The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-08-22
HOW SHOULD AN ADVERTISEMENT BE WRITTEN?
: >.' A Request an

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considered the use Of literary skill MIS-
PLACED in writing advertisements
The writing of good; truthful advertise
ments results in the distribution Of products
on large scale, in stimulating industry, and
very often in a reduction of prices to the
consumer - since successful advertising
means an increased demand, enormous pro-
duction, and therefore, smaller prices.
Do not think that the successful writing Of
advertisements is an undertaking interesting
to small class only. If it were it would not
attract attention in this column.
Every business man is interested in the
question. And every young man who hopes
for business success is interested in the writ
ing of advertisements. There are many
chances for young men to make success as
writers of advertisements WITHOUT good
advertising every mans chance of success is
slight inthese days.
To advertise we'll means to succeed in At
TRACING ATTENTION.
\ To give advice in regard to "judicious ad-
;vertising' is not easy. There are many
lines of success in all undertakings Per-
haps few maxims might be constructed that
would be generally useful and true in writing
advertisements. 8
First would come, in our opinion, the very
old advice from great writer to "see !,
thing clearly and describe it simply"
Clear VISION and SIMPLE description
those are the essentials of good writing, in
Guiding good advertisement writing. =
| We should suggest diffidently, also, that
too much effort at humor is not good in writ
ing advertisements. 49,.
If = man is in need Of pair of trousers or
on overcoat, he is in earnest He wants
TROUSERS and NOT a joke.
A light touch is good in all writing. But
with that general lightness Of tone there
must go solemn earnestness when the mo-
ment comes to impress the reader. We are
acquainted with a young man, a manufac-
turer of pills, whose character is not at all
romantic. His earnestness exceeds in depth
the Atlantic Ocean. He gives his pills in
gold boxes as wedding presents. He dis
tributes them at banquets. His whole soul
is in those pills. Needless to say, he
SUCCEEDS. -. 49,.
Extensive advertising is based upon the
desire and extent to establish extensive and
PERMANENT business relations with the
public. " 5.":~. W.. O.. ..&taaI4
With such purpose in view, every adver-
Using statement should have for its founda-'
ton TRUTHFULNESS. Nothing will last
that is not based on truth The advertiser is
shortsighted, a foolish investor, and future
failure ifshe begins an advertising campaign
based on falsehood> and exaggeration. Such
campaign may do for circus travelling
from town to town, or for Barnum, whose
theory was that the people love to be fooled.
They do enjoy harmless "wooly horses"
but they do NOT want cotton in their woolly
Shirts. 4 s:s.. s.,.<.a., <. .a.. =.
One of this country's most successful mer-
chants has for his sole rule, NEVER TO
PERMIT AN ADVERTISING STATEMENT
THAT is NOT TRUE. H.
Others write more brilliant advertisements
than his-but none succeed better.
Which is all we have to say about adver-
Using for the ,moment.-Washingto Times.