Evening star., 1909-09-03
EXPLOIT THEIR IDEALS
Members of Advertising Clubs
in Annual Convention.
DISCUSSION OF METHODS
Effect of Advertising on the Busi-
ness World.
PRESIDENT VAN CAMPS VIEWS
Head of Packing Company Says
Manufacturers Practice Adver-
tising and Believe in It.
PRESIDENT VAN CAMPS VIEWS
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
LOUISVILLE. Ky, September l, 1909.
The fifth annual convention of the As
sociated Advertising Clubs of America,
recently in session here in the winter
roof garden of the Seelbach, discussed
many problems of interest to the busi-
ness world. r. S. Brown. chairman of the
Louisville committee, presided. Immedi-
ately after the invocation the opening
day the Omaha Light Infantry Band en-
tered the hall playing THE Star Spangled
Banner" This was the signal for an out
burst of cheers end from that time on
the progress of the convention was
marked by the greatest enthusiasm.
The first session was given over to well
coming speeches and to the reading of
the secretary's report. After this recess
was taken to give the delegates a chance
to get lunch and renew acduaintances.
The afternoon session the first day was
held at the Country Club. where Frank
Van Camp. president of tie Van Camp
Packing Company of Indianapolis Ind.
talked of advertising, What 1t Is and
Its Effect on the Customer Louis H.
Scurloch, president of the Provident Land
Company of Kansas City. Mo, spoke on
Higher Ideals in Advertising" and VIII
liam H. Atwell. United States district at
torney of Dallas. Tex, spoke of The
At the close of the afternoon session the
delegates were given dinner at the Seel-
bach in the inclosed roof garden.
Addresses at Evening Session.
The addresses of the evening session
were made by W. A. Feree of the Bux-
ton & Skinner Stationery Company of
St. Louis. Mo-, who spoke on "The Print
ing Arrangement of Copy: st. Elmo
Massengale of the Massengale Advertis-
ing Company of Atlanta. Ga, who spoke
on advertising in the South and Judge
A. c. Floyd of the city court of Memphis.
Tenn. who told of advertising City
Probably the most important matter to
come before the convention will be the Sc
letion of the meeting place for next year.
Invitations have been extended by Omaha,
Kansas City, Indianapolis, Chicago, Mem
phis. Atlantic City. New Orleans and sew
eral other cities. Omaha. because of her
numerous adherents and the active work
being done by her representatives, and
Atlantic City, because of her general at
tractiveness, seem to be first In the run
ming.
The fight for the presidency of the ma
tonal association seems today to be be-
tween James Rogers, advertising manager
of the Harper publications, of New York
and Samuel C. Dobbs. sales and advertis
ing manager for the Coca Cola people, of
Atlanta. Both Mr.. Rogers and Mr.. Dobbs
are recognized as leaders in modern ad
vertising and the contest VIII be pretty
one.
Views of an Expert.
Frank Van Camp. president of the Van
Camp Packing Company. said on this
subject:
When a man advertises he is generally
supposed to use newspapers, magazines,
street car signs, billboards, wall signs or
circulars or to demonstrate or distribute
samples.
In my opinion, every business man,
either retailer. jobber or manufacturer,
advertises, but many of them are appar-
emily unconscious of the fact.
retailer could save rent by having his
store in a back alley. but, wishing to at
tract the attention of a greater number of
people, he locates on prominent street
and charges the excess rent to general
expense rather than to his advertising
account. where it properly belongs. When
merchant moves from a side street to
prominent thoroughfare 1t is because
he wants to advertise When a merchant
puts sign over his door or uses show
window to display his wares he is ad-
vertising. When the clerk behind the
counter displays goods that have not been
asked for by the prospective customer.
he is advertising. The merchant who re-
moevs his business from the country viii
lage to the county seat, tie man who
moves from the county seat to me city,
the manufacturer who increases his sales
force from one man 10 ten, the man who
extends his business from the local deld
to his state, from a state to the national
market has in mind the extension of his
field of operation. the seeing and talking
with more peope-in other words, adver-
ising.
/ say again, every merchant and manu-
facturer advertises and believes in adver-
tising, without ii In some form no
business could survive for a year.
Any kind of an announcement by q mer-
chant or manufacturer that he has
merchandise for sale or trade Is adverts-
ing, but the announcement may be good
bad Indifferent, and may be profitable
or Improbable.
The man who buys space and fills ii
with trash is no more entitled to success
than the retail merchant who fills his fine
show window with trash. The man who
selects the wrong medium and fills the
space with coed copy makes the same
mistake as the man with fine show win
dow located in an alley.
Useless Expense.
Advertising in poor mediums the use of
poor copy In good mediums, or advertis-
Ing goods that don't satisfy the con-
sumner is an expense. Advertising prop
erly done on goods of quality is an in
vestment and not an expense.
Now. if a merchant or manufacturer
invests his money In stocks, bonds or
rental property he don't expect to i'm
mediately get back the amount of the
investment and profit in addition. He
is satisfied with or q per cent interest
and retains the investment. Is there any
reason why a man who buys advertising
should expect TO get back all his money
and a big profit in addition within
month or a year? We all know OF many
concerns that could sell their advertising
investment. or, In other words. their
good will, for fortune but not one Of
these concerns built up their business
except as the result of years of pub
licity and careful management of all
the details connected with their business.
1t is a good thing that advertising is
an investment rather than an expense
and can be quickly recovered. Money
spent In advertising buys a definite
something of value; you may call it good
will or demand, something of value that
cannot be taken away from the owner
If he stays on the job and don't go to
sleep. The owner may sell it for cash