The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1911-08-03
Advertising
I I][TaIk.Z j |
MODERN ADVERTISING

II doesn't seem fifty years ago-a
golden anniversary y-since John Wana.
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. II seems. somewhat brave.
although 1t began quite small. with a
dream OF great development later.
The story. however. is worth telling.
In part. and 10 told with much appro-
priate detail in a little book Just is
sued by the wanamaker stores.
have not seen the little monograph
itself but Il is recorded in II that II
was just ninetyfour hours before the
first shot was fired on Fort Sumter
that Wanamaker and his partner,
Nathan Brown. opened. in Philadel-
pbia. In April, 1861. oak Hall as a
mems and boys clothing store" II
occupied thirty by eighty feet in six.
story building-a building then and
there considered extrayagant in size.
And Wanamaker's venture. too. was
thought no less OF folly.
"You are making a great mistake"
said George II. Stuart to the boy mer-
chant OF twenty-five. "in starting bust.
ness at such time as this. The coun-
try Is entering upon a great war and
there will be no business. Before long
grass will be growing in the streets OF
PHILADELPHIA The first days receipts
Of the little store were $2467. Wana-
maker kept the sixty-seven cents to
make change with and spent the s24
the next day in advertising.
The Springfield Republican says.
~He has kept on advertising ever since
and there has been enough left over
for change the next day" He is not
inaptly called the apostle OF honest
and original advertising what he
has 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
II WAS through his advertisements
that he taught the public how to buy
"He attracted people to his stores, and
then. by show windows and attractive
counter displays. educated his custo-
mers to sense of comparative values.
and showed them how their money
could be WISELY spent" II was one OF
his sayings that "a bargain Is not n
bargain unless botn parties to 1t are
benefited by the transaction"
] remember well when | first read
his small plea. loaded talks. put In
natural staccato phrases in the lead
ing newspapers and periodicals. No
ono. 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.
II was something entirely new. II was
advertising that talked. as the German
said OF John u. Cough and his coat
tails. why, he talks NIT his coat.
iails."
| All previous advertising was, in com
parison with -. as sepulchral and ST
lent as a tomb Of ancient Egypt with
its still hieroglyphics The messages
Il bore and brought went at once home
20 their coveted mark. The store con
sequently grew. aggregating to itself
vastly more than mere masculine
'slothing. and becoming mercantile
wonder
II was really the new note In pub
licity that was TO set the pace for 9th
ers. who In various ways talked up 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 "all have got the seed" II only
needs some Columbus TO set the egg
on end and then all can do II.
II was all advertising artiiice OF 9
high order. and got instant apprecia
tion. No matter whose original idea
Il was. II became Wanamaker's prac
tically. for he saw its value and possi
bility, and embraced them at once
For this thing alone he made the pub
lie his debtor as well as for his help
full ways in trade. Taking both to
gether. he has made shopping" par
tlcularly on it's feminine side. almos
fine art. For no mechanism rum
more smoothly than bis stores and hi
daily account OF what they offer.