New-York tribune., 1922-01-25
Opposes Bankers s
Control of Ads
OF His Debtors
Guy Emerson Holds tits Not
Lenders Job TO Pass on
Advertising Policy Of
Borrowers; Explains View

Inc Importance Of advertising from
the bankers point of view is discussed
IN an article by Guy Emerson in "Thc
Commerce Monthly" for February, is
sued by the National Bank Of Com
mcrcc. Advertising progress, Mr.. Em-
crson says. "will depend upon the basis
proht producing Importance Of adver-
tislnS as determined by the incxorablo
opcration of economic laws and on the
doWnright human ability and integrity
With which advertising men build upon
tnc basic opportunity which is present
cd to thcm.' Discussing tho size and
importance of the business, Mr.. Emer-
son writes:
"undoubtcdly as the Importance Of
the great business Of advertising be
comes moro accurately defined. bankers
will understand it, in its broad outlines,
their work TO understand the funda-
mcntals Of all vital branches Of bust
ness. The magnitude of the business
Of advertising and the Importance it
plays IN producing profits cnttc it to
serious consideration. But the bank
ers function in determining either the
whether or the how much of Gus
toner's advertising appropriation rare
ly is, and rarely will be, a dominating
one. 1t will be Increasingly necessary
Tor bankers to understand, in general
terms. the size and Importance of the
advertising business.
"ln many instances. too, bankers will
need to know something Of advertising
IN detail, as applied to the needs of
specific lines of business Rut the po-
sition taken in this article is that,
broadly speaking, it is not, and never
VIII be, the bankers job to pass upon
the advertising policy of the comp panics
to which his bank is lending money.
at is becoming more and more COM
mon for bankers to regard radical
cutting down of an advertising ex-
penditure with close attention. The
sharp reduction in the advertising of
nationally distributed articles, the
regulations of which were apparently
so firmly established that nothing could
affect them adversely, has been FOL-
lowed so regularly by heavy falling
oil il sales that the need for caution
III such cases is widely recognized.
The banker is coming to realize that
pubic interest is not necessarily a per
maneDt possession. Ii can be won onlv
by skillful competition in world
where every device is modified to win
the notice and stimulate the action of
the average man or woman, from the
hour of rising in the morning til! the
hour of retiring at night. The morn
ing mail is full OF circulars: selling
appeal fills the newspapers and maya
zines. the billboards, the streetcars
and the shop windows as one goes to
work and returns in the evening
ITO win a place in the crowded and
bcsiegcd mind of the modern man is
not equivalent to holding such Il place.
1t is more like creating melody which
DrOSnpct.
bly, Forgets. 1t must be played and re
played. or other melodies Will take its
place. Not even the greatest corpora
tion or tho most popular product can
hope to build up I. reputation which
will Of its own force endure. The his
tory of advertising is filled with strik
ing proofs OF human forgetfulness.
"The forward looking banker will be
glad to see the advertising spccialist4
sounder business which we hope will
replace the moro slashing and waste
ful periods Of the past. But the bank
er's attitude. while important, will not
be the controlling influence in adycr-
Using progress. The predominant re-
lationship will always be that of the
advertising man to the business exec
urlve And. more fundamental still.
the business Of advertising will not
progress or decline because business
men or bankers, or any other group.
prefer to smile or frown upon it.
''lts prosperity or the reverse will
depend, first, upon the basic profit-pro-
ducing Importance Of advertising as
determined by the ineXorable operation
Of economic laws; and, second upon the
downright human ability and integrity
with which advertising men build upon
the basic opportunity which is present