Evening star., 1919-09-21

quirements Of large importance; to
combine all this artistically and con-
vincingly. Originality and boldness
in expression are frequently resorted
to in order to increase efficiency and
power. The preparation OF advertis-
ing copy is an art Of the highest sort.
+
The difficulties of properly translat.
ing advertisements are so varied, Mr.
=. Aviles points out. that
Translation he feels Justified in
asserting that none
'oAouS. should be subjected to
a translation. Even an adaptation Of
the English original might be def
cient, he says. A safe method to fol-
low in order to prepare advertising
matter for periodicals circulating in
Latin American countries is to en-
trust the work to Latin American
advertising expert sufficiently con-
Versant with the English language to
understand and absorb the literature
published in English relative to the
line advertised. The effects of ad-
Vertising are purely psychological, he
the mentality of the reader; to create
favorable impression; to induce him
60 address certain manufacturer,
and no other, for details and prices
on the article wanted. Is it. then,
reasonable to expect that an adver-
tisement prepared by some one totally
ignorant of the mental peculiarities of
another race. written in foreign
language, and almost literally trans
lated, will carry that force of persua-
sion and expression that all advertis-
ing should carry? he asks.
The industrial development of the
United States proves the success of
specialization. Since the introduction
or American products in foreign
countries demands an intelligent and
and persistent advertising campaign,
1t would seem well to gather suitable
material for the formation of a corps
OF advertising specialists in order ef-
fectively to reach merchants and con-
sumers. classes and masses. in the
Latin American countries.
But the Judgment even of the wise
men differs-some being idealists and
extremists. others tax
Differing ing a more middle
rra.,z... course of thought and
action. In this con-
nection tribute is paid to the adapta-
oility and genius of the American ad-
vertising man, by Carl Herkimer
Greene Of the Federal Export Corpo-
ration. in the proceedings of the fifth
national foreign trade convention.
He also had especially in mind the
Latin American field, where the
united States foreign trader goes up
against the keenest buyers on earth,
put where the people have not been
as thoroughly educated to advertising
as we have. He finds that the most
successful export advertisements have
been written in simple. informative
style-something akin to those ad-
vertisements in the back pages of old
pound volumes of Harpers. Such ad-
vertisements. tell more. OF what the
product will do than OF how it is
made; they do not claim more for the
goods than they will Accomplish; and
there fs' no spirit OF superiority or
condescensfon in them.
Some men say that American ad-
vert1sements cannot be translated
into Spanish, Mr.. Green explains, but
says ne has found that those who
never had much experience in adver-
tising: One might as well insist that
the "Rubafyat" lacks interest when
done in English, or that King James
tfanslators failed to put over the
idea of the Bible, Any good idea, he
says. well conceived in the fifst place,
can be presented in another language
with equal force. It depends on the
translator. and in this case he must
be able to put American pep" into
spanish punch" One OF the best
advertising campaigns that was ever
run ia Latin America, in. his opinion,
was the collaboration of an American
ad writer. an American artist and a
Spanish ':'alesman, and that campaign
is still bringing big returns to the
manyfacturer., for whom it was ,pre-
. y,.: :-..''-s..s,, 4 &+::s 1920
There Is no doubt but that the
American advertising profession can
d u at itself