E

VERY one who claims to be an advertising man, isn't, but it is a good sign. That is, it is a good sign to have people claiming that they are advertising men, whether they are or not. It shows a certain dignity of the profession, or science, or whatever one wants to call it. The time was when men, instead of claiming that they were in the advertising business when they were not, actually apologized when it was discovered that they were trying to earn a living through publicity.

I have always liked that old story about the dead ditch digger. It is of ancient vintage, but it points a moral. You will recall it, of course. Pat had been crushed to death while shoveling the earth out of a trench, and over their pipes a couple of his fellow workers were discussing him.

One of them made the observation that Pat was a good shoveler. The other admitted that he was. "Pat was an extra good shoveler," the first speaker declared. But the second man smoked a while, and added, cautiously: "Yes, Pat was an extra good shoveler, but he was not a fancy shoveler."

There was a man who was proud of his profession of shoveling, and he was not willing to admit that his dead comrade possessed the art of shoveling to the extent that he might be termed a fancy shoveler. It all goes to show that there are different degrees of skill even in moving dirt from one place to another.

Now, if there are degrees of expertness in shoveling dirt why should there not be degrees of expertness in the profession of advertising? Of course there are, but too many laymen accept the statement that a certain man is an "advertising man" as absolutely fixing his place in the great economy of things.

The newspapers of this country are cleaning up their columns to a greater extent than the superficial observer might imagine. There is not a day but a publisher somewhere announces that he is going to more closely censor his advertising columns. Not a great many of those who make the declaration adhere to it, but even the announcement does some good. It at least calls attention to the

fact that advertising is becoming more dignified, and it puts the reader on his guard, and sooner or later the publisher who makes such an announcement has to make good with his readers.

Publishers generally are coming to understand that they owe something else to the legitimate advertiser than to slam his advertisement in the paper and let it go at that. They are learning that they must give a sort of protection to advertisers-protection from the ill-opinion of all advertising that the reader will get if the worst advertising is carried along with the best.

This can be seen in the numerous editorials now appearing in the newspapers concerning advertising. Hardly an editor in the land but takes occasion, once in a while, to call attention to the advertising columns of the paper, to commend the goods advertised to the reader, and to render a little service to the advertiser outside of the space occupied by the advertisement itself.

This tendency should be encouraged. Editors are not lowering their dignity to write about advertisements and advertising. In fact, it is as much the duty of an editor to call attention to advertising as it is to call attention to primary elections or anything else. Advertising and advertised goods is a pertinent subject for discussion at all times.

There is one prejudice existing which editors should strive to break down. That is the prejudice that exists in the minds of some people that because a statement is made in an advertisement it is not necessarily correct. In time gone by it was pretty good evidence that it was not correct if it appeared in an advertisement, but at this time the reverse is coming to be understood as being true.

Editors would do well to impress this upon their readers-and then see to it that the statements made in advertisements conformed therewith. But it would be folly for an editor to preach to his readers the trustworthiness of the statement to be found in advertisements and then to carry all sorts of exaggerated and unreliable advertising.

There is going to be more political advertising this fall than has ever been done before

in this country. Whether either of the great political parties or any of the candidates will see fit to employ competent advertising men, or proceed along the old-fashioned lines, remains to be seen. But it is certain that money is going to be spent for political advertising, in large amounts.

I have always marveled that the politicians did not see fit to employ competent advertising men to do their advertising. It would be the rational thing to do, and some of them may make such progress this fall.

But to leave the advertising with a county chairman, or a national manager will mean that the money is poorly spent.

Why should not any of the great advertising agencies be able to take an appropriation of, say, a hundred thousand dollars and spend it profitably for political publicity as they are now spending such sums for commercial advertising?

There are any number of copy writers in this country who could prepare more appealing political advertising copy than can be prepared by the politicians. And certainly any agency could more effectively handle the placing of it than it will be handled if it is given out as favors.

Just as a hint to the political managers, let it be stated that there is no reason why a regular follow-up system of advertising campaign should not be pulled off effectively in this country, through the Agricultural papers especially a regular campaign of publicity just as is conducted by the firms selling goods. The political managers would be surprised at the demand that could be created for campaign literature by running coupons, for instance, advising the reader to fill out and return to the headquarters.

But the chances are the political managers will stick to the old-fashioned and ineffective Lethod of buying "plate" and inducing partisan sheets to carry it for nothing instead of going into the periodicals with a high-grade, cleverly prepared line of publicity that would get results.

The Men and Religion Forward movement considered advertising. As is understood, the campaign was a sort of evangelizing process, or survey, pulled off for the promotion of the Christian religion. It was in the nature of an experiment, and careful students studied conditions and noted results as the movement progressed.

An executive committee was appointed to investigate the relations existing between the pulpit and the press and to make suggestions, based upon the investigation, as to the best method of still further promoting the cause.

In its report the committee stated that the use of newspapers for a campaign of general publicity would be a good thing. The committee recommended that paid advertising be inserted in the papers by the churches, especially where announcements, etc., were to be made.

What was said above concerning political advertising is as pertinent to religious adver tising. That is, there is no reason why those promoting the Men and Religion Forward movement should not go into the newspapers and magazines through a regularly organized advertising campaign in charge of an efficient agency.

If any one desired to start a new religion, that would be the first move-to secure a publicity expert and to promote a publicity campaign. Why, then, would it not pay the religion already organized to do so? Why would it not be as profitable to spend money for advertising matter in the papers and magazines as it is to spend it for verbal messages? Is there any reason why a publicity campaign can get people interested in soap and not get them interested in religion?

Somebody ought to make an investigation and determine once for all whether the veiled advertisement pays. I mean the advertisement that is so worded and printed that the reader doesn't discover until he is about through with it that it is an advertisement.

Personally I do not believe that false pretenses pay. And that is exactly what the veiled advertisement is. It may catch a few gullible people who do not know the difference between an advertisement and the Ten Commandments, but it certainly can not deceive a very large number of intelligent people.

There may have been a time when people would not read an advertisement if they knew it was an advertisement, but such conditions no longer prevail. Every one reads the advertisements of the things in which he is interested-and a good many advertisements about things he or she is not interested in. I believe that straightforward statements, with no deception whatever, is the best advertising there is, but I note that a number of advertisers still persist in misleading peo

ple by putting a heading over the matter that has nothing whatever to do with the subject.

*

*

Local merchants in a good many cities are taking advantage of the publicity of the national advertisers, as they should. A few firms selling nationally advertised goods require that merchants handling such goods supplement the advertising locally, and it would probably be well if all of them did so.

There can be no doubt about the efficiency of such advertising, if properly done. Thousands of people in every city are of course familiar with the national advertising. They see the advertisements in the magazines. All the local merchant has to do in order to reap some benefit from such national advertising is to insert in his local advertisements that he carries such and such product, advertised in the magazines.

A

NNOUNCEMENT is made by a commit

tee representing forty-eight Chicago advertising men on the candidacy of W. R. Emery, Western Manager of Everybody's Maga zine, for the presidency of the Central Division of the Associated Advertising Clubs of America, election for which will be held at the Toledo convention, June 13th to 14th.

The Chicago members, representing unoffi cially the Chicago Advertising Association, the Agate Club and the Daily Newspaper Representative Association, addressed a letter to Mr. Emery, urging his acceptance of their proposal that he become a candidate, claiming that he is the best qualified man for the position. In reply Mr. Emery stated that he was willing to accept the nomination if made heartily and with the support of all the members of the Central Division.

The following are extracts from the letter which brought about the announcement of Mr. Emery's candidacy:

"We, the undersigned, members of the Central Division of the Associated Advertising Clubs of America, having at heart the best interests of the division, desire and urge you to be a candidate for the presidency, at their convention to be held in Toledo, June 13th and 14th, 1912."

"We recognize in you all the best qualities of the modern up-to-date advertising man. Your eight years' experience in the agency field gave you the viewpoint of the agent, as well as that of the advertiser. Your twelve years' experience as Western Manager of Everybody's Magazine has given you the viewpoint of the pub

lisher, and your twenty years' experience in both capacities has kept you in close touch with business and advertising problems of today."

The letter was signed by the forty-eight advertising men, and Mr. Emery replied to same, in part, as follows:

"I am deeply appreciative of the expressions of confidence which your letter conveys, and the fact that it comes from such a representative body of men with whom I have for many years been intimately associated in business and club life, gives it a value which words fail to express."

"The office of president should not be given as a personal compliment. A man should be selected who is big enough in every way to link together the splendid preparatory and constructive work which has characterized the four years of this Division's life, one who is in full sympathy with the individual club's needs and purposes."

"To me the future of advertising is more than personal honor. I believe the club movement offers the opportunity and method for the assuring of the future. If the Toledo convention delegates join in your endorsement and if the individual members of the clubs there represented are willing to join in the effort to bring next year a realization of the good work of the preceding years in this Division and are in accord with my views, I will accept the obligation. if elected president, which the office carries and will give it the best effort I possess. If it is the decision that another is better fitted to forward the work, I will be a willing worker just the same."