Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-10-18
SUGGESTIONS FOR
THE ADVERTISER
Things to Be Considered If Good
Impression and Best Re-
suits Are Sought.

That there are two essential elements
in successful advertisement. The
first is to attract the attention of the
reader; If an advertisement IS not
striking. 1t Is a failure. The second Is
to stimulate the interest of the reader
In the advertised article; If an adver-
tisement is not pleasing as we'll as
satisfying 1t misses its goal. Many
advertisers overlook this second con-
sideration. They attract the attention
of the reader and then arouse his re-
sentiment, instead of stimulating his
interest In a pleasant manner. No
reader likes to be tricked. II he comes
suddenly on an advertisement of a
corn salve or spring tonic at the end
OF a paragraph purporting to be a
news story he Is likely to register a
VOW never to buy the article that has
been forced upon his notice by a
cheap deception. Right here is the
explanation of the failure of much ap-
parently effective advertising.
The mistakes of advertisers are dis
cussed by Professor Stephen L. Colvin
In suggestive paper in The Indepen-
dent. The principal suggestions which
this writer offers for the guidance of
advertisers are, in brief, as follows:
l. To gain the attention Is the first
requisite of successful advertising
but this alone is worthless 1t is fu-
tile to arouse the attention unless an
impression can be made and desire
created.
2. Every portion of the advertise
ment should have reference to this
desire. There is no place for irrele-
want material, which distracts the at
tention from the essential features of
the advertisement
5. This desire may be stimulated in
various ways, by argument. by sug-
gestion, by appeal to the fundamental
instincts and interests. such as curios-
ity. appetite. the play impulse. the saw
ing impulse.
4. The most successful advertise
ments avoid complexity in their pre-
sentation. Their illustrations are SIM
pie and their reading matter is brief
and to the point. And brevity is the
soul of good advertising.
5. The atmosphere of the adver-
tisement must be considered. 1t
should always be in good taste; there
should be nothing that either directly
or indirectly offends the prejudices or
the Judgment.
6. The form OF the advertisement
is important. 1t should be made as
attractive as possible The type in
particular should be clear and sufn-
GENTLY large to be easily read. Fine
print should never be employed.
Z. The position that the advertise
ment occupies is also matter of sig
nificance. The good advertisement
must avoid bad company. 1t must not
appear with advertisements that are
cheap, vulgar or poorly constructed.
Further, it should not be assigned to
crowded space, never mind how pop
ular this space seems to be.
8. The most effective advertise
ments combine both the picture and
the copy features. Neither should be
used 20 the exclusion of the other If
the widest possible appeal Is sought.
8. The picture advertisement
should suggest some form of action,
and this should directly bear upon the
main features of the advertisement 1t
is to be remembered that action That
has nothing to do with the advertise
ment as such distracts the attention
10. Recent Investigations concern
ing the effectiveness of various ap-
peals in advertisements show tmt the
wholesomeness or durability of the
product, the age and reliability of the
firm, the pleasure connected with the
use of the article advertised and its
popularity, have great pulling power.
On the other hand, with the better
class of purchasers at least, an empha-
sis on cheapness, the giving of prizes
and presents, excessive boasting as to
the value of the article advertised.
letters of recommendation, accounts
of the prosperity of the firm and the
extent of the manufacturing plant
tend to create distrust and even dis
gust.
-. Finally, 1t should De remem-
bered that an article that has no mer-
it in itself is not likely to be perma-
nently successful through advertising.
The advertisement cannot perform a
miracle, create something out of moth
ing. All that 1t can do is to emphasize
merit where 1t exist; 1t cannot make
this merit. The public, when once
fooled, is likely to remember the fact
Even II a sham succeeds because 1t Is
advertised, this success Is purchased
at an economic waste. 1t is positive
ly immoral to advertise sham. The
principle has thus an ethical as well
as a commercial import. The ethics
of advertising all reputable newspa-
pers and magazines are beginning to
recognize, greatly to the benefit of
these papers and magazines and to the
public as well.