The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-08-19
ADVERTISING Is
PROVED BY
BANKERS
Entrance into Field Helped to
Develop Personal Touch
In Copy.
BY RICHARD HATToN

Possibly the greatest influence in
the business life Of the country.
although it is not spectacularly adj
vertised, is the bank. Regardless of
it's location, whether in the finan-
cial center of a obscure county
seat, the bank is often the ultimate
arbiter Of the business fortunes or
the community.
Because of the interest of banks
and bankers in the business success
Of their customers 1t is not sur
prising that live officials in finan-
cial institutions, big and little. have,
Tor long time, seen the value of
well-placed advertising by merchants
and others who have commodities to
sell. sAs business men. bankers
have realized that the merchant
who does not advertise will not pros
per to the extent that his adver-
tising competitor prospers.
It is only recently, as business
years go. however, that the banker
has taken page from his own
to advertise extensively himself and,
IN this connection. 1t is interesting
to note that, having entered the adj
vertising field. the banker is taking
the lead in original ideas in that
line as he has led in other bust
ness lines for years.
Saw Need of Pull"
When the banker began to enter
the Advertising field he was quick
to sense the need for something
more vital. something with more
pull, something that had in it
more OF heart interest. than was
generally found in commercial adj
vertising. Persuasive institution
al" advertising is the way the new
type of publicity is designated in
an article in D recent issue of
'sWomen's Wear" a trade publica-
ton and it is evident from this
that the merchant is now following
the lead OF the banker in the con-
struction of his advertising matter.
The publication mentioned above
says further: The recent increas-
ing use OF institutional or prestige
advertising by the larger depart
ment stores in all pats Of the
country has served 70 bring out
the special merits u h4ch this form
OF publicity presents. Editorial
boxes occupying prominent posi-
lions in the regular merchandise
advertising space, are widely used
to present briefly but forcibly the
selling points of personal or COM
munity service which the store
offers
This form OF advertising has,
clearly. come about since the
financial institutions adopted the
plan Of advertising service and,
along with their advertising matter
gave the public that personal and
intimate picture of what a bank
means to the individual which Is
now found 50 generally in bank
advertising
Personal Element
Continuing its comment on the
personal Vehement in advertising,
"Women's Wear" says: These
heart to heart talks have been un-
dertaken. in various forms. by sew
eral Of the metropolitan department
stores. The particular aim of this
type Of advertising has been 70 en-
large the scope OF the stores service
by building up new territory, and
to maintain the present prestige OF
the store by calling its service 10
the attention Of the clientele"
Many banking institutions have
given great study TO the question Of
advertising in recent years. There
are specialists in advertising In the
staffs of many banks just as there
are specialists in other important
departments Of the bank or just as
there are advertising specialists IN
all large department stores. In both
cases great study has been given to
the psychology of advertising and
IT is a fact which is worthy Of bust
ness note that, although the bank
followed the store in awaiting itself
OF advertising as a business getter,
once 1t entered the advertising field,
it discovered and made use of new
element in publicity and the depart
ment store, in turn, followed tie
bank in developing heart interest
In advertising.
Leaving the question of the ct.
ficacy Of advertising entirely out Of
the case, there has resulted from