Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-29
The Art And
Strategy of Ads.
By Frederic ]. Hnskin.
by Frederic j. Hnskin.

New York, June 29.---You have doubt
less heard great deal about the scienoc
of advertising; but the nd that really cap
tlvatcs you--the one that sends you down
town 70 n store or sets you 10 scribblinR
check--is primarily "A work Of art man
ipulated by master strategist.
This reflection is prompted by en- in
spection Of what IL doubtless the finest
achievement for newspaper advertising
that America has yet produced. IL Is
q sort OF textbook on advertising by the
newspapers, for tho newspapers and Of
the newspapers. Six Of the oountry's
leading dailies set their best adv
men to the making of this book and these
men devoted large part of their time 10
it for year. The book is in two parts.
One OF them sets forth the strategy Of
advertising appeal, and the other, printed
on newspaper and in newspaper size,
shows ideal ads Of every kind Of com
modify.
These enterprising newspapers propose
to place this hook IN the hands OF every
one OF their advertisers, so that each OF
them shall always have at hand an artistic
and effective model for any kind of ad he
wants to publish. The object is TO get
the advertiser better results for the space
used, 10 show the public more attractive
and interesting advertising pages, and to
establish the newspaper as an advertising
medium of the highest quality.
This book, Of course, is not intended
for the genersl public. 1t is a book for
circulation strictly within the trade.
But there is none-the-less a great deal m
1T that will interest the general public.
NEARLY BILLION roR ADS.
II will interest you, for example, 10
know that in 1919 no less than $500
100000 was spent in this country IN adj
vertising, and that newspapers got just
about half Of itthat is, about as much
as all other mediums put together II
will also interest you 20 know that there
are ], 1862 merchants in the United
States, which means that about one in
every hundred Of us is trying 30 sell some
thing 10 the rest Of us, aud usually through
this powerful medium of advertising
Now this great machine of distribution,
which supplies nearly all Of your wants,
Is fnr from working perfectly. A major
ity Of these million merchants never make
good. Watch any little corner store
You will notice that il changes hands
again and sgain One man tries grocery
store, runs it until his capital is exhausted
moves out and makes room for cigar
Htoft. ludtt ttts Eufi1 lDF WfiitE ana
delicatessen steps in Most Of these
men do not 60 bankrupt; they simply
fail to get a large enough share Of the
trade TO keep them going and have to
sell out.
All Of these failures and quasi-failurep |
represent waste And, in the opinion Of /
the experts, they represent avoidable /
waste. These men fail because they do /
not understand their business. And one /
excellent proof that they do not under /
stand it is found IN the ads which they /
send to the newspapers. These ads are /
often ill-timed and ill-Clesigned; they /
neglect every principle OF the art and /
strategy of advertising. 1t il primarily f
10 help these little fellows that this I
book has been gotten out. /
The secret Of success for them is a quick /
turnover of goods, and a quick turnover I
can undoubtedly be achieved by effective I
advertising.
ADS MUST BE SMALLER.
Nearly all newspapers nowadays are
forced 10 give each of their customers
less space thar formerly because Of the
OF paper, and that makes the
effective use of space more important
than ever before.
There is no room here TO discuss all
the problems of art In advertising that
are discussed in this book-the use of
white space and of borders, the question
of atmosphere, the uses of humor and Of
suspense, the value of continuity. All Of
these are considered and AL Of them are
illustrated by sample ads which prove a
newspaper ad can be a thing Of beauty.
More interesting TO the average reader
is the strategy OF advertising. You have
no idea how closely the astute advertiser
watches events and how quickly he seizes
upon any opportunity which they offer.
W hen the BARRIERS struck in a certain citv.
a safety razor manufacturer put full-page
ads in the papers of that city by tele-
graph. Robberies. elections, fires, strikes,
fads, storms, all create similar opportuni-
ties which the advertiser may seize TO his
profit if he is wide-awake. Here, Of course.
the newspaper is supreme as a medium
because an ad may be published the same
iav it is written.
The habits Of the people-what they
10 on each day of the week-ale also the
subject of close study by the advertiser
who knows his business. Monday is wash
lay almost everywhere, and is therefore
the day to advertise washing machines.
soaps, soap powders, and all other things
hat wash day brings into use. Thursday
S generally the cooks day out all over the