The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-04-10
| ADVERTISING !
~ TALKS
ADVERTISING HAS
COMMERCIAL VALUE
10 Most influential Force In
Building Up Modern
Business.
BY JOHN LEE MAHik.

This Ia an age OF advertising With
In the memory OF older men the am
bilious youth was urged to enter the
church. the army, the law or the sci.
ences. To engage In trade was to
lower social tone. Now business is
generally recognized as a world-domi-
mating science. II is becoming more
intricate and complex, requiring the
highest grade OF intelligence.
Commerce In its higher attitudes is
shown when, after gathering the prod
ucts Of Industry, It goes farther In
changing their form and character
into other articles specially suited for
the higher needs Of men and women.
Then, by every possible means stir
Tag interest. creating desire. educat-
ng appetite and developing new
wants. II makes a stable market for
the newly created and more complex
commercial products In this way
the standard OF living has generally
been raised to include as necessities
articles the need OF which was un-
known to the grandparents Of the
present generation.
In doing this, commerce requires
the wonderful new power which the
mere trader never possessed. That
power. with It's skill thought. re-
largeness OF mental growth and equip
ment. combined with a creative force
that accomplishes things. Is called ad-
vertising. have previously defined
advertising as influencing the minds
OF people II is making others think
those forces which produce impress
sions and crystalline opinions. II is
the creating OF prestige. that quality
which causes others to accept state
ment without question.
Creates Conditions.
The merchant who. through his idea
OF what will please the popular taste.
makes his calculations. giving orders
to manufacturers for six months to a
year In advance requires great fore
fickleness OF taste Yet he does not
possess the positive force that adver-
Using. when studied and skilfully en-
ployed will give him In his business
He only deals with conditions as he
finds them. There is no effort to ere
ate conditions. but simply a shrewd
adaptation to existing circumstances.
Advertising rests on the supremacy
OF commerce. II requires stable bust
ness conditions for its existence and
development. II Is. therefore. a high
er form OF mental activity than the
successful exercise OF ordinary com
mercial transactions. because II goes
farther. in demanding not only the
power successfully 10 cope with com
mercial problems but an added abil-
ity TO influence the human mind Ad-
vertising will produce active desire
where none. or at least only that OF a
latent kind existed before. Advertis-
ing. by employing the powerful mental
forces which psychologists call sus
gestion, can create well-defned hab-
its among the people which an alert
commercial mind will utilize 10 build
up and foster a business.
A thoroughly equipped advertising
man must, then, know something OF
the fundamental conditions which un-
derlie commerce For instance. credit.
being an essential feature OF com
merce, rests upon absolute integrity
and a rigid adherence to well-defined
principles Advertising also without
the fundamental principles which are
necessary to commerce Is no more
advertising than is love the mawkish
sentiment which some novels depict,
the love which POUNDS and maintains
homes where the wife and mother are
cherished objects
Advertising must secure attention.
but II must come from the right kind
OF people and In way that produces
respect for the article advertised
Hence. all possible knowledge OF the
human mind. it's mysterious and sub
tie manifestations, and the influence
Of affirmation. argument. color. sug-
gestion, or an appeal TO the magma
ton, must enter into the delibera.
lions OF the mind that plans and exc
cutes an advertising campaign.
Much Is Wasted.
Notwithstanding the wide preva-
lence OF mistaken ideas about adyer-
Using and its true functions. the
money spent amounts to millions an.
nually and much OF II is spent with
intelligence and great effectiveness,
though | believe much the larger por-
ton is wasted in a desultory manner
along lines that even gambler
would despite for their lack OF justif.
cation.
The men who have made a success
OF advertising have not looked at Il
as a matter Of luck. They have be-
lieved its great powers were subject
to immutable laws and have sought
to become familiar with them. Illus.
trations. words and space. and the
cost OF the same. while carefully