Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1878 — The Philosophy of Newspaper Advertising. [ARTICLE]

The Philosophy of Newspaper Advertising.

“ Hermit,” the New York correspondent of the Troy Time, s, a close observer of things, in his latest letter philosophically remarks: “ The autumn trade is now in full activity, and business men are exerting every effort to improve the harvest. One method is the handbill system, by which the hotels are daily inundated. During the business season one boy after another will go the rounds, and in this way an attempt is made to obtain trade. Of these, however, the greater part are wasted, since the waiter generally picks them up and throws them into the street, and the next day" a fresh inundation takes place. Experience has clearly demonstrated that the most efficient method of advertising is found in the judicious use of the newspaper columns. The ground on which newspaper advertising, as a system, is based is lmman confidence, since we cannot avoid believing that which we constantly read. This confidence is sometimes abused, but still it is evident that a good advertisement will, if sufficiently repeated, carry popular opinion. Men who advertise with the greatest persistency eventually reach success. There is a military principle involved in this method, since the article advertised should be pressed on the public by repeated assaults. The correct view, which experience brings to each man, is that advertising should be included in the general estimate of expense, as regularly as store rent, clerk hire and insurance. It is often said a good stand at a high rent is better than a poor one rent free. Well, advertising brings a man before the public in a way that makes any ‘stand’ good. The best stand you can have is to be in the newspapers.”