April Advertising

( Originally Published 1902 )

The Tailor, Clothier and Furnisher has his new spring ideas in makes, weaves, colorings and effects which he is anxious to properly introduce before prospective customers. He will find that a series of interesting newspaper ads—covering the ground as to price, style and workmanship—judiciously placed in the right mediums will give him the greatest amount of advertising good. A booklet of eight or twelve pages—if interestingly gotten up—can be sent with profit to a select list of names. Even a two-page circular-such as came to my hands a few days ago showing swatches of popular priced suits and overcoats—can be sent out with good returns. '

The Dry Goods Retailer has plenty to talk about. His new silks, satins, dress goods, wash goods, etc., show hundreds of new suggestions and it is a poor pen that cannot gather inspiration from the charming color combinations and textures. News-paper advertising is the best advertising for him—he has probably found that out ere this—and with the aid of eye catching illustrations and typography he gets up advertising that thrills every feminine mind in his vicinity.

The Boot and Shoe Man is not at a loss for something to say. Even the single but important fact that low cut patent leathers will be distinctly in vogue with dressy men all summer is enough to add a spice of interesting information to a dozen ads. By giving out information people are interested, provided this information is given in a clever manner. (How much more interesting is the ad that gives some of the meat of information skillfully interwoven with the tapioca of glittering generalities instead of the ad made up wholly of g. g?) In advertising foot-wear many good advertisers speak of but a single item at a time and with window displays and inside exhibits hope to push along the sale of the shoe advertised. Next day or next week (according to the frequency of appearance of the local paper or the enter-prise of the merchant) another strong item assisted by striking displays is on tap, and so on until every normal shoe desire is catered to.

The Hatter with his "spring shapes" is ready to interest and cover young and old heads. He can tell all about the Knox, Dunlap and Youman shapes—how the crowns and brims are slightly different from last season's. Occasionally, you will find a hatter enterprising enough to put out a booklet concerning his line, which piece of enterprise—as is every business enterprise—is guided by the amount of business being done compared with what might be done with additional advertising.

The Ladies' Costumer will find April an ideal month to talk about the novel spring capes, cloaks, dresses and skirts—surpassing subjects for the advertiser to enthuse over. (" The brains of New York and Paris conceived these elegant garments-a knowledge of the market made the prices easy on the purchaser's pocketbook and a wise selection for our constituents' popular needs enabled us to offer the most tempting spring assortment ever seen in this section of the State, etc.," until the words pulled out of the writer's ink bottle sink, deep into every woman's mind.)

The Hardware Dealer with his rakes, hoes, spades and the list of garden and farm implements is now sharpening his lead pencil to grind out good advertising copy. In many cases he carries seeds, bulbs, and whatever the average suburbanite or farmer may desire to make Mother Earth bloom and blossom with natural products, and he has a variety of absorbing subjects to speak about. (To see this form of advertising at its height in catalogue shape, look at some of the gorgeous catalogues put forth by the New York and Chicago wholesale houses.)

The Grocer and Butcher can give their ads a springtime twitch by reason of recent supplies of seasonable edibles. Freshness and purity of products together with price inducements are the keys to play upon by this advertiser, and as the business music strikes wise feminine ears the ads are always sure of a musical, clinking cash response.