The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-15
Florida Press Opinion
WHY BANKS SHOULD ADVERT ;sE
miami Metropolis).


miami Metropolis).
A banker from Ohio town told the Metropolis
a year ago that he had never known banks in
a small Miami do the extensive business
done by Miami banks. They seem to have
established themselves in the confidence of the peo-
pie in wonderful degree" he said. and / an
studying the situation in order to apply the knowl-
edge I get to my home town.
We have wondered how much he did carry back
that sleepy Ohio town which is all Of a hundred
years old and grown only by the addition of the
families of the children of the first inhabitants
The has a weekly newspaper but the towns
people buy daily paper from neghboring city
their news. And in that city newspaper they
read attractive advertisements of the city banks
and patronize those banks when they GO
into the city for their shopping. which is another
regular habit the inhabitants af that town They
buy "the satin for their gowns in the city and the
hooks eyes" of their home merchants
So this banker finds that accounts don't grow
tensively nor new patronage come very noticeably
to the bank that he serves president, but we
doubt if it occurred to him that his bank, as
we'll those city banks could bring notice and
patronage from his townspeople by intelligent. sys-
tematic unceasing invitations for patronage, ex-
tended through the advertising columns Of tina,
weekly newspaper.
Writing this very subject, DIR. Frank Crane
has explained why banks should advertise He has
summed it up in an excellent article and we are
going to republish it here, and send marked copy
of the editorial to friend the Ohio banker. DR.
Crane writes:
Banks ought to advertise They need it as much
as do theaters, groceries and clothing Who
ever has something to sell ought let the people
know it. bank has service to SELL
The more people informed of it, the bus
mess it does the larger s field of usefulness
and the greater its profits.
The day is past when advertising, any kind of ad-
vertising, was deemed undignfied. 1t is no longer
wise for bank directors refuse advertising
fear the public will think their institution is n
sound and crying for money.
Advertising does not mean that you are trying 20
fool the people, to lure them into sort shell
game. In fact, every reputable newspaper discoun-
tenances that sort of thing. Newspapers do the
best they to protect their readers against fraud
Newspapers are becoming more and more the rec
ognized vehicle sound honest and straight busi-
ness That's what the advertising columns of a
newspaper are-news about business, just in the
other columns you find news about society, politics
and the like.
silent partner of every going concern. Its pros
perity is impossible without general prosperity It's
spells trouble for every merchant
on the street.
to They Bank Advertising Plans" Two
Points for Financial Advertising" and
Talks Thrift"
If the banker will make use of these books plan a
campaign of intelligent newspaper pub
Iicity and carry it out, he will good harvest
for his efforts.
The newspaper is established institution in ev-
cry community. So is the bank. AS town
has postoffice, general store, church, and school
house, somebody starts newspaper; then somebody
opens bank. Both are primal necessities.
Why should they not work together?
Men naturally turn to the paper to what is
going, what the business opportunities, where
and what buy sell.
It's columns the streets of the town. The
banks single ought to be hung the street.
Without extravaganza without overstatement.
without tomfoolery in sensible. manly way the
Further, he ought, by judicious and shrewd sug-
gestion to show the people the advantage of having
a bank account, the other they make of a
bank, and the general good that cooperation with
bank may do them.
Fred w. Ellsworth, of the Guaranty Trust Conn
pany of New York, has published three little pam
phlets which imagine may be had for the asking,
or at least for pittance, that contain mighty
rational and up-to-date ideas how the bank can
use the newspaper They are. why Banks Should
Advertise" The Bank and the Newspaper" and
Does Bank Advertising Pay
bank ought to be conservative and dignified
But that is not enough. It ought also to be wide
awake alert to seize and a idea, and to
adopt it if it is found valuable.
A bank isla quasi-pubiic affair. It ought shrewdy
and consistently to cultivate the public.