The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-08-06
"A Reprint from the Chicago Tribune

A Reprint from the Chicago Tribune
On Aug. 5, 1914, the day after war was de-
clared, increased our advertising space. From
that tday1 lave been buying all the advertising
space available. would do more advertising
today if could get the space: ~
I'VE are limited only by the limitations of
the newspapers. We are taking right now ev-
cry inch they will give us and at rates that
would make us in the States turn somersaults
and fall over backwards.
Il am paying at the rate of 81 per agate
line for display space right now. will take
more space if they will give it to me and at
that rate. I probably will pay more before the
war is ove> But l will take all they will give:
The first four months Of this year have been
the biggest four months in our history. This
growth has come because we have forced it. At
the beginning of this year we were the six
teenth largest house Of the kind in the world.
At thu" end Of this year we will be thessixth.
Within two years after the new store build
ingais completed we will be first. n,
..zs;4s Ads Shatter Traditions
"A big factor-a very big factor-in this
record has been and will continue td be news
paper advertising. We never could have broken
through these traditions over here without it.
We had to use all we could to break down preju-
dices. We made people stop, look and listen.
J s2s
We now talk to millions Of people every day
through our advertising columns, and they be-:
lieve in u.s. trust us, respond to that advertis-
ing quickly and continue to- be our customers
in all kinds of weather. The large business
enterprise that is not going the limit in adver-
Using just now is making huge mistake
4 Now, more than, at any other time, it is
necessary to push the display advertising If
retrenchments appear necessary they should De
made in every other department but the pub
licity one-the newspaper advertising one.
These prices they are soaking us now for space
are simply awful-but III take more space if
they will give it to me-
American Store in London
The foregoing statement was made by Harry
Gordon Selfridge. dropped in at the Oxford
street store the other day to have chat on
business and the effect the war was having on
great mercantile establishments of this char
acter People here refer to the Selfridge store
as the miracle store" and the brilliant bust
ness romance +
The store has had truly brilliant career.
Mr.. Selfridge achieved what all his friends and
all London told him impressiyely was impossi-
ble-the establishment in the heart of London's
great drapery district of q typical American
department store of huge size. They told him
land proved it to him to their satisfaction
that he would lose every dollar he intended
putting into it. They endeavored by every kind
Of discussion to have him see the light and
return to America before he had to borrow the
price of steerage ticket.
Advertising Is Secret
rs Today they still marvel. They can't UNDER
stand it. Perhaps if Mr.. Selfridge were to
answer why he fooled everybody and made him
self the merchant prince of London in a few
years, and had to compress his answer into one
word. he might truthfuly reply:
Advertising"
That is, it was the judicious and intelligent
publicity that brought the store to the people
of London. His greatest task was to get in
touch with the purchasing public. He found a
stone wall of tradition opposing him. lnnova-
tons, particularly. from America made no APP
peal Then he turned on London searchight
Of newspaper advertising that stands in the rec
ord one Of the most expensive and brilliant
pages in mercantile publicity.
Invests Huge Sums
He began spending money as if he had the
Bank of England back of him. He realized that
the London populace might not gasp in won
derment at small advertisement extolling the
merits of silk stocking. He realized that he
had to do something on a big scale, and some
thing above all else, that would compel atten-
ton.
He knew that Londoners have weakness for
art The average Londoner.M will waste half his
4 time going down the St7aKd-6r improve Tt