The billboard (July 1896)

July, 1896. BILLBOARD ADVERTISING. of those patent l ea thers would have also been .earned out—of Smith's store. To make the grand total of advertising a success, even the slightest detail should be carefully watched. Many stores whose phrased, grammatically correct, and beautifully arranged, display signs in their show windows that would make a Boston newsboy shudder. " Ice cream and cake sold by the glass," stares at one from the window of a well known confectioner ; yet the pro- prietor of this bake-shop would give every care to the preparation of a booklet. One of Philadelphia's largest depart- ment stores - a store whose cleverly writ- ten and illustrated advertisements excite the interest of all—several weeks ago displayed this sign in the midst of a win- dow full of women's shoes: "Women, while they last, ft.75-" an ad that would make a Boston youth swear off reading ads altogether, and make the average reader wonder whether bath requisites, or only an elaborate col- lection of toilet articles. Yet, with all its faults, perhaps this ad ing parties. If it and cents, it was a expert says nay. the average advertiser is very suspicious of the circular distributor. Of course, the newspapers are very bard on distributors, and they never miss the opportunity to unfold a harrowing tale as to how some fifty thousand eircu- Tben the Printers' Ink has been slap- pingthedistrihutorveryhard. Of course, all this adverse publicity is not calculated to boom circular advertising ; yet it is a proven fact that circulars, when properly placed, are one of the best and most econ- omical business builders we have. The advertiser should remember that the newspapers and journals that run down circular advertising, have their own fish to fry, and that the less money spent in circulars and distribution, the more there will be left for the publishers and the newspaper advertising agencies. Then, too, the average advertiser is so short-sighted . ■ and i he golden rule : Don't entrust o your office boy for dis- ; but have them carefully dis- tributed by a professional distributor, and is troubling another one of my friends. it under letter postage : "sell; 1 " the recipient has a bard feeling for you before he reads your advertisement, so you stand a poor Ther ing on snch work for a living, and it is to his advantage, if only for future business, to give you the proper service; while on the other hand an office boy is unreliable at the best of times—even when you have him right under your eye—and he will be very apt to hide your literature under a pile of lumber, and then go off and play base ball with other office boys who arc also supposed to be distributing business bringers for their respective employers. Now, to answer my correspondent's question, would say that to my way of thinking all distributed matter should be followed up by canvassers, who should cover each district billed about a week after the circulars liave been put out. The salesman will not only be in a posi- tion to know if the people have received no possible use for, he is going to throw giving it a second glance. But if he saw the same the advertisement is well and attractively printed, he is going to read it, and put it aside for future If your circular is well written, tastily printed, and interesting, a one cent stamp the pocket-book of OCULAR ADVERTISING. There are too many near sighted win- dow displays It is seldom that on> a show window in unison with the firm s newspaper and street-car advertising. The street cars and newspapers are full of John" Smith's grand reduction sale of men's patent leather shoes, while his window contains a display of women's Oxfprd ties. ADS THAT PAY. A man should be very careful how he says, "this ad is bad "this ad could never pay," etc. The ad that looks any- thing but good, is often a small gold mine to its owner. Lots of good ad- vertising never sees the light of printers' link, because some self-styled "advertise ment expert '' has condemned the proof or copy. To make it all the self-elected critics do not preface their remarks with "in my opinion," but say, NEWPORT NEWS. Business very good. Jas. J. Ward has just finished distributing a large ship- ment from C I.' Hood & Co. They are well pleased with his work. Mr. J. R_ Van Gorder, representing the Dr. Miles Medical Company .was here May gth and 6th. Made yearly contractt with him to distribute in the city and county. The company intends to do some exten- sive advertising here this summer. Mr. Charles T. Mahood, the Virginia State agent for the Reynolds Tobacco Company, of Winston, N. C, arrived here May 8th, accompanied by Mr. Fred A. Bennett, the champion high and endur- ance stilt walker. They are both adver- tising the K. J. R. Tobacco. Stilt Walker has bis wooden legs on, and n g uniform covered with i of R. J. p_ Tobacco. Everything for the bath at Evans's—wouldn't you like to see 'em together? rersonally, 1 think il Clarence E. Runey will ui be re-elected secretary of th It's a g pay to its full vertiscd in the morning paper, many a man, in passing on his way to business, would liave had his attention called back Smith's window display, for there would be a large sign in the center of the dis- play with the identical heading that started oft his newspaper ad, and around that sign would be grouped the vrry paper. The law of c vould t, and many a pair A PRETTY PICTURE a great help to any paste, or other form of adverbst- drawings, to be tsed in adding to the atbattrveocss of your poster work. I place pastes in any dty in the Union at bill posters' lowrsl rate. J07-W-. 28th St, New York.