';
80
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
'-.
14, 1919
REALIZING ON PUBLIC APPRECIATION OF NAME VALUE
CLEVER SALES STIMULATOR
How the Advertising of Talking Machine Manufacturers Has Been Calculated to Acquaint Public
With Definite Names-What the ViCtor Coo's "Look Inside the Lid" Advertising Accomplishes
N~w York Talking Machine Co. Introduces a
Decided Novelty in the Form of a Weighing
Scale-How New Service Item Operates
Prpbably in no industry has name value
proven a more potent factor than in the talking
machi~e trade, due to the fact that the leading
manufacturers in their advertising, and in con
junction with· other definite selling arguments,
always emphasize strongly the name of their
product in a way to impress it upon the minds
of the buying public. As a matter of fact, a
great deal of the advertising of talking machine
manufacturers has been what advertising men
call cumulative publicity. In other words, there
~
JUNE
h e has seen, and just as likely by the fact that
one or more of his friends may own a machine
of that particular make, and have passed on to
him some of their enthusiasm. It is in this
cunnection, with people in this frame of mind,
that name value proves an asset of incalculable
power.
In view of this fact it is pertinent to note
th ere fore that the Victor Co. advertising in the
na tional magazin es just now has a new appeal
that is proving interesting to, and causing com
ment among, the members of the
trade throughout the country, es
pecially those who have devoted
their efforts for years to cherish
the name "Victrola" and the mar
keting of that product. The copy
is nothing more or less than an
invitation to the buying public, to
whom the name "Victrola" .is so
familiar, to "Look Ins ide the
Lid" of the machine they are
about to purchase for the Victor
trade-mark. It is the most direct
attempt yet made in the trade to
profit by the upbuilding of name
value, and the results should be
immediate.
The trade-mark showing the
Victor dog is well known in
every part of the world, and the
product upon which it appears
has established for itself a definite
quality value-a value that is not
only recognized by retail pur
chasers, but also fully appreciated
by the members of the talking
The "Look-Inside-the-Lid" Appeal
machine trade who have not hesi
tated to profit a bit on Victor prestige by select
are a certain number of sales to be made imm e
diately as a result of the direct appeal in the ing cabinet designs and names for their instru
advertising, but there are many more sales that ments approaching as closely as possible the
can be made in the future as a result of that Victrola line and the Victrola name.
same advertising.
T he slogan "Look I nside the Lid" is the di
People do not buy talking machines as a rule rect answer to this challenge, and likewise it is
offhand. They get the idea that they would like first-hand assurance to the purchasing public
one, finally become convinced that they must tbat if they seek a genuine Victrola they can
be sure of their purchase by looking for the
have one, and then sometimes study the finan
cial and other questions before making the final
trade-mark, either under the lid of the cabinet
decision to purchase.
These operations take nlachines, or on the side of the cheap models.
time. In emphasizing the name value of their Those concerns in the trade who have endeav
ored · systematically to' build up the value of
product, therefore, the talking machine manu
facturers have been instilling in the minds of their trade-mark name have been quick to recog
these delayed buyers the belief that when they nize the fact that their name value is an asset be
de buy a machine or some records they are go
yond compare. The Victor Co. has crystallized
ing to buy those of a certain particular make.
this idea by relying upon the name value created
The advertising is calculated to so impress the by years of effort and the expenditure of mil
prospective purchaser that when he thinks talk
lions in advertising, making a direct appeal to
ing machines he thinks instinctively of a par
those who have been taught by this publicity
ticular make.
He may have been trained in to have a high regard for Victor products, and
this line of thought simply by the advertising the desire to own those products.
APPRECIATE HEINEMAN'S GIFT
Otto Heineman Receives Letter Expressing
Gratitude for Garford Phonograph and OkeH
Records Sent to Soldiers in Camp.
Otto Heineman, president of th e Otto Heine
man Phonograph Supply Co., received an in
teresting letter from H. W. Robin so n, of Y. M.
C. A. Hut No. 208, Camp Sherman, 0., ex press
ing the appreciation of the soldier boys at this
camp for the Garford phonographs and OkeH
records which Mr. Heineman had donat ed.
This letter read as follow s:
D ea r Mr. Heineman-The five Model C pho
nographs, sixty OkeH records and two thousand
needles came throu gh all right and in fine con
dition. And yes terday the box containing on e
hundred and fifty records was delivered to me.
We want you to know how much we ap pre
ciate your mo st generous gift.
One o f your
phonographs was placed in the "Y" Hut No.
208, and is being kept going almost continuous
ly from morning till bedtime. The soldier boys
will play the phonograph in preference to our
expe nsive machine; anoth er was placed in Bar
racks 501, and the other three were turn ed over
to th e Red Cross to be used in the wards.
Mr. Eddy, head Red Cross man, said that the
officers of hospita l wo uld like one of the pho
nographs to use in a camp-lodge outside of
Camp Sherman. I consented to this.
All speak in the highest terms of the phono
graph and records, and I want to as sure you
that we do appreciate your gift. You are giv
in g a lot of pleasure to our soldier boys.
Thanking you for your kindn ess, I remain,
yours sincerely (Signed) H. \tV. Robinson.
LEASE FACTORY IN PERTH AMBOY
The Kimb erl y Phonograph Co., manufacturer
of the Kimberly phonograph, has leased a fac
tory at Perth Amboy, N. J ., for the producti-on
of these instruments . The offices of the com
pany will remain at 206 Broadway, and several
business men of Perth Amboy are now inter
ested in the comDanv.
The New York Talking Machine Co., Victor
wholesaler, has just issued a new service item
for the use of its dealers which is meeting with
popular favor and success in the metropolitan
ter ritory. This company is always on the look
ou t for new ideas that will add to the business
and profits of the Victor dealer, and many of
How the Crowd Is Attracted
these service items have won the enthusiastic
commendation of the Victor merchants.
This latest service item consists of a weigh
ing scale that has been put into actual service
by a Victor dealer in New York, and which
seems to be a magnet for business. The scale
is generally placed either in the doorway or in
front of the store, and in addition to attracting
a crowd it sells records.
In the center of the face of the scale is a
brass-rimmed glass case with a hinge and lock
device which makes it possible for the dealer to
make a daily change of hi s records. Und('r
neath the record is printed the words, "To-day's
record suggestion," with the dealer's imprint
conspicuously displayed . There is also a pocket
on the lower part for holding literature .
This Toledo scale, which has been used with
remarkable s uccess by the Toledo Co.'s New
York office, at Chambers street, is one of the
best weighing scales on the market, and is con
structed strongly throughout. The accompany
ing photograph will give some idea of the inter
est arous ed by this scale that is in use by the
Victor dealer in this city.
MICKEL BROS. CO.'S NEW HOME
Elaborate Quarters in Omaha Provide for Ex
cellent Service-Numerous Innovations Intro
duced for Benefit of Retailers
OMAHA, NEB., June 9.-The Mickel Bros. Co.,
with the excellent facilities of its new build
ing in this city now fully available, is showing
e\'en more than its wonted energy in taking
care of the requirements of th e Victor dealers
in its territory, and in evolving new servi ce
and selling helps for those same retailers. In
other words, the company is doing everything
to maintain its reputation as being the largest
and liveliest Victor wholesale house in the corn
belt.
The new home of Mickel Bros. Co. in Omaha
comprises a four-story and basement building,
specially equipped throughout to meet the spe
cial demands of the company's business. A re
ception room where visiting dealers can make
their headquarters is one of the features of the
new building, but the most interesting innova
tion is the "Service Room," where the latest
publicity and selling plans to stimulate Victor
retail business are offered for the consideratio n
of .the dealers. Of course, the stock keeping
and shipping facilities are of the latest.
The new facilities offered by the building in
Omaha, coupled with the opportunity for serv
ice by the Mickel Bros. modern quarters in Des
Moines, should prove distinctly interesting to
Victor dealers in that section of the countrv.