Philosophy of Advertising.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 90, 1 August 1871, Page 3

Philosophy of Advertising.

What is the use of advertising 1 An ener getic contemporary says this question is not put personally as a premonitory shot, indicating a coming appeal to advertisers. The query stands out upon its merits ; and, leaving the interest of this journal out of sight for the time, it may be worth while asking. What is the use of advertising? That people do advertise is not altogether a satisfactory way of proving that advertising is of value, because many enterprises are entered upon experimentally, and without a clear idea of the result. Some advertise to try such an experiment. If it succeeds, advertising does not always obtain the credit of such success whereas a failure is invariably looked upon as a proof that advertising is of little or no value. Of course, the method or system of advertising comes in for no share of the blame, although in the majority of instances the want of success is clearly traceable to a mistaken method of aiming at publicity. The answer to the question, What is the use of advertising? must, therefore, be qiialified by the method of advertising contemplated ; for the issue will be failure or success, according to the system pursued. This solution is from its nature necessarily vague, and means little more than that, if advertising is done properly, it is more likely to prove successful than not. To make the answer more practical, we will say that no one who is not prepared to advertise thoroughly and well should make the attempt. T?o advertise in a petty, tentative way, is to waste money. "In for a penny, in for a pound," is the motto of advertising, and a few moments' consideration cannot fail to show the reason for this. The race for public favour now-a-days leaves the tradesman no option. He must go round the world. He must pluckily place himself on a level with his competitors or be snuffed out altogether. Be his goods as excellent as they may, there are so many candidates for patronage that modest merit has no chance unless assisted into notoriety. When once acknowledged by public esteem articles of reliable qualiiy will invariably secure the same preference, although it is often found in practice that public favour is fickle and that attention requires to be kept aliA r e by judicious remindings. We use this word advisedly in lieu of the more significant term "puffing," which is a lower branch of the ai't of advertising. There are those who can see no difference between puffing and advertising ; but we venture to think that there is herein all the difference between lying and telling the truth. The next point foT conj sidcration is the cost of advertising, and we | will not Venture to hide the fact that, to-ad-I vertise properly, must ever be an expensive i process as far as first outlay is concerned, i though hardly so when the results are taken ] into account. It is notorious that thousands jof pounds have been spent in introducing the most trifling articles into notice. The advertiser looks, not to the value of the article advertised, but to the extent of the demand likely to be created for it. Take an ounce package of tobacco, for instance ; it might appear absurd to expend £SOO in advertising packages of tobacco selling at foitrpence each, but £SOO so laid out would be very badly expended if it did not lead to the sale of at least a million packages. A million packages at fourpence each amount to nearly £17,000 ! These figures appear large, biit they are rather within the mark than beyond it. The enormous totals represented by the business of the manafactitrers of cheap but popular articles are almost fabulous. In conclusion, there cannot bo a doubt of the value of advertising, it may be reduced to a matter of calculation—a tangible illustration of the law of averages. This much however must be conceded—that to advertise profitably, there must be no faintheartedness, no dipping in or doing it by fits and starts. The advertise!' must plunge in boldly, and make nis siiccei)a the certain reward of his j Own cOUv<tg«.