VALUE OF ADVERTISING

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1916, Page 6

VALUE OF ADVERTISING

BUT IT MUST NOT Bft F.X- I AGGERATED. Hemingway exid Robertson's Corns; pondence Schools of Auckland are among the largest advertisers in the Dominion. Asked his opinion as 16 the best form of advertising, the director of the schools recently stated that his experience was there was nothing to equal the newspaper. 1 Through its medium a greater number; o[ people are reached per diem than through any other channel. lie went on to state he itas surprised that more business men did not make greater use of the pi■fm. Many, particularly smaller business men and tradesmen who spent considerable sums in advertising, could spend their money to greater advantage if they used the advertising columns of their local paper. Advertisements in newspapers are read, and this in Ne\y Zealand is due in no small measure toMlfe fact that compositors seem to take greater trouble in setting up their copy than is the ease in Australia. They also endeavor to make a small advertisement appear "newsy" which doubles its chance,of being read. "We have had/' said"the director of Hemingway ahd Robertson's Correspondence Schools, "well ove; 14,090 students through cfttr hands; these dents heard of us largely in consqaSSfflce of our < newspaper advertising." 'gjffhc director went on to lay stress" upon the necessity o'f statements in modern advertising being strictly correct. "The New Zealand people afe an educated people, oven an exaggeration will offend tlieni, and .probably do the advertiser more harm than g~od.'' lie went on to •state that sometimes results are so phenomenal that when recorded in cold print they sound exaggerated, This i 3 a very difficult matter for the advertisement writei. I'or instance, it is hard to write a convincing advertisement in a little country like Jiew Zealand,, to the effect that a busliman of a few years ago is to-day a successful lawyer—or that a, former butchers assistant ; s to-day a successful accountant. Yet such has been accomplished through Hemingway and Robertson's Correspondence Schools, and there are many more such instances. The other day '.a Mr. Ingram was travelling from Grermouth to Reefton. A fellow passenger, reading one of Hemingway and Robertson's advertisements which stated that that firm had found a position for a qualified student at £'2so a vear. The reader said be doubted the tiutii of this. Mr/lngra'Rl}- however, to the stranger's surprise was able- to say "I know.it is true for I was offered the identical position myself, and only refused it because, thanks to Hemingway and Robertson, of Auckland, 1 was nlready suitjd." To all those in business, particularly in a small way, the advice is study on proper lines—then to advertise through the press what you can do or, sell—and tiieii ; do it. The result is success.