Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-01-09
SUGGESTIONS FOR
THE ADVERTISER
Things to Be Considered If Good
Impression and Best Re-
suits Are Sought.

Inc psychological advertisers or the
advertising psychologists will tell you
that there are two essential elements
In successful advertisement. The
first is to attract the attention OF the
reader; IL an advertisement ID not
striking, it 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 well 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. If he comes
suddenly on an advertisement Of
corn salve or spring tonic at the end
OF 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.
3. 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. II
should always be in good taste; there
should be nothing that either directly
or indirectly offends the prejudices OIL
the judgment.
6. The form Of the advertisement
is important 1t should be made of
attractive as possible. The type In
particular should be clear and sufil
ciently large to be easily read. Fine
print should never be employed.
7. The position that the advertise
ment occupies is also matter Of sig
nificance The good advertisement
must avoid bad company. 1t must moi
: appear with advertisements that are
cheap. vulgar or poorly constructed
Further, It should not be assigned t
crowded space, never mind how pop
ular this space seems to be.
8. The most effective advertise
ments combine both the picture ant
the copy features. Neither should b.
used to the exclusion of the other. 4
the widest possible appeal Is sought.
g. The picture advertisement
: should suggest some form of action
and this should directly bear upon thu
main features of the advertisement
is to be remembered that action tina
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 that tn,
: wholesomeness or durability Of tn,
product the age and reliability OF tn,
: firm, the pleasure connected with tn,
use OF the article advertised and IL
popularity, have great pulling power
On the other hand, with the bette
class of purchasers at least, an empha
sis on cheapness, the giving of prize
and presents, excessive boasting as I,
the value OF the article advertised
letters Of recommendation accounts
Of the prosperity Of the firm and tn,
: extent of the manufacturing plan
tend to create distrust and even dis
gust.
II. Finally, It should be 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
miracle, create something out OF moth
ing. All that It can do is to emphasize
merit where 1t exist; 1t cannot max
this merit. The public, when ono
fooled, is likely to remember the fact
Even II sham succeeds because II l
advertised, this success is purchase
at an economic waste. It is positive
ly immoral to advertise a sham. TIL
principle has thus an ethical as we
as q commercial import. The ethic
of advertising all reputable newspt
pers and magazines are beginning I
recognize, greatly to the benefit c
: these papers and magazines and to tn
. public as well.
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