Advertising A Resort

( Originally Published 1902 )

The presence of an up-to-date press agent every day during the season at a summer resort is an idea that time and time again has struck with force the managers of such places.

And why not?

The only way the great, outside, work-a-day, stay-at-home world learns of such resorts is by advertising.

The advertising may be in the form of a sea serpent story. The advertising may be in the form of a regular news item. The advertising may be in the form of a half column of

"Society news" in a metropolitan Sunday paper.

The advertising may be in the heart to heart talk of Mr. Jones to Mr. Brown regarding the atrocious costumes she saw on the promenade.

The advertising may be in the heart to heart talk of Mr. Jones to Mr. Brown anent the burning question of heavy cheeks that their wives' summer outing demands.

It is all advertising.

You cannot get away from the force of advertising-a force that loses not one iota of strength when considered in its relation to summer, winter or any other season resort. How to advertise?

If I owned a resort, as Mr. Bradley owns Asbury Park, I would employ a competent advertising man for the season and two months before the season opened. These two months could be given to a preparation of "copy." This " copy" would include news items and advertisements. At the beginning of the season the papers would blossom out with these efforts and throughout the season the advertising man would be kept busy in his efforts to keep up the publicity. The advertising man should endeavor to enthuse hotel proprietors, boarding-house keepers, restaurant managers and entertainment enterprises in walking the advertising march with military precision.

He could do it—the right kind of a man !

When the season is fully under way and the newspaper correspondents begin to come he should be expected to "take care of them" in the way of accommodation, information and entertainment. Should they run short of something to write about he should smile, bow, and with a Chesterfieldian air hand-out neatly typewritten stories so well constructed and with such a back ground of actuality behind them that they will be grate-fully received on the spot. If needs be the advertising bureau could prepare the advertising of the various hotels, boarding-houses and attractions as well as provide suitable lists of names to which this advertising may be addressed.