MILESTONES At the Dallas Convention Known Circulation Facts Where and who your readers are Circulation Guarantee Fraudulent Advertising were discussed. The results will be regarded as With Collier's A classification of subscribers by occupation by states by groups of cities by size of towns A money-back guarantee. (Remember 1908) A copy censorship more rigid than that of any other advertising medium are distinguishing features of this institution. They are milestones of our history E. L. Patterson. Manager Advertising Department Collier's THE NATIONAL WEEKLY P. F. Collier & Son, Incorporated 416-430 WEST 13th STREET NEW YORK CITY DDDDDDDDDODDO WE The Net Value of E HAVE just completed a very wonderful convention Marked by gracious hospitality, by good fellowship, by the interchange of valuable ideas, suggestions and experiences. The question is, Do all advertising men realize what these conventions are for? Do they carry away a full measure of the good and practical things that are to be gained at these gatherings? Things that have real worth-that can be put into actual use. The biggest advertising men in the business are the quickest to acknowledge their own inefficiency as compared to the combined experience of others. The most efficient advertising man is willing to look on and listen. And he is willing always to change his mind-if the proof is sufficient. He studies advertising-not academically-not through theories that lead darkly into byways. But by absorbing from every available source the actual, practical every-day things that are the basics of good advertising and merchandising. Thus, this great business of advertising develops. The lessons taught by the Dallas Convention were of real benefit. The discourses and discussions were helpful to a inarked degree. All were made, we believe, to think more seriously about advertising and to consider more earnestly its unexplored possibilities. The educational work done by the National Association is of unquestionable benefit. Nonsense is being eliminated. There is a better feeling today between advertising men the country over than ever before closer relationship-more mutual helpfulness. That's why every convention is better than the last. And that is why we are all going to Baltimore in 1913. DDDDDDDD B Telegraphic Copy REVITY that leaves out the vitals is not good copy. Neither is long-windedness. People are prone to rush to extremes. One advertiser will demand "Just a word or two-something that they will remember." Another will say "Tell the story, and get it all in." There's an in-between point that's right. Arthur Brisbane has told us to avoid "style" in advertisement writing. He surely is right if he means to avoid the forced. Yet they say the highest form of art is "the art which conceals art." And there is an art in simple, direct writing. Brisbane's style is peculiar in its vivid naturalness. Yet the student of writing certainly could not achieve a style like his, spontaneously. copy. So you have got to study style to be successful in writing You have got to study word effects. Not to achieve pretty poetic platitudes But to learn to write convincingly, to avoid repetition, and Students of direct and forceful style in writing advertising, There's style to it. Style with a punch-yet no apparent Ridgway talks in short and concise sentences-he writes telegraphic copy. And there isn't a word that doesn't belong there. Not a word left that might be sacrificed. The trouble with most of us is that we just naturally ramble. We "lead up" to things when we might as well start right ーンを |