The Moving Picture Weekly (1916-1917)

■THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY 23 Author of Bluebird, Originator of ^^I Am" Advertisement Cbe Binh of an Tdea ChE lines of (hit proie-pocm were dictated to a stcno^rtpher on the ipur of the moment by Mr. Davis, of our Editorial Department, to occupy a paje printing-press advertisement placed in Munscy's Magazine for July, I91I, by R. Hoe and Company. Within thirty days after the psiblication of that Issue, over two thousand newspapers had reprinted 0\€ Hoe advertise, mtnt with editorial commendation. Shortly thereafter advertising writers began to paraphrase it, and, before th^ expiration of the year, this form of ex. pressionhad become the basis of big ad. vertlslna campaigns throughout America, England, Germany and France. In response to universal demand, it is reprinted in this form and presented with the compliments of THE FRANK A. MUNSEY COMPANY ♦ir AM the printing-press, born of the n^other 11 earth. My heart is of steel, my limbs are of iron, and my finders are of brass. I sin^ the son^s of the world, the oratorios of history, the symphonies of all time. I am the voice of to-day, the herald of to-morrow. I weave into the warp of the past the woof of the future. I tell the stories of peace and war alike. i make the human heart beat with passion or teftclerness. I stir the pulse of nations, and make brave men do braver deeds, and soldiers die. I inspire the midnight toiler, weary at his loom, to lift his head a^ain and ^aze, with fearlessness, into the vast beyond, seeking the consolation of a hope eternal. When I speak, a myriad people listen to my voice. The Saxon, the Latin, the Celt, the Hun, the Slav, the Hindu, all comprehend me. I am the tireless clarion of the news. I cry your joys and sorrows every hour. I fill the dullard's mind with thoughts uplifting. I am light, knowledge, power. I epitomize the conquests of mind over matter. 1 am the record of all things mankind has achieved. My offspring comes to you in the candle's glow, amid the dim lamps of poverty, the splendor of riches; at sunrise, at high noon, and in the waning evening. I am the laughter and tears of the world, and I shall never die until all things return to the immutable dust. I am the printing-press. OBERT H. DAVIS, coauthor with P e r 1 e y Poore Sheehan of "The Bugler of Algiers," Bluebird release which is occupying so prominent a place in the eye of that organization at the present time, is a starter. He has the reputation in the literary field of starting and developing a great many literary celebrities of to-day who might never have been heard of otherwise. In any event, he accelerated their journey to fame through the advice and encouragement which he has given to so many struggling authors, and has thereby incidentally gained for the Munsey organization a loyal service, and hundreds of clever stories as his reward. One of the closest friendships which has come to him in Munsey's service was that of Perley Poore Sheehan, and it was to him, even then one of the most dependable contributors to Munsey publications, that Mr. Davis made the suggestion which resulted in "We Are French," the story from which "The Bugler of Algiers" is taken. It was directly following his last visit to France ROBERT H. DAVIS of Munsey's, co-author, with Perley Poore Sheehan of "The Bugler of Algiers," wrote "I Am the Printing Press" and started a vogue on which $40,000,000 was spent in advertising copy. that Mr. Davis conceived the idea of this story, and in talking over the plot with Mr. Sheehan, the main essence of the book very soon formulated itself in the minds of the two men. It was not until some months later, however, that the story appeared in the AllStory Magazine. As proof positive, if such proof were needed, that this story has no relation to the present unpleasantness in Europe, but referred solely to the war of 1870, one has only to mention that the great war broke out one week after the appearance on the news-stands of the AllStory Magazine containing the first installment of "We Are French." Every endeavor has been made to keep partisan feeling from entering into "The Bugler of Algiers." Certainly none entered into its writing, and none enters into the distribution of the film. It is a story founded on historical facts which took place during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Previous to this, however, to be exact, July, 1911, Robert H. Davis started something else. He started the "I Am" style of advertising copy, upon which it is said that more than forty million dollars in money has been spent by various companies in Printers' Ink for advertisements, copying the style which was first given to the public in the Munsey advertisement of the Hoe Printing Press in the July, 1911, issue. It was entitled, "I Am the Printing Press." Within thirty days after the publication of this issue over two thousand newspapers had reprinted the Hoe advertisement with editorial comments, and shortly afterwards advertising writers began to paraphrase it, some with credit and some without. Newspapers adopted it for an occasional strong editorial. Communities adopted it for their advertising slogan. It has been adapted to almost every form of advertising, and into every known language. Mr. Davis, soon after the publication of the original advertisement, perceived that he had started something, and he has kept a scrap-book containing many of the forms in which the original "I am" has been used. This (Continued on page 38)