The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1918-07-25


above all else, that would compel at
tention.
He knew that Londoners have a |
weakness for art. The average Lon
doner will waste half his time going
down the Strand-or improve it
stopping to view the crayons and
watercolors and sketches in the shop
windows. A beautiful picture, an
artistic drawing, a clever cartoon,
will get an audience any time in old
London town. So Selfridge started
out to do something big in the
artistic line.
He ascertained the names of the
leading black-andwhite artists of
the English capital. He got in
touch with the foremost artists of
the day-the men who had made
Punch, and the Graphic, and Illus
trated News, and other great illus
,trated periodicals famous the world
over. He got in touch with other
artists. Then he set them to turn
ing out the finest drawings they were
capable of.
London Falls"
London fell. London, though not
in hurry about it, casually dropped
around Oxford way if that happened
to be between any points to be visited
that day. Many, no doubt, came to
scoff, but remained-to pay! Like
wild turkeys following a trail of corn
to trap, they were shy and walked
around good bit before venturing
| in.
But once they yentured in, the old
American department store system
scored-delivered the goods, dollar
for dollar; quality service; courteous
treatment; making every word good;
every line of the advertisement
solemn contract between the store
and the purchaser; refunding with a
smile when it was requested; no
trouble to show goods; whether pur-
chasing or not as welcome as the sun
shine; a cordial welcome on every
foot of the floor space; a come
again. smile that was on the square
and not lure; the building up of
that big family spirit of mutual
helpfulness, and the understanding,
and sympathy; and the quality of
the wares that spoke most eloquently
in service.
Buyers Crowd Store.
Today the drawings of the artists
who made London stop and look at
the Selfridge ads are shown in the
art stores. Copies are sent to all
quarters of the world. And after
confidence in the store was firmly
established there was no further
need of the artists. The page adver-
tisements of wares were all-sufficient.
And the more Selfridge piled his
money into page ads the greater be-
came the volume of business and the
larger the Selfridge family of buyers.
There was another little stunt in
applied psychology that won out
big. The Selfridge wisemen realized
that London couldn't get out of bed
and enjoy breakfast without the
leader" article in the morning news
papers. So Selfridge copyrighted
the line: "By Callisthenes." And
Callisthenes began writing leaders" :"
For five years these leaders" have
been appearing in the Evening Stand
ard, Pail Mall Gazette, Westminster
Gazette and Globe. At the head Of
the column for these five years has
appeared a little editors note, read
ing as follows:
"Note.-This column is occupied
every day by an article rejecting the
policies, principles and opinions Of
this house Of business upon various
points of public interest.
"Selfridge & Co., Ltd"
These leaders," brilliantly writ
ten, were paid for at special adver-
tising rates, and they were "some"
rates. London will read brilliant
article on any subject, just as Lon
don will praise poem if it Is up to
their standard of brilliancy, regard
less of the subject treated, They
will stick for form.
Rivals Finally Wake Up.
Selfridge has taught London that
there is nothing commonplace or un-
worthy in advertising and publicity.
He has made it pay big, and has
dignified it. He has outstripped
those in the same business who
frowned on the vulgar" system of
exploiting ones wares through ad-
vertising.
Now all London is trying to catch
up with him-and there is little ad-
vertising space to be had by the lag
CARDS, owing to war economies.
Selfridge has the cream Of it.
OF present conditions Mr.. Sell
fridge says:
"The business man who fails to
realize that right now-in wartime
he should drive ahead with his ad-
vertising at greater speed than ever
before has overlooked a golden op-
portunity. At no time in the history
of our hug nasa here has advert n q