Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-01-22
POWER OF ADVERTISING.
Milwaukee Writer Describes Automo-
bile Show and Dwells on
Power of Advertising
(By Ellis b: Ushel.

eXmDlts or unusual interest. They
were the Automobile Show and
thesE Advertising Exhibit. Visitors
outside those who count themselves
of the advertising professions as well
as those who are known as experts in
that line, were surprised at the num-
Der, excellence and variety of the ex-
hibits, The feature of the exhibit. |
think, lies in the fact that they were
largely. advertisements for products
made In Wisconsin and sold national
ly. Ii gave one an added respect for
this state to see what it has done in
the way of scientific production and
marketing.
The Auto Show was not so largely
representative. of state products. Yet
there. were pleasure cars, motor cy-
cles. cyclecars and motor trucks on
exhibit that bore the names of Wis
consin towns. The Auditorium, where
the show was held was crowded
daily. The show of few years ago
was patronized by the exceedingly
.@ell-to-do, largely, with few of the
envious "Door but respectable ," This
year, however, the latter class prs
dominate. and when you see BIZ Jones
earnestly conversing with the demon
strator of some fine looking machine,
do not say, "It's ali bluff. Bill won't
buy: He couldn't afford one. - The
ability seems to have nothing to do
With the purchase of an automobile.
nowadays. Slap-a mortgage on the
house or an insurance policy, give
your personal note for the rest and
drive .triumphaatly to and from bust
ness more speedily, but also more ex-
pensively, than IN the street car-or
poor mans taxi-as of yore. How
ever. the proportion of men able to
afford car has increased greatly
since they first came on the market
and the prices ofseryiceable machines
have gone down. AS | said some time
ago, motor driven traffic is increasing
so fast that in a few years we pedes-
trians will climb over the streets or
burrow under them in order to gel
about.
DUE TO ADV ERTIsING.
1t is a coincidence that the .automo-
bile and the force that made the auto
mobile what it is should both be on
exhibition here the same week. How
many. l wonder. will notice it? OF
course the motor. car was bound to
have q steady growth. But it's phe-.
nomenal growth is due to advertising
1t has recently been determined that
the motor car has had more money
spent on 1t in advertising than. any
other single product in a merica. Nat
urally the smoldering desire of thous-
ands to possess anything on wheels
that drags itself around has been fan
ned:to dame by advertising 1t is
the truth that when all other cOmmo-
dities. necessities as well as iuxuries,
were reporting lower sales, automo-
biles were breaking all sales records,
as always. They continue to do 50
today. ..>'' =.
BE TRUTHFUL.
1t is q wonderful. tribute to the
power of advertising Men are sway
ed by it to purchase luxuries when
the lack Of necessities is beginning to
pinch. 1t is a power then that should
be well and discreetly used. This is
not. always the case, nor will it be,
more's the pity. But there has come
into existence a general movement
among advertisers TO practice what a
few had consistently preached Truth
in Advertising This great motto is
being increasingly lived up to- Steps
are being taken to gather evidence to
punish those who violate it knowing.
ly. In many ways, this movement is
surging EDWARDS. Ia some vague way,
l predict, there will be an accounting
of superfluous or over supply. adver-
Using in the. future. The tremendous
waste now going on will be checked
by degrees. Automobiles Will be
h" boosted only so far as is logical;
chewing gum won't be forced down
our throats to gag us. and so on. y es,.