Billboard advertising (Jan 1900)

THE BILLBOARD. The Consolidated Railway Advertising Com- , ,nv has been incorporated at Memphis. t' mi with a capital stock of I200.000. The ,,. orporatora are B. G. Collier, J. C. Ramsey, !• M Oilier, of Memphis; A. D. Newby, of I'iiuniite, Tenn., and J. P. Mehon. of Chicago. The shorter a business announcement is ihtnle. the longer will be the list of people who have time to read it. ■\nother Infants' food Is In the field. It is manufactured by the Wagner Food Co., Ii7 liinadway. New York, and is suiting its ad- vertising hi the papers. •'Faust Bleud," a Mocha and Java mixture made by the C. P. Blanke Tea & Coffee Co., i,[ St. Louis, Is to be extensively advertised. $40.1100 worth of publicity has been contracted fur through an agency. The J. C. Aycr Co.. of Lowell, Mass., will shortly advertise a new hair tonic called Komoionie. Papers will probably be used. It Is rumored that W. \V. Smith, of Leip- slc. O.. will hereafter place ihc Peruna ad- vertising. Here is an advertisement from an old copy of an English provincial journal: "Wanted— For a sober" family, a man cf light weight, who fears the Lord and can drive a pair of horses. He must occasionally wait at table, join the household In player, look after the horses and read a chapter of the Bible. He must. God willing, arise at 7 o'clock in the morning, and obey his master and mistress in all lawful commands; if he can dress hair, sing psalms, and play at cribbage. the more agreeable. Wages. 15 guineas a year." F. A. Mills, music publisher, of New York. Boston and Chicago, who handles the popu- lar compositions of Kerry Mills, Is aaveruseng Kerry's laltvl cake-walk march, entitled "■Im- pecunious Davis." He sends out sample copies to musical editors of papers and mag- azines, and in this way receives free reading notices. It is claimed that the advance sale of this piece has readied the unprecedented number of 265.000 copies. A clergyman- who uses the newspapers on Saturdays to advertise his church, says in a letter to publishers: "The cuestion of the propriety of church advertising may be raised, yet the gospel is of greater value than much that is advertised in your columns. The successful business man advc-itises. I believe that the church that would be suc- cessful in extending its influence must do the same." New York and- other Eastern States have a law which provides that any person adver- tising by written announcements in any news- paper, book, periodical, or other publication; by bills, signs or cards, goods which he has r.ot in stock, or represents goods to be other than they are. or offers them at prices which he does not sell them, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. In the cars the ads. seem to be much the same. The old advertisers present Uie largest and best cards. The J. C. Ayer Company is using double space; their peculiar style is still in evidence. Carters pills are there with the same old ad. The familiar Heinz pickle is to be seen, but The Snider Company has double space, pushing their catsup. Anul- s-ilk and Xearsilk are both the only substi- tutes for silk worth having. ••Hedane" says, "Look Here, Don't Be Foolish." and Funk & Wagcalls' cards, telling about their lRerary dlgcst, are very cleverly worded. S. H. & M. Skirt Binding has the same coil of their "brush edge" and Nubian Black Linings still attract attention. Quaker Oats and Friends' Oats still vie with each other, and last, but not least of the national advertisers comes polio—which "scours land and sea." "Our Doings," a booklet by Lord & Thomas, of New York and Chicago, is meant to inter- est present or prospective advertisers in their ability to prepare and place profit-bringing public announcements on any subject in all mediums best suited to their requirements. It is filled with familiar ads. gotten up by thai company. It should serve Its purpose. The Enterprise Printing Co., of Cleveland, O.. sends us a lltWe booklet, entitled "The Point of View." The cover Is unique, and the printing is excellent. The arguments, however, are not as specific as tbey should be 10 assure good results. This office is In receipt of one of the Pope Manufacturing Co.'s desk calendars, advertis- ing their chalniess Columbia bicycles. We desire to express our appreciation of their advertising enterprise and our thanks for such a useful gift. The Gunning System of Advertising is again made plain In their circular about Quaker Oats. The circular advertises both the Amciican Cereal Co. and the Gunning !-»tem, thus performing a double purpose. "Sunset," the magazine published' by the passenger department of tire Southern Pa- '•Iflc Company Is a very creditable work. Be- sides being an excellent advertisement, it contains some good reading matter. The "Truth" calendar for 1900 is truly a work of art. The one on the wail of our office looks especially nice. The booklet sent out by the Banning Adver- ting Agency. St. Paul, Minn., is filled with Hits of their various departments. From these one can get an Idea of the immense amount of business they carry. "Ad"-cr. the ad-writer, of Dm Moines, la., says: "An ad. Is the truth toid with typo to extend business." The best argument that can he advanced In ravor of poster advertising Is the result ob- lulned from well-placed paper. Hooklets are good trade-pullers. If they are Rood, but unattractive booklets arc merely a wnsln of money. ■ „ lf .. yo> L wi11 notice, the advertiser who gives up the bill boards to try other mediums, like me proverbial cat. always comes back. Pitts Antiseptic Invlgoraior is a new remedy 11 the Held. It Is made at Thomson. Oa. arils niui posters will be used to bring it int.. I'roiu'inence, Swachteil & Co.. of Muncie, used to ad- vertise the Wellsbach burners—a tag. which they attach to the doornobs of every house in the city by means of a string. The plan is expensive, but brings good returns. The L. Gerstle Co., of Chattanooga. Tenn.. famous for their St. Joseph's remedies, will use two-sheet posters to boom their Female Panacea. Window cards are to be used by the Dr. Reeder Family Medicine Co., to promote their herbal remedies. Lincoln Proprietary Co., of Ft. Wayne, Ind. are Interested in poster advertising this winter. Canada Is to be covered thoroughly by The Alonzo O. BIIes Company. Washington, D. C. They carry "Our Native Herbs." Posters will be used. The Emerson Drug Co.. Manufacturing Chemists, Baltimore, Md., are not doing any bill posting at present. At a negro dance recently, one of the dancers lost his watch. The announcement of his loss was profusely illustrated with cuts. Seme one who has evidently been smoking a new brand, reports that the big wholesale clothing houses of Chicago will discontinue the single sheet posters, which have long been a feature of their country advertising. This they will net do until that method fails to bring the customers, wh'icn time will never ccme in our day. Ayer's pills have lately been trying to make up some of the ground lost during the last few years. Carter's had stolen quite a lead through their persistent advertising. Merchants who mark their goods $5 worth $10. ha\ e long ago been put down by the public as deliberate liars. Morse. Stcrbe & Co.. of the Manufacturing Phurulueists. of Mt. Vernon. 111., advertise Morse's Pain Anodyne. Electric Liniment, Red Liver Pills and Storer's Eye Sabre. Great faith is put in the properly worded ai;d printed poster by the Kinney Medical Co.. cf Los Angeles. Cal.. who handle a rheumatic and kidney remedy. Cheapness in posters shows the same as cheapness in anything else. The advertiser should look around and get the best possible paper for his money. This is a point too often reelected. How Callers Are Received, fi E, T. KEYSER. Posters at Church Doors. A curious difficulty has arisen in Bucking- hamshire in reference to the usage of church and chapel doors as notice beards. Generally speaking, in the past, the announcements huve been such as have net been. regarded as objectionable; but. by order of the County Council, large posters have been displayed relative to the control of unsecured bulls, and stating that such animals must be lea through the streets or any public place with- out a ring, a rope, and a pole being attached to their noses. Indignation has been aroused, and at Peon, near Amereham. the Parish Council have had the question under consid- eration, and have resolved to communicate with the local government board in the mat- ter.—Publicity. Distinctive Colors. Just at present some very extensive adver- tising is being done in the East, which em- bodies a novel" and striking idea, not often employed; namely, the use of a pronounced and distinctive color in the work. The seme plap* has been successfully adopted in other directions, the result invariably being a bold and effective advertisement. For instance, cue merchant pastes a peculiar green-colored label on every package that goes out of his store, the result that his goods are as easily distinguished from those of other ttores as a telegraph blank is from a pile of other pa- pers. It is also pointed out that it is a good plan to adept a certain distinctive color for bills, envelopes, etc., as colored stationery enables one to pick a certain bill or letter out of a pile with great ease, thereby saving considerable time.—Philadelphia "Record." SMELSER & GARVIN. Whiting. Ind. Tire E. E. Sutherland Medicine Co.. of Pa- ducab. Ky.. who used the cars quite exten- sively last year to advertise their Dr. Bell's Cough Syrup, and who also prepares Walker's Tonic, are considering posters as a medium. The Pepsin Syrup Co.. Monticeilo, HI., are big advertisers. They like the idea of posting first rate, and before long will probably be found among the enthusiasts. Much can be learned' from the failure of an advertisement to bring the expected results. There is a reason for the failure, and once you find out that reason you have acquired that whieb will enable you to build a suc- cessful advertisement. Much is heard about the moll order busi- ness being such a good business- to have. Certainly it is gocd to have, but having it is where most people run amuck. "Be different" in advertising. It is the man who gets out cf the beaten path that makes success. Of course, we understand that faying, "be different." and doing it are a long way fiemi the same thing. Yet this does not keep us from recording the truth. James T. Uegan Co.. Boone, Iowa, who manufactuie a rheumatism remedy, are get- ting prices on posters. T. B. Smith, of Cynthiaiia. Ky.. who ad- vertises a remedy for Bright's disease, is thinking of giving posters a trial. W. V. Mc-Buruey. of Los Angeles. Cal., anticipates getting up a tbree-s-heet. advertis ing Me-Burney's Kidney and Bladder Cure. The Woild's Cure Co.. of Denver, Col., are Impressed with poster advertising, and prob- ably will try that medium. The Major Cement Co.. of 461 Tear Street. New York, are getting estimates on posters, with a view of advertising their leather and rubber cements and their liquid glue. "Kuiypto'lno" is the name of an anticeptic manufactured by the Kalyptol Company. 122 and 121 Market Street. San Francisco, Cal. Quite an extensive advertising campaign Is being planned for it. The llartweil Drug Co.. of Denver. Colo- will use posters for their local advertising, and may In the future extend their adver- tising. Digestive. Xonlirtorlcating Beer is the name of a new drink, which Arthur P, Hutchings. or Aldrich. Shelby County. Ala., is pushing forward. Caids and novelties will probably he used. The Lightning Medlrttie t\>.. «f Muscatine. Iowa, manufacture a remedy called the Pioneer Cure and Pain Killer, who have done i«iis1deinble advertising but have not tried IHisleis. will shortly Rive them a trial. A Matter of Selection. In Julian Hawthorn's ten-thousand-dollar New York Herald prize story. "A Fool of Na- ture." occurs this passage: •'They renewed their jousts of wit at fashionable dinner ta- bles, not saying many radically new things, but giving a fresh turn to tin? old. trust- worthy ones." Give a fresh turn to the old. Here is the quintessence of successful ad- vertising for the retailer. Stirring incidents in the moeit successful plays staged to-day. are derived from Old half-forgcnen dramas, stories, or incidents of ancient times. An eminent divine of Iw-tfay was but re- cently aecused of plagiarism, because a savant found bis sermon contained the same se-r.timents ir.'i-cribed in hieroglyphics upon stones of ancient Egypt. Twentieth century ideas are ideas of ages, gone. There is nothing absolutely new under the sun. Things may be new to us. but our thoughts, our likes, our loves, our passions, were those cf our ancestors—new to us—new to tlr.in. but old to the world. A few years since, I was doing some in- surance advertising for a local agent, when I originated, as I supposed, the phrase— "Right If I write it." While rummaging in an- "Old Curiosity Shop," on the Bowery re- cently, I glanced over a stack of old papers published in 1S72, and beheld my original (?) phrase bcld'Iy displayed as a headline to an advertisement. The man who tits down to write an ad. with the ideas firmly rooted that he must write something new and original, in order to produce an effective ad. is the mun who falls the hardest Ih his attempts. Better results would accrue if the retailer would copy more, and seek to originate less in his advertising. One man in a thousand can write a gocd ad. One man in a hundred can tell a good ad. when he tees it. It requires just as much labor to write a pc.or ad. as to wiite a good one. It is more essential that you be able to se- lect a good ad. than to write either.—Wm. Huston', in the "Optical Journal." The elevator stopped at the forty-rou floor and I emerged. Walking a few steps down a marble-pa\ corridor, I was . about to knock at the pea —I mean oxidized bronze gates, when I p ceived a beautiful youth in costly ralm< training a Catling gun on me with one ba: V while with the other he pushed toward mi silver salver on the end of an ehorry rod. "Halt and give the countersign," obsen the youth, in a menacing loir*--. "Give the what?" 1 queried, in a shak voice. "Fill out the card," he explained, pity my ignorance. Thus enlightened, I noticed, nestling Ir corner of the salver, a card of heaviest bris . board decorated with a coat or arms s ii edged with gold. On the card were prin the. folic wing questions: 1. Wfcut is your name? 2. How old are you? 3. What is your weight? 4. Are you suffering from any contagU disease? 5. Have you ever suffered from any ct j tagious disease? 6. What biand of soap did you use morning? 7. Please state your reasons for using t]£j brand. How much are you worth? S. 9. Please specify how much iu real how much in personal property. ,1 How much could you probably borrow t $ 10. What do you wish to see me about, ai \ way? Keeping a wary eye upon the attendant was carelessly playing with the lock me*j^ annui of the Gatting. I Oiled out the iu-fornn lion card to the best or my recollection, ap humbly dropped it back in the tray. ff The youth disappeared through a doorwfj and as the Turkish curtain fell behind bimtp sunk on a divan of Russian leather, overcow. bs the magciHceuee which surrounded *V and read the following embossed placards the hand-painted walls: "Advertising Solicitors received betw 8:15 and S:3u a. m." "Advertisement Writers given audie: from S:30 to 8:45 a. m." "Poets-. Artists and other mendicants referred to the Bureau of Charities and C rection.—See City Directory. "Advertisers with money to burn will sejj in their bank books as a means of ide-ntiflf '"■ tion. They may occupy two chairs wte balance is being proved. All others rcm< standing.'* r Warn-.d by the last regulation. I sprang my feet, just as the gate-keeper returned. "His High Learneduess will be graclou pleased to see you at Tour in the arterno week after next." he announced. Buttoning up my coat, I stepped tow; , the &cor. ... * But again the salver advanced in my dir tion. "Five dollars and ninety-eight cer.ts wear and tear on the furniture, please,' : said, training the Gat'Ilng once more upon i Tearing my pocket-book from my clot 1 threw it over the rail and fled. 1 hud saved my watch and lost forty-i minutes.—Fame. Mail Order Business. A great many business men complain tl people who should latrouize their stores se thtir orders to adjacent cities, or buy fr the large mail-oide-r houses- There is noth stiange about this tendency of the people send away for things which are properly 1 j veitised*. The only way to offset such a teij £ ency is by letting tbe people know that > \ have the goods for which these .mail-ore houses ask a price that will enable them make a profit. Let them know you could i to yonr customers for less urorey than wo 1 be charged for the same article If orde4 K by mail or express, after they have paid IJ trars-portution charges. No business m j eculd prevent all tbe people of his- town frj| ordering goods from the mail-order hou but many of the business men could ma rially decrease the volume of this busin- that went outside of their town, if they oi entered into the matter with persistent veitisiug. Tell about the goods they ha the prices they ask and: the reasons they h< for thinking their stock more attractive M the city houses. It is because of excellt advertising these mail-order people can the people of a locality to send for goods, is by conscientious, excellent advertising tl a local mere-bant could prevent much of t busin-iss going out of his town.—Advertis: Wctld. Messrs. Smelser and Garvin We are publishing in our columns plrctos of Messrs. Smelser & Garvin, the I posters and distributors at Whiting, Ii They have at present 600 running feet boeuds and are building more. Owing to urgent demands for space, they can not en boards fast enough. Their locations along t railroad and street car lines are among t best to be found in the State. They £ young and enterprising, and are very pop lar among the agents and traveling men There is no stopping place on the road of advertising. You must be a constant trav- eler, or you will be left behind among Ihr unknowns. -.Mail Order Journal. Within the past few years a corps of s called advertising experts have sprung t who think they know a belvalot about t: business, but aside from having mastered t; fact that no business can succeed without a vertlsing in one form or another, they are | much in the dark as the rest of us. It is j utterly impossible for a man to predict t results of a certain advertisement* as to el the sea dry with a sieve.—Boot and Sh Recorder.