The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-07-22

are MADE generally KnOWH-IloW ACTUALLY
to inform people so that they will act
The discoveries made are far-reaching
in their meaning for us now and in the long
future. Much has already been learned.
More remains to be discovered. Already,
informed statesmen recognize in advertis-
ing one of the great forces through which
millions and tens of millions of people can
be persuaded to act in unity and common
end
For essentially advertising is the art of
persuasion. Persuasion lis the oldest and
still the most valuable of all the weapons
of statesmen. When Julius Caesar got am
bilious he went to Greek teacher of rhe-
toric to learn ingratiating speech. Mr..
Churchill, best of the moderns, talks in the
same tradition.
Advertising has not always kept such
good company. When Barnum was crea-
ting sacred white elephants with can of
paint, advertising had some of the charact-
er of trollop. There are still people in
Washington, and elsewhere who think
that nothing, including advertising has
changed.
In Washington they are the people who
think that advertising is just an extra and
wholly unnecessary expense added to the
cost of living. What they have never learn
ed is that the high American standard of
living and, in truth, the mighty industrial
machine of America, is today the hope of
of o<1x
Using.
For the American standard of living is
founded on mass production. Advertising
created the active desires that made posi-
BILE national markets. The needs of national
markets gave rise to the vast factories that
have become our help and our refuge in
this terrific struggle. Without advertising,
our productive capacity would be only
small fraction of what it is today.
Good men and bad men have adver-
tised Sound products and shoddy pro-
ducts have been brought to the attention
of the people. The businesses that grew
great through advertising, however, pro-
duced honest commodities. Anything
widely known has to be good if it is to sur
vive. No amount of advertising will per-
suade people long to accept poor product
or a wrong idea
Not even all business men have under
stood the meaning of the advertising force
they were using Some of the consumer
spokesman have been hostile thinking that
if advertising were eliminated the cost of
toothbrush or a motorcar or a life-insur-
ance policy would be so much the less.
There was never a more mischievouS falla-
cy since Aesop wrote his fables. Cut out
advertising and you have severed the spi-
nal column of the national markets-the
source and motive force of Americas pro-
ductive energies.
Yes, this magazine derives it's revenues
largely from advertising and so we are an
interested witness. There's no denying
that An interested witness, if alert can,
however, give faithful record and an hon
est Interpretation.
Consider the facts for yourself. Like
many other human activities, advertising
has developed and progressed, remarkably,
during recent years. It is an art, not
science, and it is an art based on some very
imperfect sciences. In its present uses adj
vertising borrows the techniques of some
of the social sciences - psychology, sta
tistics and such. These are not perfect
Nor are the graphic arts that the advertiser
also USES
But make no mistake, advertising has
arrived in this war Our government fac
es problem - initiation, for exemple. In
such matter the interests of every separ-
ate group are in conflict with out interest,
as whole people.
How are we going to behave and vote?
AS members of small groups, farmers, un-
ioniSts merchants manufacturers? Or as