Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1911-07-19
Advertising
T'alks
MODERN ADVERTISING

- uotsh seem n1ty years SRO-a
golden anniversary-since John Wanna
maker started his commercial venture
in Philadelphia. But the time named
has passed and cannot now be short
ened.
The event OF this merchants begin
ming was, 1t seems. somewhat brave.
although II began quite small. with a
dream OF great development later
The story. however. is worth telling,
In part. and is told with much appro-
pirate detail In little book just is
sued by the Wanamaker stores.
nave not seen the little monograph
itself, but il is recorded in it that IL
was just ninety-four hours before the
first shot was fired on Fort Sumter
that Wanamaker and his partner,
Nathan Brown, opened. in Philadel-
phia. in April. 1861, Oak Hall as
mems and boys clothing store" It
occupied thirty by eighty feet In a six
story building-a building then and
there considered extravagant in size.
And Wanamaker's venture. too. was
thought no less OF a folly.
You are making a great mistake"
said George III. Stuart to the bow mer-
chant of twenty-five, Gin starting bust
ness at such time as this. The coun-
try is entering upon q great war and
there will be no business. Before long
grass Will be growing In the streets OF
Philadelphia" The first days receipts
or the little store were $2467. Wanna
maker kept the sixty-seven cents to
make change with and spent the s24
the next day in advertising
The Springfield Republican saws.
he has kept on advertising ever since
and there has been enough left over
for change the next day" He is not
lnaptly called the apostle of honest
and original advertising" What he
mas done to stimulate advertising can
not be briefly told, for to him we owe
the freshest and best forms of our
modern appeals to business publicity
1t was through his advertisements
that he taught the public how to buy.
lie attracted people to his stores. and
then, by show windows and attractive
counter displays. educated his custo-
mers 10 sense of comparative values
and showed them how their money
could be wisely spent" 1t was one OF
MS sayings that "a bargain is not a
bargain unless both parties to it are
benefited by the transaction"
/ remember well when | first read
his small plea, loaded. talks. nut I'm
natural staccato phrases in the lead
ing newspapers and periodicals. No
one, indeed. could fail to notice them.
for they fairly took you by the button
hole and almost drew you to one side
by their gentle frankness and urgency
1t was something entirely new. 1t was
advertising that talked. as the German
said OF John p. Cough and his coat
tails, Why. he talks nit his coat
tails"
All previous advertising was. in COM
parison with II, as sepuIchra1 and 81.
lent as a tomb of ancient Egypt with
Its still hieroglyphics. The messages
1t bore and brought went at once home
to their coveted mark. The store con-
sequenty grew, aggregating to itself
vastly more than mere masculine
clothing, and becoming a mercantile
wonder.
IL was really the new note in pub
hcity that was TO set the pace for 9th
ers. who in various ways talked I'D for
themselves the store" and the
goods Of the day. AS Tennyson said
Of his poetic flowers. he put them out
new, but all possess the blossoms now
for AL have got the seed" II only
needs some Columbus to set the egg
on end. and then ali can do II.
It was all advertising artifce of a
high order. and got instant apprecia-
ton. No matter whose original idea
It was. II became Wanamaker's prac-
tically, for he saw its value and posi-
bility. and embraced them at once
For this thing alone be made the pub
lie his debtor as we'll as for his help
full ways in trade. Taking both to-
gether. he has made Shopping" par
ticularly on its feminine side. almost
a fine art. For no mechanism runs
more smoothly than his stores and his
daily account Of what they offer.