Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-26
LIGHT is VALUED
PUBLICITY AGENT
E.W.Osborn of Rockford Points
Out Benefits of Sign and
Window Displays.
PAPER BEFORE CONVENTION
Advertising Man Holds That News
papers and illumination Cover
Ground Thoroughly.

The Illinois state electric convention
opened at 9 O'Clock this morning in
the Safety building, the entire sixth
floor having been engaged for the bus
mess sessions and exhibits of manu-
facturers and jobbers, a number of
whom are present from different parts
of the country. E. w. Smith of Ke-
vance, president of the state organiza-
ton, called the convention to order.
The morning was devoted to hearing
committee reports, election of new
members, appointment of special COM
mittees, and listening 30 three papers.
These were: Sign and Window Light
ing" E. w. Osborn, advertising mana
ger of the Rockford Electric company;
Electric Shows in the Small Cities,
J. E. Johnson, general superintendent
of the Danville Railway & Light com
pany, and THE Radical Tendency in
Rates" by ]. S. Mailman, business
manager of the Kankakee Gas & Elec-
trio company.
Light Helps Business.
'"That the benefits to be derived
from well lighted windows and signs
are many has been demonstrated so
many times that it is an axiom-a self
evident truth-and they are as profit
able to the consumer as to the cen
trail station Mr.. Osborn said.
Traverse the streets of any city
and find, if you can, a merchant who
has of late years achieved a marked
success in a retail business without the
aid OF attractive illumination-you will
orI hut
will be significant.
THE successful men, and those on
the road to success, are the ones who
know how to use the drawing qualities
of electric light and are using it lib
orally in store, window and sign il
Elimination.
"If central station intends to make
a successful campaign in sign and
window lighting, it must first lead the
way by having attractive displays in
its own window each week so that the
public will watch for them. One good
plan used by a central station in this
state is that of loaning the window.
free of charge, to different concerns in
the city for periods of a week in which
to display the goods sold or manufac-
tured by the firms using the window.
This not only creates a very friendly
feeling toward the company. but also
demonstrates how well advertising
may be done by good illumination
Sold as Advertising.
"All sign and window lighting should
be sold strictly as advertising, as it is
used as an advertising medium to at
tract attention TO what is displayed
inside
"a good plan is to render separate
bills for this service and call them
sign or window advertising bills, for
If not handled in this way, the mer
chant will charge his window and sign
to his light account and soon figure
out that he is spending too much mon
ey for the mere lighting of his place.
Electric and newspaper advertis-
ing go hand in hand, and a merchant
can make his newspaper space more
valuable by making his advertised
goods appear to their best advantage
in his windows. The writer knows of
several instances where signs and win
dow lighting have been installed and
shortly afterward newspaper men |
have said to him that Mr.. Blank, who
had never done any advertising pre- |
viously, had contracted for space and !
had a cut of his electric sign, or light /
ed window, made for ad work and for |
use on stationery This goes to prove !