The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-13
HOW TO WRITE ADS
f. w. Ball Gives Advertising
Club Pointers.
Says That Advertisements Must
Suggest Thought.
ATTRACT THE BUYERS
Ease of Comprehension Should
Be he Keynote.
Ads Made Attractive to the
Public.
ATTRACT THE BUYERS

At the regular semimonthly lunch
and meeting of the Topeka AID club
which was held in the new dining room
of the Topeka Commercial club during
the noon hour, seventy five members
listened attentively to a talk ON adver-
ager for the Capper publications.
Mr. Ball took for his subject why Is
Advertising and the Why of It."
"Avertising," said Mr.. Ball, "has
greatly improved during the past ten
years In this time the whole business
OF advertising has grown altogether
different. But still there is no science
of advertising. Laws are being formu-
lated every day which govern the work
of advertising, but they are not yet
formulated definitely enough to call it
science. A science is something
which is governed by well defined laws.
But there is an art in advertising.
A man can tell something of the re-
suits of certain kind of advertising in
certain paper, providing certain prfn-
ciples are followed. This is the art of
1t. No man however can tell the ex-
act result of any given ad according
to a certain set ofsprincip1es. Until he
can do so advertising Will remain mere
ly an art.
Neither is there any definition of adj
vertising. Many have attempted to
define it, but have always fallen short
of the mark. There is SO much to be
embodied in a definition that it is i'm
possible to make a definition that will
comprise everything.
II will attempt an my few remarks
to follow the course, not of the adver-
tiser, nor of the ad writer but that of
the object of all advertising, thRt of
the buyer. The real problem to deal
with in advertising is the purchaser.
I'm this connection I will use a few
principles of psychology. The applica-
ton of psychology to advertising-tha
is the influence on the mind-will in the
future be the real problem of adver-
Using.
THE aim of writers is to apply the
principles of psychology and attract
attention to advertising There are
a number of principles in this that I
will name.
First there is the attention value of
an object which depends for one
thing on the position of an ad, relative
to counter attractions For instance
an ad of one kind of a product set on
the same page with another ad of the
same commodity will not have the
value that an ad of the same product
alone on a page would have. This is
known in advertising as preferred po-
sition.
Another principle in connection
with the attraction of purchasers is
the intensity of sensation produced
by an ad. Big letters, red ink or il
luSlraIlOHS car Inquire III cOIIOTHllilS
to this principle of advertising.
1.-THE third principle depends on
contrast. For instance an ad on a
page with plenty Of black ink, where
the remainder of the page is in fine
letters, arrests the attention of the
buyer.
"These three principles which
have just enumerated are generally
used and understood by all ad writer's:
There are, however, three other es-
sential principles which are not 50
generally used.
"The chief one to which would call
attention is the ease of comprehen-
sion This is violated chiefly by using
in big, bold face letters. big words
which are not always understood, and
illustrations which have no connection
with the article advertised, or at least
if they have any connection it is an
unfavorab BILE one. For instance I once
saw a tea advertisement, which was
Illustrated with a cut of frog. Now
the connection of a frog with drink
ing tea is not clearly understood, and
cannot leave a favorable impression
Another important principle Is the