Billboard advertising (July-Dec 1895)

BILLBOARD ADVERTISING is the Official Organ of the NEW YORK BUI Posters' Association. BILLBOARD ADVERTISING is the Official Organ of the OHIO jjilj Posters' Association. it their business to contract for till posting and advertising—some are good 2nd some are bad," just the same as in any other line of business." We only know of a very few- such firms in this country who are worthy of confidence and recognition, and who will treat an advertiser as a banker or broker would: do. There are many others (we know most of them), and as a rule they are out for : what they term "the dust," and in securing the advertiser's "dust," they invariably "kill the goose that lays the golden egg," while if such advertisers were to get started right they would be sure to meet with success from the start. •'-.,- It costs the public nothing to view the display advertising in the Metropolis or any other city; no newspapers, magazines or other periodicals to buy; no nickel-in- the-slot or car fares . required. Is it a wonder that bill board advertising is so popular; is it strange that it is creating such widespread comment, and can you wonder that it is being adopted by many of our foremost merchants the world over ? We are firm believers in all legitimate advertising, but can only recommend four mediums as being factors. First on the list, of course, comes newspapers, and second posting and sign advertising, third distributing from house to house, and fourth the "L" and surface car lines; they are all good mediums, and when used jointly one helps the other, and satis- factory results are sure. We have never yet seen a novelty advertising scheme that has-proved beneficial to any adver- tiser; they are failures from the start, and we cannot call to mind one single success in the way of a novelty advertising scheme. The bill board bulletin advertis- ing business in the Metropolis to-day was never in better or more satisfactory shape. The three principal firms engaged therein A. Van Benren & Co., Harry Munsonand Regan & Clark, have within the past month formed a contract and agreement between themselves to conduct their busi- ness under specified rules, with several thousand dollars deposited with the Wash- ington Trust Company as a guarantee of good faith each to the other. This insures the advertiser getting satisfactory service at a universal cost for the same, which cost is made as modern and fair as bill board and bulletin display advertising can be done in the Metropolis and suburban districts— Art in Advertising. PICTURES IN ADVERTISING. By Joel Benton. We seem to be living in an age of art- The new processes and methods, -which modern invention has brought about, make pictures accessible fdr all purposes, utili- tarian and decorative. The cheap ten- Cent magazine owes an overwhelming part of its attractiveness to the illustrations, which only a few years since would have been unattainable; or if their equivalent was procured, too costly to be" considered. It is quite evident, too, that we have not got to the end of this developement. There are other ways which will be soon found out, and other effects than those produced by the so-called "process" style must yet appear. But we have also left in desuetude some fashions too good to pass out of existence. There is the old Bewick fashion, still intensely interesting which .makes- the surviving books that contain the Bewick cuts, in exellence, mucb^sought after—to say nothing of the silhouette and the mezzotint, the last of which figured with admirable art quality in the old "Annuals" that addressed the public between every Christinas and New Year's. So good were some of these pictures that any survivor of the time when they were dominant need not blush for them, or be ashamed to have them compared with our best specimens of contemporary periodical art. In considering the application of pic- tures, however, to utilitarian and especial- ly to advertising purposes, it must .be re- membered that we have got to work with the machinery of rapid printing, applied to large editions. Even our best maga- zines do not treat us to etchings, because the cost of them makes their magazine use impracticable. One could be inserted FRONTISPIECE. - Our first page this month is ornamented with an exceedingly good likeness of Mr.W. H, Steinbreii ner; the hustling general agent of ^ the Interna- . tional Association of Distributors, and manager of Steinbrenner's Queen City Distributing Ser- vice. He was born April 19, 1S5S. at'Fort Wayne Ind.,,and learned the trade of cabinet maker. This avocation he pursued at various times' in Chicago, Cleveland, Dayton, O., Marietta, O., and Kansas City, but entered the advertising business ,some three years since. His initial venture was made in Cincinnati on which occa- sion he handled a large contract for the Bloch Bros., of Wheeling W. Va. The work proved congenial, and recognizing the possibilities of the business he decided to devote his entire time and attention to it. He has made a most pronounced success of it and the great success of the International Association of Distributors, is due to his efforts in no small measure. NOTICE. Members of the International Association of Distributors of North America will take notice that the office of secretary and treasurer, has been removed from Brandy Station, Va., and in A Billboard in. That was covered by six men of Car No. 1, no doubt, but I believe none ever has been. If an advertiser, with much money to spend, should wish to do so it might prove a hit.. He could possibly bear the expense of this, or of the now little known and mostly forgotten mezzotint, if he should fish out some discoverable old plate, and affix thereto his saponaceous or medicinal legend. There is too little use among usasyetof the inserted red, green or orange leaf in the advertising pages of our magazines, as the English publisher does this. A leaf inserted, containing the very brilliant modern and quite recent colored photo- gravure, would make a striking illustra- tion. All eyes would see it and see it to admire. Illustrations, like Flaxman's outlines in behalf of Dante, and the dark silhouette, ought to be made easily avail- able. For our present rage on pages and posters—not marked by the "divine affla- tus," but by the divine flatness, if I may be allowed the parody—will not always continue. Just now, however, it is clearly in the ascendant and has the floor. When we get over its domination, we shall turn to better things, if not to some phases of old art renewed. For pictures are not merely for children. They touch a welcome from mature minds. In the reading matter it is not always they that are adjuncts to the text; it is the text, very often, that is framed to support the picture. " And, while they have such sway the advertiser cannot safely forget his ac- count in them.— Printers' Ink. Vicksburg, Miss. of the Walter L. Main Show In 56 minntes. the future, all communications intended for that office should be addressed to Thomas K. Dur* boraw, secretary and treasurer. New No. 811 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. The notice published elsewhere in this journal calling a special meeting of the members of the International Association of Distributors of North America in this city on January 8 and 9, 1896 should not escape the attention of members, for it is very necessary, that every member who possibly can, should attend in person. MURAL SIGNS AND PAINTED BULLETIN.S Advertisements under this head are inserted free if set in nonpareil. One dollar per annum ill bold , face type, and twenty-five cents per line for display sad. not exceeding six lines in size. ALBANY, N. Y. J. Ballard Carroll, 54 Beaver street. Boston, Mass. J. Donnelly & Sons, Boston Advertising Co., 8 Bromfield St. Brooklyn, N. V. The New York and Brooklyn-Adv. Sign Co., DeKalb and Hudson aves. Thos. A. Skidmore, 640 Halsey st. Cincinnati, O. The John Chapman Sons Co., 19 Lonfrworth st. Dilt's Advertising Service. 312 Coleman st. Ph. Morton, 333 west Fifth st. Hummel & Curran. 642 Main st. Chicago, Ills. R. J. Gunning, Wabash ave., cor. VanBuren st. Bour & Company, 59 Dearborn st. F. M. Lewis & Co., Temple Court Thos. Cussack, Blue Island ave. and Throop st. Cleveland, O. Bryan & Co., 10 Court Place. Denver, Col. The Curran Bill Posting and Advertising Co. Detroit, Mich. Walker & Co, 43 Rowland st. Kalamazoo, Mick —J. E Mci arthy & Co. Lexington, Ky. I. H. Ramsey & Co., 137 east Main st. Louisville. Ky.— Heverin Bros. Newark. N. J.—Newark Bill Posting Co. New York, N. Y. TheO. J. Gude Co.,"3 - "5». Broadway C. S. Houghtaling, No. 3 Park Place I,. E LaTour, 1718 Broadway Sam'l W. Hoke, 87 Nassau st. Unexcelled Advertising Co., 46 Vesey street Colyers System Advertising Service, 113 and 115 west Broadwav Omaha, Neb Thos. Mulvihill, 1512 Harney St. Oshkosh, Wis.—John E Williams. Philadelphia, Pa. American Advertising Sign Co., 1336 Race St. Win. Johnson, Prairie City, Iowa, —W. S. Parker Sax Francisco, Cal. Arthur M. Plato. S. I. Stone, 506 Commercial st. Scranton, Pa Reese & Long Adv. Co. St. Louis, Mo. W. F. » illiamson, 113-115 N. 6th street Huiest & Stout Adv. Sign Co. R- J- Gunning, Toronto, Can. —Price Advertising Co. The Acton Burrows Co. Vancouver. Can. —The Acton Burrows Co. Winnipeg, Can, —The Acton Burrows Co. STREET CAR ADVERTISING. Advertisements under this heading are published free of charge in nonpareil. In bold face type tiuo dollars per year. Display 25 cents per line. Carleton & Kissam, so Bromfield St., Boston and Postal Telegraph Build'g, New York City. Railway Advertising Co . Hugh J. Grant, pres. 261 Broadway, New York City. O. J. Mulford, Hammond Buildg, Detroit, Mich. Western Adv. Co. 316 Union Trust Building, St. Louis, Mo. Sam. P. Ferree, 231 Broadway, New York City Manhattan R. E. Advertising Co 33 Murray st. New York City. M. Wineburgh.Sr. Boston, Mass. M. Wineburgh, Jr., 164 Bank St., Cleveland, O ELDER, JENKS & RABORG ' Bxcelsior' J 10 ■^ EXTRA" - "*" EXTRA __ COPPER WIREDBT?" ALL BRI OTLE'j U ' i Circus Paste AND —; BILL POSTERS' BRUSHE* M ade of Hard Wood head, best long Runsian Bristle*, copper wliert. The most practical and reliable brusli made. Will not come apart. Used and recommended by Barnum. Forepaugh and the leading Circuses and Bill Postern throughout th< United States and Canada; Size u Inch. I Price $30.00 per doz. $8.25 Each. I Extra Extra tor CI roam |S40.aO per Dot. 14 00 Each. I Sent U, O, I>. to all parte ot I the Country ELDER.JENKS& RABORG Brush Mahufacturmr* 137 N. Fifth Street, Cor. Cherry, PHILADELPHIA. The Rochester Bill Posting Co., 7 THE ERIE BILL POSTING CO. EDW. A. STAHLBRODT, Manager. ? EDW. A. STAHLBRODT, Manager. BILL POSTERS, DISTRIBUTERS AND GENERAL ADVERTISERS, No. 16 and 18 Mill Street, ROCHESTER, N. Y. NEW YORK OFFICE, 621 Broadway. No. io North Park Row. ERIE, PA. KEEP UP TO DATE. RUBBER STAMPS A NECESSITY IN EVERV BILL POSTER'S OFFICE. Complaint reaches us from various di- rections that commercial auvtrtisers fre- quently receive from bill posters, lists of locations where their posters have been put up, which contain neither the name of the place, the name of the bill poster, nor the date of the posting. These lists are generally handed over to salesmen, clerks, and others to attend to, and if an advertiser is posting a number of cities at the same time, it often compels some one to guess as to what cities they come from, etc., thus making errors easy and confu- sion sure. To bill posters who. do not have a printed heading we would suggest a plain rubber stamp, about 3 inches long, with copy similar to this : C. D HAMMOND Sc CO., Pittsburg, Pa. Date of Posting 189 These rubber stamps can be readily ob- tained at a cost of about 40c. to 50c each from any stamp maker, and will be found useful in many ways. Every progressive bill poster should see that his office is pro- vided with one at once. HERE'S ENTERPRISE. aOOD SERVICE IS PROFITABLE TO THE BILL POSTER. Mr. Al Bryan, of Cleveland, is to be congratulated for having handled the handsome 24-sheet bills of the Franco- American Food Co in such a manner as to elicit the unqualified praise of Mr. Biardot, the advertising manager, who has lately inspected the work. What is more to the point, Mr. Biardot doubled up his entire Cleveland billing as a result of the satisfactory work that he found. As this billing runs for a number of months, Mr. Bryan's profits will be largely en- hanced, and the substantial acknowledge- ment that he has received for the special attention that he gave to this work will abundantly repay him for the effort. Mr.Biardot has systematically inspected every stand that has been put out in the leading cities, and spoke very favorably of the showing in Detroit, Boston, Provi- dence and other points, but is equally em- phatic in stating that there are a number of towns where the bill, posters seem to lack enterprise, using dilapidated, uneven, tumble-down fences, where new boards should be built that will give character to the advertiser and credit to the bill poster. As a whole the work which has been put out through the O. J. Gude Co., of New York, has been very satisfactory- It is quoted as a "model show" and illus- trates the practical advantages of the bill board over the street car, magazine, and other methods of advertising, both in point of economy and in the direct bene- fit to the advertiser. It is to be hoped that there will be many long-time billings of equally attractive paper to follow this most excellent lead. SLANDER. The disposition shown by bill posters and distributers, located in the same places, to slander each other in order to secure work, not only betrays a mean but cowardly disposition, we don't care who indulges in the practice. If a man, be he a distributer or bill poster, who indulges in defaming his fellow-man with the expectation that by .such a course he will gain an ascendancy over a competitor is surely preparing for his own downfall Every man in this life is entitled to a cer- tain degree of consideration from others, and as long as he maintains in the com- munity in which he lives a fair reputation for industry and reliability, his efforts to gain a livelihood should command as much respect from a competitor as from one of a different calling. And simply for the reason that a distributer is trying to obtain a contract in an honest manner, and is likely'to succeed, is no reason that he should be subject to the assassination of character from a competitor. No trade or calling ever lowered the person engaged in it, but it is not difficult for a man to degrade his calling, and in our CIRCULAR ADVERTISING. We recently received, with a request for criticism, a circular which a Western merchant is using for some purpose which we cannot understand. It is about the size of a full grown circus poster, but not nearly so pretty. The only way in which a man could read it would be to spread it out on the floor, get down on his hands and knees, commence at the top and crawl backward over it. Of course, no one is going to all that trouble, so it is safe to as- sume that no one will ever read it. A glance ajt it shows that it is a price list of everything a man needs in his journey from the cradle to the grave, and we pre- sume it laps over into the future state. This kind of circularizing isn't adver- tising ; it's imbecility. No one reads such stuff, and we are surprised that so many merchants keep it up. Smaller cir- culars, too, are spoiled by containing too much matter, and by being "cheap and nasty." The flimsy dodger that is left in people's vestibules or mailed in an equally flimsy envelope with a one cent stamp on jt, is read by people who have nothing in the world to do, who simply want to kill Advance Car No. 1 of the Great Walter L. Main Show. opinion, there is no easier way than by trying to blacken the character of a com- petitor in order to deprive him from securing what is right. These two call- ings have suffered enough from the ignorant prejudice of outsiders as well as from the dishonesty of "fakes," without those who are at present considered respectable, indulging in a practice that is neither brave nor judicious. COnPARISONS ARE DEPRESSING. A one-page advertisement in an issue of the Century magazine costs $500; in Harper's, $400 down to $100. A column in the New York Herald for a year, costs $40,400. This is a pointer for some of our advertisers who pay $2, $3, or $4 for an ad. and think they are doing an extensive and liberal amount of advertising. Advertise in this paper. It is read in every clime. The ad. rates are very low, and it gets there every time. time and don't care much about living themselves. Such people haven't any money to spend, and would buy beer with it if they had. There is a way to advertise by circulars and we receive'circulars nearly every day which compel us to read them, whether we wish to or not. In the first place, the paper and envel- opes used must be of the best and the dis- play and the press work must be tasteful and artistic. As a general thing only one article, or one class of articles, should be mentioned, and it should be described thoroughly and in the most striking way possible. On the envelope should be printed some sentence or some picture which will excite the curiosity or the ad- miration of the recipient, and make him anxious to see what's inside. A hundred such circulars will bring more business than five hundred of the "cheap and nasty" kind.— Brains. Doni forget to send an advertisement for the big Christinas Number. The forms close November zS. Fair, Field and Farm, a new paper, which, as its name implies, is devoted to Fairs, Stock and Farm Products, has made its appearance. It is published at Dallas, Texas. Shall the Theatres Control the Bill Boards? There has been some agitation going on over the vexing question, Shall the theatres combine to control the bill boards? During the past week the ques- tion was discussed in an informal way. The object was to sound each manager privately, then to have a general meeting to take action on the question. Shall managers control the bill boards? That indeed is the question, and it will be the question a century hence. The bill board advertising has reached gigantic propor- tions. Not alone are managers satisfied with me ordinary paper being pasted, but some have employed skilled painters who have painted highly colored signs where permanent attractions are the rule. It is claimed these signs are of more service; they are not affected by the weather, and in the long run are cheaper, besides being more attractive. This may be so, but the fact remains it costs just as much to occupy the space as if the space was given over to paper. Bill board advertising in New York is a science. It is the study of the bill posters who have thousands in- vested, and it is pretty safe to say their right will not be affected without a vigor- ous fight. Some time ago, and it is not so long ago either, managers thought favorably of giving up bill board adver- tising. The moment the start was made the commercial interests took up the : space in alarming proportions. Everyr thing from corsets down, or up, to whisky was advertised, with the result the theatres fell in the rear, and it took a vigorous turn to bring them about. Hoyt and Mc Kee started a paper fight by buying up a number of bill boards along the Sixth Avenue elevated. They pay an annual rental for them, and their value can never be estimated, except that they are the most serviceable. The rent of a whole house is almost asked for some stands, which the bill posters pay, and they claim they are not getting rich. There is so much paper to be pasted that there doesn't seem to be room enough for all of it. Besides, more theatres have been added to New York and more are coming and each wants a show. . The_ People's, a strictly Bowery theatre has its paper spread along Eighth avenue, the territory belonging to the Grand Opera House. The Harlem Opera House paper in Harlem stands alongside of the Garrick and Lyceum, while the Colum- bus also a Harlem house, has paper along- side of the Fifth Avenue and Broadway Theatre. So it is seen how much about town the lithographs go. There is no given territory and each competes with the other for desirable space. Managers to unite to conduct the bill board posting themselves would be confronted with several problems. First to unite on the space; second, to settle the location; third, to secure the bill boards. This is the most important of all and will prove a severe stumbling block. The best thing managers can do is to let the matter drop. The bill posters are a well organized set. They do their work well and deserve to be en- couraged, not fought.— The Dramatic Times.