Year: 1878

A LECTURE ON ADVEKTlSlNGs Where n Man Can Advertise to Advanta9e.-

 The Newspaper the Only Proper Medium

 for Advertising.

 Writing of advertising few days ago, says the New York World, we classed under that general head, though in different categoriess the announce ments that merchant makes of his busi- ness in the newspapers or through other mediums, and the efforts he makes to attract customers by the location or deco ration of his store or the characteristics of its service. We should then have dwelt upon one or two points connected with newspaper advertising whereon too many advertisers are ignorant or in- credulous. The first is that no expendi- ture for advertising, however judicious or lavish, will create or improve trade without the advertisers cooperation. He may fill columns with announce ments of the superior quality and cheap ness of his goods, but unless those goods are low-priced and excellent his money will be wasted. To paraphrase Dr. Johnson, the newspaper brings cus- toners to his store, but cannot be-ex pected to make them buy goods. That is his part of the business, and if he does not discharge it faithfully he has only been building 8 costly system of water-works to be fed from an arid rock. To this cause may be attributed much of the existing reluctance of dealers to ad- vertise their wares. A or B (whose goods never answered his representa- tions) spent thousands of dollars in ad- vertising :; his store was crowded for Q while, then it was deserted and he failed therefore there is nothing in advertis ing. The argument may be regarded by some people as plausible, but it does not require much intellectual power to de- tect its fallacy.

 Still another point to be mentioned is | the belief that because an advertisement which appears to-day is not followed to- morrow by an appreciable increase of sales the advertisement has done no good and the theory of advertising is false. Though it is perhaps impossible to insert notice that shall not be read-let any Didymus put three-line card, Wanted "a Dog," in the obscurest corner of the obscurest daily of the city and be con- vinced of this-it is not to be expected that the moment person casts his eye upon an advertisers announcement he sets out for the advertisers store. He may not at the time need any article in the merchants line, or he may deal with another house. But if the representa- tion is attractive he will almost inevita- bly,, whenever he needs anything of the kind announced, turn to the paper where he saw the card and give the. advertiser a trial. The merchant should regard his outlay for advertising as he would that for painting his building or putting up his signboard-as a necessary charge upon the whole years business, the effect of which is not to be perceived immediately. Men do not SOW wheat one day and harvest it the next.

 The fact just mentioned includes an. other the man who has begun to ad vertise must keep on advertising if he desires continual increase in the vol ume of his business. He may keep z steady clientele of satisfied customers but the chances are that some of these will become detatched by seeing the ad vantages of other dealers consistently ad vocated. He will certainly not attrac new patrons. They will go elsewhere just as they would seek another store than his if on coming te his door they found it locked and the shutters up.

 We have already gone over the. ob jections to the catchpenny illegitimat. mediums of advertising so much affected hitherto by dealers who thought tha cheapness always meant economy, ant that in the advertising department O any business the principles governing the conduct of the other departments nc longer obtained. A leading New Yorl house says :-" Of all the methods ope1 to the merchant for advertising his busi ness, an experience of nearly half a cen tury enables us to unhesitatingly declare in favor Of the newspaper. It is, withou exception, the most economical, persist ent, painstaking and successful canvasse any business firm can secure for the pur pose of bringing their goods to the atten tion of the consumer"

 No comment on this recital of experi ence is needed, further than to note tha the firm in question have taken the sount scientific view of advertising, that they recognize the necessity for persistence and understand that the newspaper hal