The Washington times., 1916-02-05
DOES NOT BELIEVE IN
ADVERTISING LICENSE
Goodrich Company Holds Truth
Is Most Important Factor in
Selling Goods.

eve believe in advertising. as an
Economical factor in the marketing OF
hires aud other commodities to consum-
ers," says ]. L. waclHmuth. local
branch manager of the b. r. Goodrich
Company
we believe, too, that the value OF
each line of advertising space, paid for
depends not only upon the message
which fills that space, but, ultimately,
upon the degree of truthfulness and
good faith within that message. We be-
lieve that a whole industry may be
raised up, or lowered down, in public
confidence by the general average OF
truthfulness and sincerity in the ad-
vertising used by that industry.
I'VE believe that a chronic atmosphere
Of half truth and a continuous stretch
ing of the truth in an effort to beat
the devil around the bash, might cost
all advertisers, in a given industry, half
the possibilities Of their appropriation.
We believe that many advertisers real
iEe this fact, as we do, but hesitate to
express 1t, lest such expression be
deemed unethical.
Ethics Of Advertising.
''The ethics of advertising, so vaguely
defined that each interprets them for
himself, seem often cursed with insin-
cerity Under these ethics It Is. for in
stance, considered bad form to refer to
competitors.
but, per contra, these ethics might
admit Of any advertiser claiming for
his product, as exclusive features, such
others, who make the same grade of
product,
for the ultimate interest Of advertising
in general or for tire selling In particu-
lar. For the advertiser, in the end, must
pay the piper for all the stretching OF
advertising through discounted cred
encea
1--WE are prompted to make a state
mont like this, because we think II a
wholesome subject for the tire in
dustry 10 consider. We are not as
guming a holier than thou attitude,
nor indulging in a plea for good prin-
ciple alone--though that alone should
Justify it. We say it because we be-
lleve that many other worthy adver-
tiBers think 1t, and would gladly CO.
operate with tiff someone set the
pace, as a sound business policy-for
multiplying results from advertising
for all tire advertisers.
I'VE say it too, because the Good
rich Company, more than other tire
manufacturing concern, has suf-
rertisinS which implied claim to ex
elusive features in product equip
ment, or method which had long been
common with us.
What Public Cares About.
cit is true that the public cares
little who makes or sells the moRt
tires-who made the frat pneumatic
tire-the first white rubber tire. the
first black tread tire. or the first gen
uine cord tire. The public cares
chiefly for who delivers the best
value in tires to consumers. We re-
aliEe this. and so concentrate upon It.
mo rubber concern makes. in the
United States. so many motor car tires
as does the B. F. Goodrich Company.
while It may have seemed that we
transgressed the so-called ethics of ad-
vertising by publishing a challenge to
all competitors. upon VOLUME. 1t was
not because we like to do this sort OF
"The B. F. Goodrich Company was the
first concern in America to make white
rubber treads on tires. We have dis
carded them but II is through no short
age of the white ingredients. caused
by war. or other conditions alleged to
have made scarcity. We abandoned
the white tread rubber in favor cf the
black tread barefoot rubber which we
alone introduced two years ago. on our
famous SilVertown cord tires. We
abandoned white rubber in the treads
OF our fabric tires for 1916 and replaced
It with our black barefoot rubber. only
after two years of such rigid tests for
'Silvertown cord tires as clearly proved
the great worth of our black barefoot
rubber. for road work and mileage
THE consumer demand which results
from this policy Is the only excuse
which the B. T.. Goodrich Company.
offers for making far more motor car
tires in America alone than any other