The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-24
SELLING YOUR TOWN

Charles F. Hatfield. of st. Louis. president OF
the community advertising division Of the Associ-
ated Advertising Clubs of the World now in session
in New Orleans. stressing the importance OF ad-
vertisng town building. said: "A city viii have
TO be treated as merchandise before it can be prop
erly sold to others" In this statement Mr. Hat
field put his finger the pulse of advertis-
ing service.
During the the newspapers literally soio
the war the people. Officials of the United states
government have been frank in acknowledging that
had IL not been the newspapers of the country,
who gave millions of dollars worth of free publicity
to the winning of the and to the united and
loyal censorship voluntarily maintained which sue
ceeded keeping government secrets throughout
the hostities victory would not have crowned our
arms
Going back to M. Hatfields statement, attention
might the fact that the publicity given
the war was good publicity, because 1t was con-
structvie. There plenty of things that the
newspapers might have found fault with. and now
then. when necessary to the success of the war;
pointed out. But general policy,
the newspapers took for their motto: MY coun-
try right wrong" They stood back of the Uni
ted States government, in spite of some mistakes
They back OF the soldiers, strong home-line
defense. and backed them to the limit They stood
back Of navy and the various boards and drives
They got the good OF these things and they
heralded these things to the world, they pointed
out the benefits and they overlooked some of the
drawbacks because they not aware of
structive lines and there so much that was
good over-shadowed that which was bad.
American soldiers were the best. American goods
the best, American inventions and ships and
ammunition the best that the world had ever
known. The newspapers believed these things and
they made the people believe them But they did
than this they literally created, with printers
ink. and made prophecy take form in Literally truth
Psychology demonstrated it's power, as
during the world war. And 1t is still demonstrating
today Paradoxical as it may seem. during the war
the thought forces were constructive. men and
keyed to their best. The war brought
out that which highest else accumulated that
which lowest-there was no middle ground And
there much of that which was high
than OF that which low. that the highest stan
dards OF civilization were reached.
The war was a good thing and it sold be-
il good thing, and it was a good thing
because the faith that was in us forced us TO put
best goods shelves, and to show the
world that there nothing higher than Amer
lean manhood. nothing finer consecrated
than American womanhood, nothing of such COM
value American goods and no legal ten
der like American dollars
And IL is going TO take this same spirit to make
a community. is going take the spirit.
translated into every day commercial life, to make
any American community what it ought to be.
hereafter. Through printers ink, the people have
come TO realization of what may be accomplished.
through community spirit. They have seen drive
after drive the top. in spite of the few
knockers and grouches. And their have been
dollar comes back. They have heard stories of graft
and corruption but they have found that IN spite of
the way some the money misspent. that
through the spending IL put into circulation
and has made for prosperity
But. best or all. the American people have found
that OF the money they gave in these drives
was well spent. back TO them I'm many
ways-in stronger men. in more trade. mt home and
abroad-it has returned them dollar for dollar.
and many times they have found their dollars null
tiplied many times
All the country communities are taking the
lessons OF the TO heart They have not stopped
building. And unless continue to build. shall
not be able 20 SELL We got look
city much merchandise. And have got
TO that goods shop worn. that they
well displayed. and. above all. have got
meet the competition OF the other fellow.
For we are not alone in ambitions sell
town. "A town is about the only thing that you can
sell and continue to own. and the you sell
the more you The people come buy
the they will have buy and. better still.
the they will have buy with.
Community advertising cheapest invest
any city make. town must first
have something for sale. The with natural
advantages which is not a big town. is simply a
town that has not been sold. The way it to
let people know about 1t. If the goods real IL
the merchandise is what 1t is represented to be,
they will buy. unless the community like TIE
merchant who let's his goods get shop-v-orn, fails
to appreciate the Importance OF the turn over
and allows his goods TO get of Then no
matter how good his merchandise rlay be the COM
rctitor who knows how display his goods will
eat the bulk OF the trade.