CARLYLE compared Mankind to a Flock of Sheep.
He said? "Stretch a rope across a country path, about a foot and a half from the ground.
"Then drive a flock of Sheep over it!
"When the Bell-wether (or leader) has jumped that elevated rope lower it to the ground and note what happens."
Every sheep in the flock that follows will jump a foot and a half in the air over that same rope, though it now lies slack on the earth.
They follow the Bell-wether blindly, - unreasoningly, - without regard to changed conditions.
They don't jump for the same reason that the Bell-wether jumped, but just because they say another Sheep jump a given height, at a given spot.
Carlyle's comparison fits the Advertising situation like a blister.
There be flocks of Sheep innumerable in the Advertising field, Neighbor!
When Sapolio used the "Spotless Town" jingles (merely to revive mental impressions created by previous logical advertising), the flock of Sheep ran amuck on jingles, regardless of their application to other purposes.
When "Uneeda Biscuit" appeared on the market to fill a colossal waiting demand for a fine-cent package, it was backed by an appropriation the mere volume of which must create a sensation with Retailers (whether it actually sold goods to Consumers or not).
This, in turn, was followed by a brood of inane trade-marks launched on the Advertising field after it and because of it.
When "Ivory Soap" Publicity appeared on the scene, with its full pages of pretty pictures, and its Five per cent of Selling Effect, the Sheep concluded that, too, must be "the best ever" in Advertising, so they promptly got in line and leaped the imaginary rope.
Then we had an epidemic of empty catch-phrases, following hard upon "Good Morning! Have you used Pears' Soap?"
This, regardless of the fact that Pears' much parodied phrase had a foundation of a hundred years in accumulated advertising to tide it over its period of mental aberration.
Where are these false Gods of Advertising today?
"Spotless Town" is off the map, and Hand Sapolio is now being advertised on the good old Reason-Why basis that built House Sapolio.
The old-time brood of "Try-a-bita," "U-want-a" and such other Uneeda chickens, has gone home to roost long before the tolling of Curfew bell.