ScoLL WalLer ulll 18691933 1he sychology of AdverLlslng

LlecLronlc 1exL CenLer unlverslLy of vlrglnla Llbrary

| 1able of ConLenLs for Lhls work |
| All onllne daLabases | LLexL CenLer Pomepage |

1PL S?CPCLCC? Cl AuvL81lSlnC

1PL only meLhod of adverLlslng known Lo Lhe anclenLs was Lhe word of mouLh 1he
merchanL who had wares Lo offer broughL Lhem Lo Lhe gaLe of a clLy and Lhere crled
aloud maklng Lhe worLh of hls goods known Lo Lhose who were enLerlng Lhe clLy
and who mlghL be lnduced Lo Lurn aslde and purchase Lhem We are noL more
amused by Lhe slmpllclLy of Lhe anclenLs Lhan we are amazed aL Lhe magnlLude of
Lhe modern sysLems of adverLlslng lrom Lhe day when 8oaz Look hls sLand by Lhe
gaLe Lo adverLlse naomls parcel of land by crylng Po Lurn aslde Lo Lhe day
when 8arnum bllled Lhe Lowns for hls Lhreerlnged clrcus Lhe evoluLlon ln
adverLlslng had been gradual buL lL had been as greaL as LhaL from Lhe anLhropold
ape Lo 1 8arnum hlmself

As soon as prlnLed symbols were lnvenLed Lhe adverLlslng man made use of Lhem
Lo glve publlclLy Lo hls merchandlse We flnd adverLlsemenLs engraved on walls and
Lombs wrlLLen on parchmenL and papyrus and prlnLed by Lhe flrsL prlnLlng presses
AlLhough Lhese varlous forms of adverLlslng were employed buL llLLle LhoughL and
care seem Lo have been expended upon Lhem osLers palnLed slgns sLreeLcar
placards bookleLs calendars almanacs handbllls magazlne and newspaper
adverLlslng have now become forms of adverLlslng so well esLabllshed LhaL we look
upon Lhem as a necesslLy and are surprlsed Lo learn LhaL mosL of Lhem are modern
lnnovaLlons

1he flrsL adverLlsemenL prlnLed ln Lngllsh appeared ln Lhe lmperlal lnLelllgencer ln
March 1648 AdverLlslng ln magazlnes was noL begun unLll comparaLlvely recenL
Llmes lor lnsLance Lhe flrsL adverLlsemenL appeared ln Parpers Magazlne ln 1864
ln Lhls magazlne more space has been devoLed Lo adverLlslng durlng Lhe pasL year
Lhan Lhe sum LoLal of space for Lhe LwenLyfour years from 1864 Lo 1887 lncluslve
lndeed adverLlslng may be sald Lo have been ln lLs swaddllng cloLhes unLll abouL Lhe
year 1887 1he mosL rapld developmenL has Laken place durlng Lhe lasL flfLeen years
1he change has been so greaL LhaL Lhe leadlng adverLlsers say LhaL ln comparlson
wlLh Loday Lhere was ln exlsLence flfLeen years ago no adverLlslng worLhy of Lhe
name

1he galn ln Lhe quanLlLy of adverLlslng can be seen by observlng Lhe lncrease ln Lhe
number of pages devoLed Lo adverLlsemenLs ln any of our publlcaLlons 1he monLh of
CcLober ls regarded as Lhe Lyplcal monLh Lherefore we presenL Lhe number of pages
devoLed Lo adverLlsemenLs for Lhe monLh of CcLober ln Parpers Magazlne for each
year from Lhe flrsL appearance of adverLlsemenLs ln LhaL magazlne Lo Lhe presenL
Llme 1864 3x 63 2 66 3 67 6 68 7Z 69 3Z 70 4Z 71 3Z 72 2 73 1
74 0 73 0 76 0 77 0 780 79 0 80 0 81 0 82 1Z 83 8Z 84 8 83
11Z 86 20 87 37 88 34 89 48 90 73 91 80Z 92 87 93 77Z 94 73
93 78x 96 73 97 80 98 81 99 106 1900 97Z 01 93Z 02 128 03
141

lL wlll be noLlced ln Lhe daLa as glven above LhaL durlng Lhe years of speclal
prosperlLy Lhere was a very greaL lncrease ln Lhe volume of adverLlslng whlle Lhere
was buL a sllghL falllng off followlng a flnanclal depresslon 1he lncrease was noL
pronounced unLll abouL 1887 buL from LhaL Llme on lL has been very marked noL
only ln Parpers buL ln almosL all of our publlcaLlons



30


1here has noL only been an lncrease ln Lhe number of adverLlslng pages ln Lhe
lndlvldual publlcaLlons buL Lhe number of publlcaLlons has lncreased enormously of
recenL years 1he lncrease of populaLlon ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes has been rapld durlng
Lhe lasL flfLy years buL Lhe lncrease ln Lhe LoLal number of coples of Lhe dlfferenL
publlcaLlons has been many fold greaLer 1hus Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon of Lhe coples of Lhese
perlodlcals Lo each lndlvldual was as follows

ln 1830 each lndlvldual recelved on Lhe average 18 coples from one or more of
Lhese perlodlcals ln 1860 29 ln 1870 39 ln 1880 41 ln 1890 74 ln 1900 107

A slgnlflcanL cause of Lhls lncrease ls Lhe reducLlon ln Lhe subscrlpLlon prlce whlch
ls made posslble because of Lhe proflL accrulng Lo such publlcaLlons from Lhelr
adverLlsemenLs 1he LoLal lncome secured from subscrlpLlons for all Lhese
publlcaLlons lasL year was less Lhan Lhe amounL pald for Lhe adverLlslng pages We
have Lhls currenL year abouL 20000 perlodlcals carrylng adverLlsemenLs each wlLh a
consLanLly lncreaslng number of pages devoLed Lo Lhem and wlLh a rapldly
advanclng raLe secured for each adverLlsemenL ln addlLlon Lo Lhls Lhe lncrease ls
phenomenal ln Lhe use of bookleLs posLers palnLed slgns sLreeLcar placards
almanacs and many oLher forms of adverLlslng Cne flrm ls supposed Lo have
dlsLrlbuLed 23000000 almanacs ln a slngle year

1he expense connecLed wlLh Lhese varlous forms of prlnLed adverLlslng reaches far
lnLo Lhe mllllons Cne auLhorlLy puLs Lhe LoLal annual expense of prlnLed forms of
adverLlslng aL slx hundred mllllon dollars 1hls sum does noL seem Lo be an
exaggeraLlon Mr osL spends as much as slx hundred Lhousand dollars annually ln
adverLlslng hls food producLs Cne mllllon dollars was spenL lasL year ln adverLlslng
lorce Cver slx hundred Lhousand dollars ls spenL annually ln adverLlslng Ayers
remedles and over one mllllon dollars ln adverLlslng eruna

1he adverLlslng raLe has been advanced repeaLedly ln many magazlnes durlng Lhe
lasL few years llrms whlch formerly pald buL one hundred dollars for a fullpage
adverLlsemenL ln Lhe CenLury Magazlne now pay Lwo hundred and flfLy dollars for
Lhe same amounL of space 1he Ladles Pome !ournal has lncreased lLs adverLlslng
raLe Lo slx dollars for a slngle agaLe llne (Lhere are fourLeen agaLe llnes Lo Lhe lnch)
Lhe wldLh of one column for a slngle lnserLlon 1he cosL of a full page for a slngle
lssue ls four Lhousand dollars 1he rocLer Camble Co have made a Lhree years
conLracL for a slngle page ln each lssue Lo be devoLed Lo Lhe adverLlsemenL of lvory
Soap lor Lhls space Lhey pay four Lhousand dollars a monLh forLyelghL Lhousand
dollars a year and one hundred and forLyfour Lhousand dollars for Lhe Lerm of
Lhree years 1hlnk of Lhe rlsk a flrm runs ln lnvesLlng four Lhousand dollars ln a slngle
page adverLlsemenL! Pow can Lhey expecL Lo geL back Lhe equlvalenL of such a sum
of money from a slngle adverLlsemenL?

1here are very many adverLlsemenLs LhaL do noL pay Cne man has roughly
esLlmaLed LhaL sevenLyflve per cenL of all adverLlsemenLs do noL pay yeL Lhe oLher
LwenLyflve per cenL pay so well LhaL Lhere ls scarcely a buslness man who ls wllllng
Lo sLand ldly by and allow hls compeLlLors Lo do Lhe adverLlslng 1he expense
connecLed wlLh adverLlslng has lncreased Lhe compeLlLlon beLween rlval flrms has
become keener and consequenLly Lhe demand for good adverLlslng has become
lmperaLlve 1he number of unsuccessful adverLlsemenLs are many and yeL Lhe loss
lncurred ln an unsuccessful adverLlslng campalgn ls so greaL LhaL many flrms sLand
aghasL aL Lhe LhoughL of such an underLaklng Many merchanLs see Lhe necesslLy of
adverLlslng Lhelr buslness buL feel unable Lo enLer Lhe arena and compeLe wlLh
successful rlvals



31


1he day of reckless sporadlc haphazard adverLlslng ls rapldly comlng Lo an end so
far as magazlne adverLlslng ls concerned AlLhough Lhe number of pages devoLed Lo
adverLlslng ln our besL magazlnes has lncreased durlng Lhe lasL Len years Lhe
number of flrms adverLlslng ln Lhese same magazlnes has decreased 1he sLruggle
has been Loo flerce for any buL Lhe sLrongesL 1he lnefflclenL adverLlsers are
gradually belng ellmlnaLed and Lhe survlval of Lhe flLLesL seems Lo be a law of
adverLlslng as lL ls of everyLhlng else LhaL develops

1he leaders of Lhe professlon feel LhaL Lhelr work has grown Llll lL ls beyond Lhelr
conLrol and comprehenslon 1hey have been successful and hardly know how lL has
all come abouL 1he men who have been Lhe mosL successful are ofLen Lhe ones who
feel mosL deeply Lhelr lnablllLy Lo meeL new emergencles 1hey belleve LhaL Lhere
should be some underlylng prlnclples whlch could help Lhem ln analyzlng whaL Lhey
have already accompllshed and asslsL Lhem ln Lhelr furLher efforLs As Lhelr enLlre
ob[ecL ls Lo produce cerLaln effecLs on Lhe mlnds of posslble cusLomers lL ls noL
sLrange LhaL Lhey have Lurned Lo psychology ln search of such prlnclples
1radlLlonally Lhe pracLlcal buslness man scouLs aL Lheory sychology Lo Lhe popular
mlnd ls someLhlng devold of all pracLlcal appllcaLlon relaLed Lo meLaphyslcs and
sulLed only Lo Lhe recluse and Lhe hermlL lf ever Lhere was ground Lo expecL
sarcasLlc and pesslmlsLlc prophecles from Lhe hardheaded buslness man lL was
when lL was proposed Lo esLabllsh adverLlslng on a LheoreLlcal basls deduced from
psychology Such adverse crlLlclsm has however been Lhe excepLlon 1he Amerlcan
buslness man ls noL afrald of Lheorles Pe wanLs Lhem and Lhe more Lhe beLLer

1he besL LhoughL of Lhe adverLlslng world flnds expresslon ln Lhe adverLlslng
[ournals and ln Lhe addresses dellvered by varlous experLs aL gaLherlngs of
professlonal adverLlsers ln 1893 ln one of Lhe leadlng adverLlslng [ournals appeared
Lhe followlng edlLorlal robably when we are a llLLle more enllghLened Lhe
adverLlsemenL wrlLer llke Lhe Leacher wlll sLudy psychology lor however dlverse
Lhelr occupaLlons may aL flrsL slghL appear Lhe adverLlsemenL wrlLer and Lhe Leacher
have one greaL ob[ecL ln common Lo lnfluence Lhe human mlnd 1he Leacher has a
sclenLlflc foundaLlon for hls work ln LhaL dlrecLlon buL Lhe adverLlsemenL wrlLer ls
really also a psychologlsL Puman naLure ls a greaL facLor ln adverLlslng success and
he who wrlLes adverLlsemenLs wlLhouL reference Lo lL ls apL Lo flnd LhaL he has
reckoned wlLhouL hls hosL 1he man who penned Lhls edlLorlal was a pracLlcal
adverLlser buL he admlLLed of no lncongrulLy beLween Lhe pracLlcal and Lhe
LheoreLlcal

ln ubllclLy for March 1901 appeared a leadlng arLlcle on psychology and
adverLlslng 1he followlng ls a quoLaLlon from lL

1he Llme ls noL far away when Lhe adverLlslng wrlLer wlll flnd ouL Lhe lnesLlmable
beneflLs of a knowledge of psychology 1he preparaLlon of copy has usually followed
Lhe lnsLlncLs raLher Lhan Lhe analyLlcal funcLlons An adverLlsemenL has been wrlLLen
Lo descrlbe Lhe arLlcles whlch lL was wlshed Lo place before Lhe reader a blL of
cleverness an aLLracLlve cuL or some oLher caLchy devlce has been used wlLh Lhe
hope LhaL Lhe hlL or mlss raLlo could be made as favorable as posslble 8uL Lhe fuLure
musL needs be full of beLLer meLhods Lhan Lhese Lo make adverLlslng advance wlLh
Lhe same rapldlLy as lL has durlng Lhe laLLer parL of Lhe lasL cenLury And Lhls wlll
come Lhrough a closer knowledge of Lhe psychologlcal composlLlon of Lhe mlnd 1he
socalled `sLudenLs of human naLure wlll Lhen be called successful psychologlsLs and
Lhe successful adverLlsers wlll be llkewlse Lermed psychologlcal adverLlsers 1he
mere menLlon of psychologlcal Lerms hablL self



32


concepLlon dlscrlmlnaLlon assoclaLlon memory lmaglnaLlon and percepLlon
reason emoLlon lnsLlncL and wlll should creaLe a flood of new LhoughL LhaL should
appeal Lo every advanced consumer of adverLlslng space
ln an address before Lhe AgaLe Club of Chlcago Lhe speaker sald As adverLlsers all
your efforLs have been Lo produce cerLaln effecLs on Lhe mlnds of posslble
cusLomers sychology ls broadly speaklng Lhe sclence of Lhe mlnd ArL ls Lhe dolng
and sclence ls Lhe undersLandlng how Lo do or Lhe explanaLlon of whaL has been
done lf we are able Lo flnd and Lo express Lhe psychologlcal laws upon whlch Lhe arL
of adverLlslng ls based we shall have made a dlsLlncL advance for we shall have
added Lhe sclence Lo Lhe arL of adverLlslng

ln a recenL address before Lhe ALlas Club of Chlcago Lhe speaker sald ln passlng Lo
Lhe psychologlcal aspecL of our sub[ecL adverLlslng mlghL properly be deflned as Lhe
arL of deLermlnlng Lhe wlll of posslble cusLomers Cur acLs are Lhe resulLanLs of our
moLlves and lL ls your funcLlon ln commerclal llfe Lo creaLe Lhe moLlves LhaL wlll
effecL Lhe sale of Lhe producers wares

ln response Lo Lhls felL need on Lhe parL of Lhe adverLlser several sLudenLs of
psychology have Lrled Lo selecL Lhose prlnclples of psychology whlch mlghL be of
beneflL Lo Lhe adverLlser and Lo presenL Lhem Lo Lhe adverLlslng world Lhrough
pamphleLs 1 magazlne arLlcles2 publlc addresses3 and ln one case aL leasL by
means of a book4

1he meLhod employed by Lhe psychologlsL ln aLLempLlng Lo glve adverLlslng a
LheoreLlcal basls has been qulLe unlform Pe has flrsL analyzed Lhe human mlnd lnLo
lLs varlous acLlvlLles Lhen analyzed adverLlsemenLs Lo dlscover whaL Lhere ls ln Lhem
LhaL may or may noL awaken Lhe acLlvlLy deslred 1hls meLhod can besL be
undersLood from an example lor an lllusLraLlon we shall conslder MenLal lmagery as
undersLood by Lhe psychologlsL and ln lLs appllcaLlon Lo adverLlslng

1he man who ls born bllnd ls noL only unable Lo see ob[ecLs buL he ls equally
unable Lo lmaglne how Lhey look AfLer we have looked aL ob[ecLs we can see Lhem
ln our mlnds eye wlLh more or less dlsLlncLness even lf our eyes are closed or Lhe
ob[ecL ls far removed from us When we lmaglne how an absenL ob[ecL looks we are
sald Lo have a vlsual lmage of lL We cannoL lmaglne how a Lhlng looks unless we
have acLually seen lL ln our prevlous experlence 1he lmaglnaLlon can Lake Lhe daLa
of former experlence and unlLe Lhem lnLo new forms buL all Lhe deLalls of Lhe new
formaLlon musL be Laken from Lhe former experlence of Lhe lndlvldual

1he man who ls born deaf can nelLher hear nor lmaglne whaL sounds are llke
WhaLever we have heard we can llve over agaln ln lmaglnaLlon we can form
audlLory lmages of lL We cannoL lmaglne any sound whlch we have noL acLually
heard alLhough we can unlLe lnLo new comblnaLlons Lhe sounds and Lones whlch we
have experlenced

l can lmaglne how beefsLeak LasLes buL l cannoL lmaglne Lhe LasLe of hashlsh for ln
all my pasL experlence l never have LasLed lL and do noL even know whlch one of my
former experlences lL ls llke lf l knew LhaL lL LasLed llke pepper or llke pepper and
vlnegar mlxed l could form some sorL of an lmage of lLs LasLe buL as lL ls l am
perfecLly helpless when l Lry Lo lmaglne lL l can wlLh more or less success lmaglne
how



33


everyLhlng LasLes whlch l have eaLen buL l cannoL lmaglne Lhe LasLe of a Lhlng whlch
l have noL Louched Lo my Longue Analogous descrlpLlons could be glven of lmages of
movemenLs of smell of Louch of heaL of cold of pressure and of paln
We have no dlrecL knowledge of Lhe mlnds of our nelghbors we assume LhaL Lhelr
Lhlnklng ls very much llke ours for Lhelr acLlons ouLward expresslons of LhoughL
are so slmllar Lo ours lL was formerly assumed LhaL glven any parLlcular ob[ecL of
LhoughL all normal mlnds would reach Lhe same concluslon concernlng lL and
furLhermore Lhe dlfferenL sLages ln Lhe llne of LhoughL and Lhe mlnd sLuff would
be Lhe same LhroughouL Such a concepLlon ls wholly false normal mlnds reach
dlfferenL concluslons under apparenLly ldenLlcal ouLward clrcumsLances buL Lhere ls
a greaLer dlfference ln Lhe Lerms of LhoughL or Lhe mlnd sLuff wlLh whlch Lhe
Lhlnklng ls done Cne man Lhlnks ln Lerms of slghL Pe ls sald Lo be eyemlnded Pls
Lhlnklng ls a rapld successlon of plcLures When he Lhlnks of a vlolln he Lhlnks raLher
how lL looks Lhan how lL sounds

AnoLher man Lhlnks ln Lerms of sound Pe ls earmlnded Pls Lhlnklng ls a
successlon of sounds When he Lhlnks of hls frlends he hears Lhelr volces buL cannoL
posslbly lmaglne how Lhey look Pe does noL know LhaL Lhere are oLher posslble
forms of LhoughL and so assumes LhaL all people Lhlnk ln Lerms of sound as he does
lf he should descrlbe a baLLle hls descrlpLlon would be full of Lhe roar and LumulL of
Lhe sLrlfe AnoLher man ls moLormlnded Pe Lhlnks ln Lerms of movemenLs Lven
when he looks aL a palnLlng he whlspers lnaudlbly Lo hlmself a descrlpLlon of Lhe
palnLlng LaLer when he descrlbes Lhe plcLure Lo a frlend he may do lL ln Lhe Lerms
whlch he whlspered Lo hlmself when he was looklng aL Lhe plcLure

1hus lL has been found LhaL Lhere are greaL personal dlfferences ln normal
lndlvlduals ln Lhelr ablllLy Lo form cerLaln classes of menLal lmages

All persons seem Lo be able Lo form aL leasL unclear and lndlsLlncL vlsual lmages
mosL persons seem Lo have some ablllLy ln formlng audlLory lmages very many can
lmaglne movemenLs wlLh some degree of saLlsfacLlon 1here are many who cannoL
lmaglne how plckles LasLe oLhers cannoL lmaglne Lhe odor of a flower 1here are
persons who have a llmlLed ablllLy Lo form all sorLs of lmages buL mosL persons have
a very declded ablllLy for one class and a correspondlng weakness for oLhers 1hls
dlfference ln Lhe ease wlLh whlch cerLaln classes of lmages can be formed as well as
Lhe dlfference ln lndlvlduals ln lmaglnlng dlfferenL classes of sensaLlons ls followed
wlLh pracLlcal consequences

ln a former age Lhe seller Lhe buyer and Lhe commodlLy were broughL LogeLher
1he seller descrlbed and exhlblLed hls wares 1he buyer saw Lhe goods heard of
Lhem LasLed Lhem smelL Lhem felL and llfLed Lhem Pe LesLed Lhem by means of
every sense organ Lo whlch Lhey could appeal ln Lhls way Lhe buyer became
acqualnLed wlLh Lhe goods Pls percepLlon of Lhem was as compleLe as lL could be
made ln Lhese laLLer days Lhe markeLplace has glven way Lo Lhe offlce 1he
consequenL separaLlon of buyer seller and commodlLy made Lhe commerclal
Lraveler wlLh hls sample case seem a necesslLy 8uL wlLh Lhe growlng volume of
buslness and wlLh Lhe lncreased need for more economlcal forms of LransacLlng
buslness Lhe prlnLed page as a form of adverLlsemenL has superseded Lhe markeL
place and ls ln many cases dlsplaclng Lhe commerclal Lraveler ln Lhls LranslLlon
from Lhe markeLplace and Lhe commerclal Lraveler Lo Lhe prlnLed page Lhe
adverLlser musL be on hls guard Lo preserve as many as posslble of Lhe good feaLures
of Lhe older lnsLlLuLlons ln Lhe Lwo older forms of barLer all Lhe senses of Lhe
purchaser were appealed Lo lf posslble and ln addlLlon Lo Lhls Lhe



34


word of mouLh of Lhe seller was added Lo lncrease Lhe lmpresslons and Lo call
speclal aLLenLlon Lo Lhe sLrong feaLures of Lhe commodlLy ln Lhe prlnLed page Lhe
word of mouLh ls Lhe only feaLure whlch ls of necesslLy enLlrely absenL lndeed Lhe
prlnLed page cannoL appeal dlrecLly Lo any of Lhe senses excepL Lhe eye buL Lhe
argumenL may be of such a naLure LhaL Lhe readers senses are appealed Lo lndlrecLly
Lhrough hls lmaglnaLlon
1he funcLlon of our nervous sysLem ls Lo make us aware of Lhe slghLs sounds
feellngs LasLes eLc of Lhe ob[ecLs ln our envlronmenL and Lhe more sensaLlons we
recelve from an ob[ecL Lhe beLLer we know lL 1he nervous sysLem whlch does noL
respond Lo sound or Lo any oLher of Lhe senslble quallLles ls a defecLlve nervous
sysLem AdverLlsemenLs are someLlmes spoken of as Lhe nervous sysLem of Lhe
buslness world 1haL adverLlsemenL of muslcal lnsLrumenLs whlch conLalns noLhlng
Lo awaken lmages of sound ls a defecLlve adverLlsemenL 1haL adverLlsemenL of
foods whlch conLalns noLhlng Lo awaken lmages of LasLe ls a defecLlve
adverLlsemenL As our nervous sysLem ls consLrucLed Lo glve us all Lhe posslble
sensaLlons from ob[ecLs so Lhe adverLlsemenL whlch ls comparable Lo Lhe nervous
sysLem musL awaken ln Lhe reader as many dlfferenL klnds of lmages as Lhe ob[ecL
lLself can exclLe

A person can be appealed Lo mosL easlly and mosL effecLlvely Lhrough hls
domlnaLlng lmagery 1hus one who has vlsual lmages LhaL are very clear and dlsLlncL
appreclaLes descrlpLlons of scenes 1he one who has sLrong audlLory lmagery
dellghLs ln havlng audlLory lmages awakened lL ls ln general besL Lo awaken as many
dlfferenL classes of lmages as posslble for ln Lhls way varleLy ls glven and each
reader ls appealed Lo ln Lhe sorL of lmagery whlch ls Lhe mosL pleaslng Lo hlm ln
whlch he Lhlnks mosL readlly and by means of whlch he ls mosL easlly lnfluenced

Cne of Lhe greaL weaknesses of Lhe presenL day adverLlslng ls found ln Lhe facL LhaL
Lhe wrlLer of Lhe adverLlsemenL falls Lo appeal Lhus lndlrecLly Lo Lhe senses Pow
many adverLlsers descrlbe a plano so vlvldly LhaL Lhe reader can hear lL? Pow many
food producLs are so descrlbed LhaL Lhe reader can LasLe Lhe food? Pow many
adverLlsemenLs descrlbe a perfume so LhaL Lhe reader can smell lL? Pow many
descrlbe an undergarmenL so LhaL Lhe reader can feel Lhe pleasanL conLacL wlLh hls
body? Many adverLlsers seem never Lo have LhoughL of Lhls and make no aLLempL aL
such descrlpLlons

1he cause of Lhls deflclency ls Lwofold ln Lhe flrsL place lL ls noL easy ln Lype Lo
appeal Lo any oLher sense Lhan LhaL of slghL CLher Lhan vlsual lmages are dlfflculL Lo
awaken when Lhe means employed ls Lhe prlnLed page ln Lhe second place Lhe
lndlvldual wrlLers are deflclenL ln cerLaln forms of menLal lmagery and Lherefore are
noL adepLs ln descrlblng arLlcles ln Lerms whlch Lo Lhemselves are noL slgnlflcanL
1hls second ground for fallure ln wrlLlng effecLlve adverLlsemenLs wlll be made clear
by Lhe examples Laken from currenL adverLlsemenLs whlch are quoLed below

A plano ls prlmarlly noL a Lhlng Lo look aL or an ob[ecL for proflLable lnvesLmenL
buL lL ls a muslcal lnsLrumenL lL mlghL be beauLlful and cheap buL sLlll be very
undeslrable 1he chlef Lhlng abouL a plano ls Lhe quallLy of lLs Lone Many adverLlsers
of planos do noL seem Lo have Lhe sllghLesL appreclaLlon of Lhls facL

When Lhey aLLempL Lo descrlbe a plano Lhey seem as men groplng ln Lhe dark
1helr sLaLemenLs are general and meanlngless As an example of such a fallure Lhe
adverLlsemenL of Lhe knabe lano ls Lyplcal

1he knA8L
lLs successful growLh and experlence of nearly sevenLy years guaranLees Lo new
frlends Lhe greaLesL



33


degree Lo Lrled and LesLed excellence [udged from any sLandpolnL of crlLlclsm or
comparlson
WM knA8L CC
nLW ?C8k 8AL1lMC8L WASPlnC1Cn

1hls ls a halfpage adverLlsemenL buL lL conLalns no lllusLraLlon makes no
reference Lo Lone or Lo any oLher quallLy of muslc and does noL even suggesL LhaL
Lhe knabe ls a muslcal lnsLrumenL aL all Many adverLlsers descrlbe Lhe appearance
and durablllLy of Lhe case or Lhe cosL of Lhe enLlre lnsLrumenL buL ordlnarlly Lhelr
sLaLemenLs are so general LhaL Lhe adverLlsemenL could be applled equally well Lo
perfumes founLaln pens blcycles auLomoblles snuff or sausages buL would be
equally lnefflclenL lf used Lo adverLlse any of Lhem 1hey do noL descrlbe or refer ln
any way Lo Lhe essenLlal characLerlsLlcs of a plano 1hey awaken no lmages of sound
Lhey do noL make us hear a plano ln our lmaglnaLlon

1he followlng ls a quoLaLlon ln full of an adverLlsemenL of Lhe vose lano buL wlLh
Lhe words sewlng machlne subsLlLuLed for plano 1hls adverLlsemenL llke Lhe
one quoLed above conLalns no lllusLraLlon and lL wlll be noLed LhaL Lhere ls noLhlng
ln Lhe LexL whlch does noL apply equally well Lo a sewlng machlne

vCSL
SLWlnC MACPlnLS
Pave been LsLabllshed over 31 ?ears

1hey are perfecL examples of sewlng machlne sLrengLh 1he ConsLrucLlon of Lhe
vose ls Lhe resulL of flfLy years of developmenL and Lhe appllcaLlon of Lhe hlghesL
mechanlcal sklll Lo Lhe producLlon of each separaLe parL

8y our easy paymenL plan every famlly ln moderaLe clrcumsLances can own a flne
sewlng machlne We allow a llberal prlce for old lnsLrumenLs ln exchange and
dellver Lhe sewlng machlne ln your house free of expense ?ou can deal wlLh us aL a
dlsLanL polnL Lhe same as ln 8osLon Send for our descrlpLlve caLalogue P whlch
glves full lnformaLlon

vCSL SCnS SLWlnC MACPlnL CC
161 8C?LS1Cn S18LL1 8CS1Cn MASS

Many of Lhe adverLlsemenLs of Lhe Lmerson Weber LvereLL and of a few oLher
plano flrms are equally poor aLLempLs Lo presenL Lhe deslrable feaLures of planos

ln recenL adverLlsemenLs of Lhe 8laslus plano an aLLempL ls made Lo presenL a
plano as a muslcal lnsLrumenL A muslc score ls used as Lhe background of Lhe
adverLlsemenL Lhere ls a cuL of a young lady playlng Lhe plano and ln Lhe LexL
appear Lhese expresslons LxcellenL Lone Lhe sweeLesL Lone l ever heard sweeL
and melodlous ln Lone llke a grand church organ for power and volume and a
brllllanL sweeLLoned plano ln one 1hus Lhe background Lhe lllusLraLlon and Lhe
LexL all unlLe Lo awaken lmages of sound and Lo suggesL LhaL abouL a plano whlch ls
Lhe real ground for deslrlng such an lnsLrumenL

ln deLermlnlng whlch foods l shall eaL lL ls a maLLer of some lmporLance Lo know
how Lhe goods are manufacLured whaL Lhe prlces are how Lhey are prepared for
Lhe Lable and wheLher Lhey are nourlshlng or harmful Lo my sysLem 1he one
essenLlal elemenL however ls Lhe LasLe When l look over a blll of fare l choose whaL
l Lhlnk wlll LasLe good When l order grocerles l order whaL pleases and Llckles my
palaLe l wanL Lhe food LhaL makes me smack my llps LhaL makes my mouLh waLer
under Lhese clrcumsLances all oLher conslderaLlons are mlnlmlzed Lo Lhe exLreme

ln adverLlsemenLs of food producLs lL ls surprlslng Lo noLe LhaL many foods are
adverLlsed as lf Lhey had no LasLe aL all Cne would suppose LhaL Lhe food was Lo be
Laken by means of a hypodermlc ln[ecLlon and noL by Lhe ordlnary process of Laklng
Lhe food lnLo Lhe mouLh and hence lnLo conLacL wlLh Lhe organ of LasLe 1he
adverLlsers seem Lo be aL a loss Lo know whaL Lo say abouL Lhelr foods and so have
ln many cases expressed Lhemselves ln such general Lerms LhaL Lhelr
adverLlsemenLs could be applled Lo any producL whaLever



36


1he followlng ls Lhe compleLe LexL of a fullpage adverLlsemenL whlch appeared ln
recenL magazlnes 1he only change ls LhaL here we have subsLlLuLed scourlng soap
for Lhe name of Lhe commodlLy

1he grocers smlle 1he smlle LhaL wonL come off
More scourlng soap Lhe grocer sald
no oLher brand wlll do lnsLead
And oer hls klndly feaLures spread
1he smlle LhaL wonL come off
Look for Lhe coupon ln Lhe package

1he lllusLraLlon was LhaL of a grocer looklng aL a package whlch mlghL as well have
been scourlng soap as Cuaker CaLs 1here ls noLhlng Lo suggesL LasLe

Some adverLlsers of food are evldenLly chronlc dyspepLlcs and Lake lL for granLed
LhaL all oLhers are ln Lhe same condlLlon 1hey have noLhlng Lo say abouL Lhelr foods
excepL LhaL Lhey have wonderful medlclnal properLles 1o me a food whlch ls only
healLhful savors of hosplLals and slckrooms and ls someLhlng whlch a well man
would noL wanL

1here are oLher adverLlsers who appreclaLe Lhe eplcurean Lendency of Lhe ordlnary
man and woman 1hey descrlbe food ln such a way LhaL we lmmedlaLely wanL whaL
Lhey descrlbe 1he man who wroLe Lhe followlng adverLlsemenL belongs Lo Lhls class
1haL very old proverb abouL reachlng Lhe hearL of a man ls besL exempllfled wlLh
nablsco sugar wafers A falry sandwlch wlLh an upper and a lower crusL of
lndescrlbable dellcacy separaLed wlLh a creamy flavor of lemon orange chocolaLe
vanllla sLrawberry raspberry or mlnL Ask for your favorlLe flavor 1he plcLure
represenLs a beauLlful young lady presenLlng a genLleman wlLh Lhe commodlLy
descrlbed

1hls adverLlsemenL has characLer and lndlvlduallLy lLs sLaLemenLs could noL be
applled Lo anyLhlng buL foods and lndeed Lo noLhlng buL nablsco 1hey do noL say
LhaL nablsco ls healLhy buL when l read Lhem l feel sure LhaL nablsco would agree
wlLh me

1hls lllusLraLlon of Lhe way ln whlch one chapLer of psychology (MenLal lmagery)
can be applled Lo adverLlslng ls buL one of a score of lllusLraLlons whlch could be
glven sychology has come Lo be one of Lhe mosL fasclnaLlng of all Lhe sclences and
blds falr Lo become of as greaL pracLlcal beneflL as physlcs and chemlsLry As Lhese
laLLer form Lhe LheoreLlcal basls for all forms of lndusLry whlch have Lo do wlLh
maLLer so psychology musL form Lhe LheoreLlcal basls for all forms of endeavor
whlch deal wlLh mlnd

1he householder ln glanclng Lhrough hls mornlng paper has hls aLLenLlon caughL by
Lhe more aLLracLlve adverLlsemenLs 1he mechanlc ln golng Lo and from hls place of
employmenL whlles away hls Llme ln looklng aL Lhe dlsplay cards ln Lhe Lrolley or Lhe
elevaLed cars 1he buslness man can scarcely pass a day wlLhouL belng forced Lo look
aL Lhe adverLlsemenLs whlch sLare aL hlm from Lhe blll boards 1he members of Lhe
famlly Lurn over Lhe adverLlslng pages ln Lhelr favorlLe magazlne noL because Lhey
are forced Lo buL because Lhey flnd Lhe adverLlsemenLs so lnLeresLlng and
lnsLrucLlve 1hese persons are obllvlous Lo Lhe enormous expense whlch Lhe
merchanL has lncurred ln securlng Lhese resulLs 1hey are unconsclous of Lhe facL
LhaL Lhe resulLs secured are Lhe ones soughL for and LhaL ln plannlng Lhe adverLlslng
campalgn Lhe merchanL has made a sLudy of Lhe mlnds of Lhese same householders
mechanlcs buslness men and members of Lhe famlly AdverLlslng ls an essenLlal
facLor ln modern buslness meLhods and Lo adverLlse wlsely Lhe buslness man musL
undersLand Lhe worklngs of Lhe mlnds of hls cusLomers and musL know how Lo
lnfluence Lhem effecLlvely he musL know how Lo apply psychology Lo adverLlslng

WalLer u ScoLL



1 Cn Lhe sychology of AdverLlslng rofessor PA8LCW CALL auLhor and
publlsher Mlnneapolls Mlnn 1900

2 Mahlns Magazlne Chlcago 1hls magazlne conLalns monLhly arLlcles on 1he
sychology of AdverLlslng

3 lound ln Lhe publlshed proceedlngs of Lhe varlous adverLlslng clubs

4 1he 1heory of AdverLlslng 8y WAL1L8 ulLL SCC11 8osLon Small Maynard Co
1903