WHY THE NEWSPAPER?

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5035, 4 October 1926, Page 4

WHY THE NEWSPAPER?

BEST MEDIUM OF ADVERTISING. INDUSTRIES SUSTAINED BY THEM. (By John A. Heffernan.) Americans do not waste time. They are great believers in combination. Doubtless if the newspapers. confined themselves entirely to the publication of news and literary articles the American public would seek its information as to the market details in which it is interested in SjUch other agencies as merchants and manufacturers might devise. The American merchant, however, long ago found that he could make a stronger appeal to the public and distribute his message, whatever it was, far more efficaciously by utilising the medium which was already satisfying the public’s demand for information, and therefore less and less did the purveyors; of national products depend on. methods of advertising which were tried when the psychology off advertising as a science was in its infancy. And more and more have they come to recognise the merit of the daily newspaper as a means of establishing contacts with prospective purchasers of their wares.

Speed is one of the characteristics of the daily newspaper; speed in. the collection of news, spead in its preparation for publication, and speed in its distribution. The national adverhave found that as an advertising medium this characteristic is very valuable to them. There is not the long wait for results which follows advertising in magazines, monthly and. Quarterly, but quick results follow expeditious; publication, and quick returns follow the rapid transmission of the advertiser’s message.

Another advantage which the newspaper possesses is that it is comprehensive in its scope and powerful in appeal. Newspapers cover the na r tion, and each newspaper having contacts with every home in its own locality 'is. the most powerful advocate for the merchant in that locality. The national advertiser finds, that by advertising in the daily newspaper he invests his money in a medium which distributes it in the'locality to which he desires to make his. appeal, and the money thus distributed is returned W him through patronage of the local agent or merchant who handles, his products-. INDUSTRY- EXPLOITED.

There was a time perhaps, when only those particularly interested in any special product would turn to the advertising pages of a newspaper, but the dally press -of the United States by its exploitatibh of the romance, and the wonder of modern industry and modern business methods has so educated newspaper readers .that they turn to-day from the news, and literary features to the advertising columns, and no intelligent reader feels. that his understanding of current events is complete unless it comprehends not only the newsl of daily events in politics, science, and social life, but also the character and quality and cost of the products of the nation’s mills, and factories.

Interest in sports associates the sporting page with the .advertisements that tell of sporting equipment. It wias said that President Harding increased enormously the sale of golf sticks, and following the. publication of President Coolidge’s fishing exploits in the North Woods there was an immediate interest in. such advertisements as dealt with fishing tackle. The news of an automobile race diverts the attention of the reader to the automobile advertisements. A well-written report of the views of an eminent scientist on wheat production and its relation to civilisation causes, the reader to turn to advertisements of bread and cereals. Thus, the news articles serve the advertiser, and he finds in the daily newspaper the combination of incentive to study national advertising which exists in no other agency as yet devised. Newspaper Advertising has its. 'effect even in the accord of nations, for whenever an international loan is to be placed before the people of a nation, particularly the peopk of America, the international bankers first summon Hie newspaper reporters to their offices and make a new.S( announcement Of the event, as was done by Thomas W. Lamont, of the J. P. Morgan firm, at the time of the recept loan to Italy< To get to the pocket-books of the people, immediately thereafter, advertisements offering Italian loan bonds were placed in newspapers throughout the country, and as a result of the impetus given the project by both the news and the advertising, the, loan, which- ran to more than a hundred milljon, was oyer-subscribed within a fortnight. The housewife secures most of her knowledge of the outside world from the It is not only her informant, it is her guide fo*r the purchase of things necessary to her home for the health and education of hqr family. This attachment of the housewife. for the is worth millions and millions of dollars to national advertisers as well as local advertisers throughout the North American continent.

Every advertising medium is good, but in laying out a campaign the .Careful advertiser seeksj to avoid waste in duplication of circulation and in avoiding spending money for advertising where he cannot distribute his goods. Here is wherq the newspaper is his preferred -medium. Thebe is a home paper wherever a dealer may be established. In this particular home paper, therefore, the advertising may be run just where the consumer can walk into the dealer’s store to buy the goods.

Magazine advertising: may help to place the goods on the dealer’s shelf, but newspaper advertising is the one and only agency that inspires the Purchaser to come in to rnoive the goods off the shelf.

The Morrinsville Horticultural Socity is not in a flo'urishinig conditiion, owing to lack of interest by the public. At the annual meeting, held on Monday night, there was a small attendance, and some members suggested that the society's operations be dropped, as seemingly the public did not want flotwer shows. After discussion it wa£ decided to call a special meeting to be held when a proposal to suspend operations would be considered.