New-York tribune., 1919-02-11
Advertising
A" address by George Ethrido,
president of the Sphinn Club

4 DFERTlS1NG, as We know if 70 =
n is merely at the Threshold os ="
more daring and wonderful things. Th;.
infinitely great power that we knor.
advertising now occupies a posif;on
trust and honor. 1t is meshed with
national progress 1t moves the oroos.
the world from many counters 1t cement.
trade friendships 1t is the arbiter of 49,.
merce and the interpreter of indpst.;.,
growth.
1t represents millions of dollars in .o+..,
money. 1t gives life blood to that c;...
press whose magazines and newsns;ou
educate our people. 1t keeps mon :.
machines and the harrow in the sol !.
is mans able, generous. always denend.h,.
ally. Perhaps we have never given adyo,
tlslng its full quota of credit or awaxs
We have accepted it with matter of e..
indifference, as one accepts light. heat A..
planets or life itself
For advertising has been of sneear
growth. There was period when ovo,
wise men looked upon it as an adventns.
IN squandering. Manufacturers emnloroa
advertising under protest. They toleratoa
it as a sort of pretty luxury. Who oan
ever put into historic form the struoolo.
advertising men have had to convince
clients that they should advertise? Ii would
make strenuous reading, | said that I'd
vertlsing had been of speedy growth.
mean exactly that. 1t is only within tbo
last dozen years that its impetus hiss
amounted to professionalism
There were few magazines and few s;zo
BILE accounts. We can recall when soso
campaign, using full pages was looked
upon with mingled amazement and admirs.
tlon. A full page to sell cake of soan'
1t seemed Incredible, And now
now like an avalanche of optimism. the man
who makes things and the man who knows
how to create the demand for them meet o,
footing of mutual confidence and respect.
1t is no longer difficult to sell the basic
idea of advertising.
1t has gotten past the will-o'-thewisp
stage. Advertising, while not an exact
science, is certainly an approved one. work
ing out its own trade destiny to the tune Of
clicking cash registers When merchant
doubles his sales and his factory space
after an experiment with advertising. he
cares little whether you call it science or
not. He likes the medicine and cries for
more.
Finally came war. AS far flung as were
our fighting fronts, just so far scattered
were the splendid ramifcatons of advertis
ing. Illustration and text did some of the
fighting and don't forget that Eyen some
famous generals have conceded that Ad
vertising sold the humanitarian idea of this
war to America. Advertising provided the
money to carry it on. Advertising called
the men from their fresides and set them
to marching in khaki.
Advertising fed them and clothed them
and kept up their morale Advertising car
rled the very spirit of God into their hearts
when they were SO far from their homes
so poignant that it seemed as if there was
no divine spirit in all the troubled uni
verse. Advertising used President Wilson's
memorable words as text, and sought
verts not alone here. but in Europe Ad
vertising sold the principles of humanity
Justice and democracy TO many nations
under the most adverse conditions. It was
the greatest advertising campaign the
world ever knew and it brought home the
bacon