KEEPING-THE-NAME-BEFORE-THE-PEOPLE," and Keeping - everlastingly - at - it!"
That, dear Reader, is "General Publicity" - a Glory-Game, under a convenient alias. "Keeping-the-Name-before-the-People," and "Keeping-everlastingly-at-it," may incidentally "influence the sale" of goods, providing no competing line is being actually Advertised through Reason-Why Salesmanship-on-Paper.
But, the main object of such "General Publicity" may be less mercenary, more altruistic, than mere merchandising.
"Attract Attention;" - "Interest the Public" with pretty pictures and cute catchwords; - "Encourage the Publisher" by paying him for plenty of unoccupied white space;-and lastly, pay some Agency a commission to spend the money with the least effort and the most fire-works.
That is "General Publicity."
It is well enough, in its way, of course (like the Carnegie Libraries). But, what is here objected to is that some folks, who ought to know better, call this "General Publicity" by the name of "Advertising."
Now, Advertising is, and should be, simply plebeian "Salesmanship-on-paper" -a mere money-making means of selling goods by the quickest and cheapest method. There is no Glory in this Reason-Why Salesmanship-on-paper-no applause for it,-no admiration,-just Profit.
Because, it is simply common sense brought to bear directly upon the selling of Goods.
That is its province-just selling goods over the counter or by mail.
If you want to find out how few goods "General Publicity" Copy ("Keeping-the- Name-before-the-People") will actually sell, test some of what you are now using, in a Mail-Order way,-to sell goods, mark you (not merely to give away Calendars or Samples).
That is the test that shatters advertising Idols and dispels "Publicity" illusions.
You may have the smoothest "Catch-phrase" that ever happened,-you may be thoroughly tickled with you Witty Wording, Pretty Platitudes, and Artistic Illustrations. You may feel Cock-Sure that you have a kind of Advertising which couldn't fail (so long as the Salesmen do its work in addition to their own). But, suppose you should try to actually sell goods by mail with it.
If your World-Beating Advertisement, that "everybody sees" and admires, costs you $2.00 per Inquiry-and if another kind of advertisement you "don't like at all" brings equally good Inquires, in the same space and same mediums, at 40 cents each, then you've learned something you can never afford to forget.