Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1912 — [?] OF COPY W[?] [ARTICLE]

[?] OF COPY W[?]

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Knowing one’s audience and know* Ing what to talk about are the chief necessities of the successful copy writer. declared George H. Perry, a wellknown advertising man. before an ad vertlsing class in New York city the other evening "The first requirement—knowing your audience—ls a Very simple thing, but often forgotten by advertisers. A striking Illustration of this occurs in one of the women’s magazines. It is the advertisement of an electrical dfcwlce, used In homes, to be sure, and u good thing to advertise In a woman’s publication, but the ad Is the same one used In an electrical paper, and addressed to dealers In electrical supplies. The man who wrote that ad used the language of the trade In speaking- to the woman In the home, which of course is all wrong.” In discussing the next question of what to say, the speaker analyzed the talking points of an article —competition, price and quality. < “There must always be a difference between competing articles, or else they would not be on the market at the same time. The question is, What can you talk about that the other fellow hasn’t got? Your article is either newer, simpler, of different design, more beautiful or better for some merchandising reason. “In default of any such difference, price is of the next importance. Can you sell it cheaper? Then comes quality—quality in the sense of character. With some articles the competition—that is, the difference in manufacture or design—may not be a talking point The purchaser of an auto, fdr instance, does not care so much how his machine operates as he does about the quality or the price. You must determine the talking point of your article.

“Now, you know your audience and you have picked out the talking points. The next thing is the writing of your ad—the text, typography and illustration. It is no more necessary to be smart or clever in your text than it is to be handsome in business. What the publß, wants now are the facts. Your teftmust be practical as distinguished from being merely clever. Be sensible in your choice of language; be simple and direct. People are not so particular as to the literary quality of advertisements; they go to the editorial pages for that. Let the goods talk. If you say everything you can say and your ad still seems weak, the fault is not with you but with your goods. You can not do more than let the goods tell their own story. If that story is insufficient it is not your fault. Don’t be afraid of a short ad; the shorter the ad the better.”

Mr Perry just touched on the psychological side of advertising: “There is a governing trait in human nature that makes you instinctively recognize the truth. You can always tell when a man is in earnest —hence the necessity of sincerity in advertising. When you once have sincerity, no matter what you write you will convince. For that reason be receptive to influence; don’t let a man deceive you, but try to catch his enthusiasm in his article.”

In connection with the text Mr. Perry told of the important part played by the headline. “It must catch the casual glance, which is sometimes even antagonistic; in addition it carries a message. Therefore, give the headline much thought. Use simple, short words. Fill your line without crowding. Do not use a ‘blind headline.’ You not only lose a reader —you disappoint him —and he will have no faith thereafter. A headline that merely makes an effect does not accomplish its real purpose. If you have an illustration it must ? be part of the story. Pictures are sometimes too good and, instead of directing to the story, distract. Rather than be a companion to the text the illustration should be an auxiliary. “Then, if you have the right things to say and the right audience; if you believe in the article yourself and will tell what you know and believe in the most simple, direct, quietest, most persuasive language and in the shortest words you know —you have the right ad.”