llow and hides. But about the mid
die of the last century a sort of hysteria
of brazen and rhetorical announcements
suddenly famed into view. Every circus
was mastodonic aggregation of WON
ders. A veritable age Of wind and hyper
bole came in. Landscape advertising
threatened to turn every natural wonder
into a nightmare. The national ensign