Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
advertiser usually may be relied upon as being a good business man
because correct business methods are synonymous with up-to-date
advertising. Advertising is too powerful a leverage to modern
business enterprise to be ignored, no matter whether it be in the
wholesale or retail line, and we will find that the largest advertisers
are the most successful men.
' T * HE greatest piano manufacturing institutions in the country
*
are liberal patrons of the leading trade.publications. Of
course we will find some who have succeeded without expending
great sums of money in printer's ink, but times were different, and
it was possible years ago for men to advertise over the head of the
dealer, and ship pianos direct from factory.
REVIEW
as it proudly asserts, that here is an opportunity to at once demon-
strate its usefulness to the entire trade by immediately investigating
the causes which led up to Mr. Kidder's style of offensive advertis-
ing. By prompt action in this matter the Executive Committee
would show to dealers who have thus far refrained from joining
the organization that they were heartily in earnest and their sin-
cerity would win many new members by a single stroke.
Now this is just the time when the Association should act. While
officers cannot lay down iron-clad rules which every member is bound
to follow in his advertising plans, they can show to the entire world
their disapproval of such methods used by Kidder in a way that
will meet with the applause of the trade. Warm words, hearty
pledges to support the best interests of the trade are largely in evi-
That business to-day is not successful, and the few firms who
dence during Association days, but here is a time for something
are engaged in it will undoubtedly acknowledge their defeat by
more than words, it is a time for action.
its discontinuance within the near future. There is a feeling
OUND industrials are more appreciated to-day than ever, and
stronger than ever before among the dealers to refuse to handle the
the issuance of a half million debenture bonds by Steinway &
product of houses which advertise to sell direct to the customers,
Sons, which were over subscribed for in less than half an hour after
and not through established agencies.
the subscription books were open, shows how eagerly gilt edged in-
Some piano manufacturers, however, have performed splendid
vestments are sought for by investors. The Steinway house has a
work by giving their instruments national prominence and passing
rapidly developing trade both at home and abroad, which has made
over all local inquiries which come through magazine advertising
imperative the necessity of enlisting additional capital. Huge Stein-
to their agents in various sections of the Union.
way factory plants have been recently erected within Greater New
That is helpful wofk, no question about it.
York, which have necessarily required vast outlays. The develop-
'""INHERE is an advertising spirit more active than ever before,
ment of this business during the last few years has been phenomenal.
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which means the cultivation of publicity. It is said that
k
when young Heinze, son of the Pittsburg pickle manufacturer, was
HAT was a very interesting statistical statement W. B. Price
in Yale he had two nicknames. One set of his classmates called
presented at the recent trade banquet in Chicago, showing
him "pickles;" another manifested a preference for "57 varieties,"
how our trade had developed so remarkably within recent times.
all of which goes to show the power of advertising.
The conditions are vastly different in our foreign trade relations
T
Now the Dealers' National Association, as well as its elder
brother, the Piano Manufacturers' Association, have gone squarely
on record as opposed to that form of advertising adopted by a few
dealers who advertise at practically wholesale prices, instruments
not regularly carried by them, but sold by their local competitors.
This sort of advertising has had not only an injurious effect upon
the local standing of pianos, but papers containing the offensive
than in 1902. At that time we were staggering under a heavy load
of indebtedness to foreign bankers. Now our foreign obligations,
which were enormous in 1902, have not only been discharged, but
the balance of trade has run so heavy in favor of this
country that our foreign customers have been compelled to make
large remittances in gold to meet their liabilities in the account
with us.
advertisements have been exhibited to kill competitive sales at far
away points.
R
ECENTLY a member of the Dealers' Association, A. A. Kid-
der, of Utica, N. Y., has been indulging in precisely the form
of advertising which was referred to and condemned by the Asso-
ciation resolutions. He has offered some leading makes of instru-
ments at prices closely approximating the wholesale rates with the
effect either of discrediting the real value of the instruments locally,
or of casting suspicion upon the dealers who sold them at higher
prices.
Henry Dreher, president of the Dealers' Association, as re-
ported in The Review last week, has written a personal letter to
Mr. Kidder, asking for an explanation.
Now Mr. Kidder is not a novice at the piano business. He
knew precisely what he was about when he prepared that form of
advertising, which appeared regularly in the Utica papers.
\ \ J E have seen practically the same form of advertising used
" *
in other localities, and it would seem to us that if the
Association really stands for trade betterment along advertising lines
HE November reports of merchandise were larger than those
of any other month except October, 1900. The great changes
in our international trade are of the highest importance, and the
business interests of the country, and the present conditions may
naturally be expected to have a wholesome effect in checking the
pessimism which has lately been inclined to increase in importance
in trade circles. While the quantity of gold imported is not itself
large enough to stimulate domestic trade interest to any great ex-
tent, it is important enough to give much encouragement to those
who believe that the depression in business is not likely to prove
of any long duration.
T
w
HEN our foreign trade is shown to be on such sound basis
a serious cause of apprehension is removed. We have ap-
parently nothing to fear now over our international trade relations,
and it remains with ourselves to put our domestic affairs in good
condition. It may require some little time, but the crisis of read-
justment of new domestic conditions is now progressing, and thus
far has not been accompanied by any serious failures. We are cer-
tainly in much better shape than we were one year ago.