Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1917 — ADVERTISING AND ITS COST [ARTICLE]

ADVERTISING AND ITS COST

The rising cost of living is tho universal hardship. So great and so many have these rises been that few people realize' that there are exceptions to the rule. The fact is there have been numerous exceptions, and all belong to the same class —that of nationally advertised goods. The agitation over the high cost of living has led to investigations which have brought out facts hitherto unknown to the public. The most important work in this line is done by the Association of National Advertisers. Mr. Sullivan, the sec-retary-treasurer, has given out some vital facts concerning the relation of advertising to selling cost. "The old idea,” said Mr. "that the cost of advertising raises prices dies hard. The business man knows better. But evidence is better than argument; facts are better than theories, and we have been at great pains to collect the facts. We have obtained data from our members which prove that advertising reduces selling costs and thus tends; to reduce the selling price of advertised goods. Let me quote a few examples: "The makers of a famous photographic camera, when they began advertising, twenty-eight years ago, made" one camera which took a 214-

inch picture and sold at $25. Today they make a far better camera which sells for $10 v A prominent hat manufacturer lias, by means of advertising, reduc'd his selling cost 7 cents per hat. Result, the buyer gets a hat of better quality at no increase in price. "When the manufacturer of a famous breakfast food specialty began advertising his , goods sold at ils cents a package. Today the package is 50 per cent larger and the price is 10 cents. Advertising did it. And so on through a long list. In every case the manufacturer has i been able either to lower the price or improve the quality at no Increase in price.’’