Eastern Utah advocate. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1895-1915, 1912-12-05
MY
Competitor
A Contest Of Ingenious
Advertising
"

By Philip BOswOrth

cutting each others profits down to n
minimum and sometimes 10 loss
But there were virgin fields In those
days that had not been worked One
might go into q western town with n
new kind Of goods 10 sell, and n they
we're snlabie he would make a good
profit on them. served an nppren-
tlceshlp with large soap manufactur
ing concern and after having thorough
" learned the business concluded 20 60
20 some western state aud build up q
trade In the goods with which / wns
familiar. I settled In town called
Farnsworth. the center OF n country
that was rapidly growing In popula
ton.
] had been furnished with some
means for advertising aud concluded
10 attract attention by unique notices
| remember the flrst one ! issued I
considered very clever. u was. Every
patriot uses Cutters soap. especially
on Blrthington's wash day" was
disappointed TO end that the plain. on
educated people OF that region did not
see the humor OF my ad.. for those who
mentioned Il 20 inc asked who Birth
ington was After explaining 70 most
Of the citizens OF the town that Birth
ington's wash day was a trnnsposition
OF washlngton's birthday I concluded
10 try something else
One morning ! noticed that I had a
rival In the soap business IN the neigh.
boring town OF MlilvIlle. Not ouly had
rival In the business. but In clever
advertising In n Mlllvillc newspaper
] saw that y u Ketcham was selling
Southwick's soap. advertising II 20
wash out frecklos. leaving the skin
a beautiful pink and white" I con
sidered thla ridiculous till a number
OF the frecklcd boys and girls OF the
town csme Into my store and asked n
! had amy OF that soap that would "gci
away with frecklcs."
I made my next effort more prnc.
teal advertised Gunter's soap ~
the "whiicst wash" a housewife could
use. This produced an Immediate 81
feet. for several women came into the
store and bought my soap TO use In
whltcwashlng their cellars
The next advertisement OF Ketch.
ans That ! noticed was after q storm
aud a consequent carrying away OF a
portion % the turnpike between Farms.
worth and Mllivillc by the giving way
OF culvcrt Kctcham announced
that the wushout had been effected by
n cake OF Souihwlck's soap having fnll
en- out Of the wagon % a farmer who
had Just bought II aud wns carrying
u 60 famswurlb 10 wash away the
spots left by an application of the Gun
Ter article
The public didn't exactly understand
how q culyeri could be- washed out
With r. rake OF soap Weighing only q
few ounUrs. but the reference 90 spots
lcft hy my goods wna n stroke Of
genius on the part of Kctchnm II was
NOT az that time even the proper thing
60 attack in an advertisement or other
Wise uny individual goods Indeed. Z
had cause Tor legal action against
Kctc1nm Tor damages SO concluded
% drive over 90 Mlll,illc and inform
hin that u be dld II again would
bale him into court found his OF
Gee IN charge Of young woman. OF
whom inquired when Mr Ketchnm
would be- IN She asked me what !
wished 20 see him Tor. ana l told her
that ) vas the nreui FOR Gunter's soap
az FaFnsworth and would like 90 have
a conference with him Nith q view 60
settling upon method by which be
and ! could do business without injur.
inf each other
The young woman said that Mr.
Ketcham was out most OF the time 40.
llcltlnF orders Cor bis sogp gnd \; in.
stead OF whiting Tor him. which
might hive "a DO Tor some time. /
would say 10 her anything had 10
communicate she would transmit Il 60
Mr Ketcham.
every we'll" said. please call his
attention 20 the fact that when be ad
Vertises that Gunters soap leaves
spots. thus inluring lbs sale. be- lays
himself liable 90 a suit Tor damages
There n no law against his advertis,
ing that Southwick's soap has pro.
duccd a washout or that Il Is a white,
wash on the best soap In the market
90 long MS be doesn't cry down any
sther article DO you understand
~ n Mr. Ketcham
-And say 90 him that II be viii come
ever to see me shall be happy 10 DIX
with him a scale OF prices by which
We shah be governed. so that we won't
be cutting each others threats"
"W.h.a-tr'
II mean that we shall not be under,
selling each other There's plenty OF
room Tor both. hut II vs fght each
other wen both fail"
I'm try 20 make him understand"
The girl. though she appeared 10 be
stupid. was rather pretty AS ! was
about 10 leave ! concluded 20 pay her
a compliment, being a little facetious
as well. so I said
Il wouldn't use Southwick's soap on
my face II were you"
"Why nOtY she asked
"Well. your complexion helns perfect,
81 isn't necessary
'fThat won't wash" she replied
dropping into slang Compliments are
not IN order 10 business"