Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-22
RICHARD e. NORTON
On Welfare Drive Slogans

IF THE people of Philadelphia take as
= much relative interest in the drive of the
Welfare Federation as they are taking in
the suggesting of slogan for it, the drive
will go lover the top within few days of
its beginning, according to Richard e. Nor
ton, chairman of the Publicity Committee
of the organization.
'Our slogan competition has certainly been
a great success thus far" said Mr.. Norton
in discussing the drive and the methods
which will be employed In assuring its sue
cess. Zone thing which makes the enormous
number of answers to our appeal all the
more gratifying is the fact that there is no
prize offered; simply the selection of the
slogan.
Many Excellent Suggestions
"Of the slogans offered thus far there
have been many which are excellent, and
as time goes on they are coming from farther
and farther away. Up to the present time
there has been something like $500 sugges-
tions received. On the first day that an
swers were received they came entirely from
Philadelphia or the district 80 closely sur
rounding 1t that they may be considered to
have come from the city. But now the field
has broadened, until this morning sugges-
tions came from Wilkes Barre, Scranton,
Williamsport and some even from the west
ern part of the State.
But, after all, the creation Of successful
slogan Is no easy matter. The main slogan
for any campaign must crystallize In the
fewest words possible the fundamental OBJ
ject of the drive, with the reasons why peo-
pie should support It.
"The appeal of really worth while slo-
gan is very great. I might likcn it almost
to the text of a minister. 1t must contain
the meat of all that he is going to say in
his sermon, but must necessarily be told in
a very few words.
A Difficult Task
1.-THE difficulty in concocting good slogan
lies in the fact that so much must be told
IN so few words. That. the authorities say,
is the secret of real art in writing. This
may be as it may, but 1t is certainly the
secret in getting up an effective slogan.
''In regard to the slogan of the Welfare
Federation. we hrst have grouping to-
gcther of most of the charitable and philan-
thropic organizations Of the city; and Sec
ond unifcation of effort in raising money
to support these organizations. The win
ming slogan must bring out clearly both of
these ideas, and this is not easy TO do in
there. but 1t must be expressed in a terse
but clear manner which will both attract
and appeal
The Success OF q Slogan
1T Is almost an equally difficult matter
10 say why some slogans will catch the
public fancy, while others, which seem in
trinsically to be just as effective, will not
attract any attention at all. But the real
thing In the way of slogans must have a
heart tl,rob to It as well az TO make per-
fectly clear the fundamental purpose of the
campaign.
Nor is the value of a successful slogan
overestimat ted. Many things have come to
be considered essential parts of q campaign
such as the one upon which we are enter
ing. when In reality they might be dis
pensed with, but good slogan certainly
launched and II 1t takes with the public,
II is soon on the lips OF every one, and thus
much of the initial work of campaign,
upon which 10 much depends. is successfully
accomplished 1t contains the whole essence
of the work which is to he done and II pavcs
the way for the real work Of obtaining sub
scriptions which comes later.
The Text Of the Campaign
The slogan which Is ultimately selected
will be the text of the campaign. 1t is true
that it will be supported by q number of
secondary slogans, and there have been so
many good suggestions sent In already that
this secondary selection should not be so
difficult. However, the committee Will have
very hard work to choose the best one as
the text slogan.
The plan which We shall follow in cboos-
Ing the best on" will be about as follows:
Four or FIVE Of the best ones will be selected
by Mr.. KingSlcv. Mr.. Ludlow and tho mem.
bers of the Publicity Committee and these
will be submitted to the Executive Commit
tee for final decision. As much time ms NAV
be necessary and the best thought of every.
to this task, for all Of us realize It's impor-
tance;