The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-04
ent publicity is the final ingredient in
the potent mixture.
PTTILESs PUBLICITY NEEDED

| Publicity is, an easy word. II SOUNDS
so simple that many people do not take
it seriously. But it is one of the big
gcst words in the English language. II
has made and unmade statesmen, it has
! made and unmade governments. it has
made and unmade giant industrial com.
! binatione. -advertising-is
the Thor Of modern civilization. And
| just as the thunder god of the old Morse
mythology made the valleys and plains
by the strokes of his giant hammer, so
publicity in this day makes its mark
upon the affairs of this old world and
shapes the thought and moulds the
opinions of all men.
IF it were given to me to- provide
the plan for advertising the public
utilities of this state | would proceed
substantially as follows:
First: A series of conferences be-
tween the executive heads and all en-
ploycs of the various utilities. At these
conferences the public relations policy
of the corporation would be discussed
in detail, having as the objective the
thorough understanding of the execu-
tives and their subOrdinatcs in their
cantact with their patrons. These rep
rcsentaiivcs of the public utility coz
porations should be thoroughly sold to
the idea that they are the corporation
so far as the local patrons are con-
ccrned and they should never miss an
opportunity TO talk over with their pa
irons some of the problems of the com
pany. You know. the man does not live
who is not flaticred when he is con-
suited about the other fellows prob
lens. As nearly as possible. every Gus
toner or possible customer should be
made to feel that he knows, in an in
timatc and personal way, something
about the difficulties, the ambitions,
the plans of the public utility. These sug
gestions with lot of men who know next
10 nothing about your business may
seem trivial and the time so employed
all but wasted. But | am reminded Of
the story of Horace Greeley that often
he read some of his more perplexing
editorials to the office boy and talked
over the points he wished to put over
and Horace Greeley in his day was con-
sidered a pretty good editorial writer.
HOW TO ADVERTISE
Having prepared the way for bet
ter public relations through the local
executives and their subordinates, there
should be a series of advertisements
and circulars and pamphlets prepared
in harmony with the work of the men
who have contact with the public. These
should set forth with
frankness and fairness the things that
the utility is doing for the public, the
it hopes to make, the diff
ficulties that must be overcome, the
as to rates and methods, and !
the many other items concerning the
ownership, managemer4, service, etc,
in which the people may be interested
and in becoming interested they have
DeCOme 10 SOIHc eAtcHt dt lCdSt,
ably inclined toward the company.
"The advertising matter so prepared
should be given to the various corpora
tions to be used either as prepared OF
merely as suggestions to aid the indi- |
vidual executive in the preparation OF
his own copy. Where possible the ad-
yertising matter should be localized
made to fit the peculiar conditions that
attend the particular corporation. |
Each utility company should set aside a
certain percentage of its gross income
for advertising. The money spent for
advertising is recognized as a proper
expense item and may be figured into
the costs of operation.
Il do not know how much of the an
nual gross earnings of public service
company should be appropriated for
but if the utility corpora
ton follows the practice of other CON-
merciaI institutions the percentage will
be from 3 per cent to per cent Of the
annual gross earnings.
NEWSPAPER BEST MEDIUM
This campaign should be long con-
tinucd. Ii is the constant advertiser
who gets returns. Hundreds of thou
sands of dollars are wasted annually in
his country by the sporadic advertiser.
Either get into the game right, spend
your money so that it gets results, or
stay out and save your money. Hum
dreds of thousands of dollars are
wasted annually in advertising because
he copy is not well prepared and be-
cause the campaigns are not long
enough continued. Don't allow your
,elyes to believe that the copy Of your
can be written hurriedly
it is a message from you to your Gus
omers and to those who may become
your customers, and i costs money.
while there are many methods OF
all of them more or less
good believe the newspaper offers
he cheapest and best medium for your
And | believe the display
is by far the most eff
lent form that may be used. In recent
years the display advertisement has
,ome into its own because of its sheer
merit. 1t appeals to the reader in
ght-forward man fashion that car
les conviction. Time was when the ad-
,er,iser believed he must disguise his