WASTE IN ADVERTISING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 17 November 1924, Page 10

WASTE IN ADVERTISING.

'.’MONEY FRITTERED AY 7 AY ■---g (“Mercantile Gazette,”) * There seems to be a kind oi glamour joufl advertising that lascinateis even, lelkeenest men ot commerce. Apply -rand business sense to some oi the milts that are taken up in the guise ot ivertising by these men, and they ould stand aghast, it is a curious ip’ig. but the business'community as a lays seiyns to be fair game lor itinernfc stunt publicity solicitors. Advertising in a sense is an infallible.’commodity. Its value cannot be leasured by a loot rule or a spring alafice, and as the true worth ot any übiicity calls for keen discrimination ncU judgment, it follows that there are jw-.-men expert enough or experienced nOugh to give a reliable estimate. The aYd-headed man of business who has ecu'taken down by the artful dodgers ft the advertising game seldom falls Dr‘.the “get-rich-quick Wallingford” Lunts that are so skilfully handled by lie commission salesman, but, as the Linei'icans tay. “There is one born very minute”, and we are afraid that hedunsophistieated trader parts with a ;ood' share of his profits on worthless cheijies in the fond belief that he is dvertising. Iffa retailer iiv the size of his hop; or engages V. or carries . large stock, it i- m gauge whether the extension : ' He or !oJ:v,by t tlie direct ir:> busiiess.'<; In advertising, however, this is tot -so easily part icularl.v f the retailer is using various forms of Publicity. Because of this lack of -beck, propositions that men of experence know to be positively valueless btain support and’ flourish sometimes letter than a genuine scheme. It is not ip,; uncommon practice for “fake” pubications that have' no real circulation ir influence to carry for practically lothing an advertisement for a leading idvertiser as a bait- for less experienced trades.. Tlie fact of seeing the anlouncement of a man whom you regard is a sound buyer is not always conelusve evidence that tho scheme possesses nerit. [We do not hold a brief for any par-

ticular class of advertising. Generally, however, it is agreed by experts who should know the ebusiness that newspapers and magazines which possess a definite circulation oiler the best value to advertisers. The very fact that all the leaders in the advertising field consistently use this class of media not only in New Zealand, but the world over, is convincing proof that the Press comes first. Another golden maxim is that publications that are given away indiscriminately are not valued by the recipients, and offer poor value to the : advertiser. Probably the- best method oi all is a direct personal letter, but this is expensive, and it is diflicult to locate all possible purchasers. That is whero tho newspaper scores. It reaches all prospects at a minimum cost. 11, howi ever, it would be folly not to announce I special items, and to keep in touch by ; means of a folder or booklet occasionally. i Hoarding advertising, tram-cars rail- ! ways, window displays, and samplers all have their proper value under cer- ; tain conditions, and it would be toolish i for us to dogmatise as to any particular I form of publicity. The opinions of exj perts differ as to the relative values ot i the various kinds of advertising that . may be taken up but all will agree that j most of the hotel menu, hotel directory, guide book, variety of stunt advertising means money tin-own away except for the small share- that reaches the printer and the papeivmerchant. j The surprising thing is that hundreds of pounds can be frittered away in these so-called advertising schemes. If however, business men were to look at the propositions in their true light, and re- - gard the expenditure as charity pure I and simple, there would soon be a diminution of the evil. In this connection the accountant can do his part. By analysing the. W ■•-■'Tising expenditure, and showing In - or chief just how i much has been d on so-called adI vc-rtising, he wili he rendering a dis- ! tinct service to his employe]-, and also Ito advertising itself. Too many busij.ness men d’o not believe in publicity be- ' cause they have never tried the effect of true publicity. Tliev have probably j wasted their money on'bad propositions, i and tliev blamed advertising, whereas i advertising in the correct sense of the ! term did not get a chance.