Improvements in Advertising.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 19th May, 1894
Improvements in Advertising.
I ALFRED CHARLES HARMSWORTH of "Elmwood," St. Peters, Kent,
Journalist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a new scheme for advertising, and has for its object the
encouragement of advertising through a novel method or system for inducing the
public to patronise certain firms advertising their goods through the agency of a
particular newspaper. The system or method which I employ is broadly as
follows:
I select a certain periodical as for example the paper called "Answers" and in
the columns of the same 1 place the information that a prize or prizes will be given
to the reader who has spent most money during a certain period in purchasing
articles from firms advertising in that paper.
In carrying out my scheme, and to prove that the articles have actually been
bought, the reader will have to obtain from the shop keeper or vendor a receipt for
the goods purchased, and these receipts will be forwarded to "Answers" as proof
of the purchase. In this manner the competition may be divided into sections as
well as one "grand competition" vic. :-A certain class or classes of articles may
be selected and the biggest purchaser in this class or classes may be awarded the
prize, or again if two or three firms or makers of similar goods are at the same
time advertising in the paper in question, a competition could be arranged to
award a prize to the largest purchaser in this particular class with one of the said
firms, or of goods supplied by one of the said firms.
This would be the means of obtaining an expression of opinion from the public
as to whose goods had most favour with the public.
These however are but details of the principal scheme, which is that the largest
aggregate purchaser of goods advertised by any firms in "Answers" shall receive
an important cash or other prize. It will readily be understood that this scheme
will apply itself to any goods whatsoever, and also be applicable to any system of
advertising by which a firm or individual seeks to obtain custom.
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As a further example, an advertiser might advertise to sell tickets for theatres,
concerts and the like, and if such tickets were purchased by a reader of "Answers
and the firm selling the same were advertising at the same time in "Answers" this
would be a fair subject for the carrying out of my invention.
The scheme may also be applied to the taking out of insurance policies of every
description, in which case the amounts paid for premium might be considered as the
value for consideration purchased.
In order to prevent any collusion either through advertising firms or other
agencies, I may elect to give the prize for certain districts or towns, or may give a
series of prizes for such districts or towns, and also as before stated the prize or
prizes may be given for a restricted class or classes of goods.
As an example in this latter method, I might divide them up as follows:-
(1) All articles of grocery or dry goods character sold by trades people known
as Italian warehousemen.
(2) Drapers' goods and all matters in connection with ladies' wearing apparel,
including millinery etc.
(3) Stationery and its kindred trades.
(4) Toilet requisites including goods sold be chomists and oilman

page_text: (5) Musical instruments of every description, and all articles relating to music
and art.
(6) Books periodicals and all relating to literature. These might be taken
separately, or together, or as before stated the competition might include all
classes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is:
J
(1) An improved system for the encouragement of advertising in periodicals of
any description, in which a prize competition is published in the paper, offering a
money or other prize to the largest purchaser or purchasers of goods advertised in
the said paper or those expending the largest sum of money with the firms
advertising in it, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
(2) An improved system for the encouragement of advertising in periodicals of
any description consisting of a prize competition to be published in the paper, in
which a set of prizes will be offered to the largest purchaser or purchasers of goods
advertised in the said paper, in the several selected classes, substantially as
described and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 17th day of April 1894.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.