Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 9,
1922
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
MAKE YOUR ADVERTISING REALLY
CONSTRUCTIVE—IT PAYS WELL
Chas. E. Byrne, Secretary-Treasurer of Steger & Sons Piano Mfg. Co., Chicago, Makes
Some Pertinent Comments on This Important Topic
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Advertising as a business force is the develop-
ment of comparatively few years. It is only
necessary to scan the public prints of the quar-
ter century past, even the last decade, to realize
what tremendous strides have been made. Not
alone is the improvement to be found in the
physical make-up of the ads, the copy, lay-outs,
art work, but—what is far more important—in
the conception as to what constitutes gQod
advertising.
Value of Constructive Advertising
Progressive business leaders recognize tliat
"constructive" advertising is not merely a mat-
ter of attractive typesetting and high-sounding
expressions, but rather finds its origin in basic
business policies. When we speak of "con-
structive" publicity we should have in mind the
sound business policies that underlie it. After
all, the character of any firm's advertising is
invariably a direct reflection of that company's
methods of doing business.
Constructive advertising builds for the future
—it helps to develop reputation and character.
It may not attract the same immediate re-
turns as destructive publicity, but it brings sub-
stantial, permanent profits. The results of high-
grade advertising are incalculable. The good-
will and confidence it inspires are big assets to
aggressive merchants.
Constructive advertising pays from start to
finish. It is a very significant fact that the
most successful commercial institutions are
those which are noted for the progressive spirit
of their publicity.
The piano trade should give earnest consider-
ation to the advertising policies successfully
employed in other industries, notably, the auto-
motive field.
Here we find a general disposition to support
only those publicity measures which are most
Charles E. Byrne
valuable from the standpoint of future public
regard and good-will.
Are automobile dealers advertising minimum
down payments and ridiculously "easy terms"?
Far from it! Emphasis is placed rather on the
pleasure or necessity of owning a car and the
TRADE MAY DRAW ON UNCLE SAM FOR SALES INFORMATION
(Continued from page 7)
pecially to what are known as the key indus-
tries. Accordingly, the fields that have thus
far been placed under survey comprise such
lines as wool, sugar, boots and shoes, clothing,
etc. It weighed to win a place in this category
for musical instruments that the volume of
current business in musical instruments is con-
ceived to be just about the best barometer
imaginable of the state of prosperity in the
country at large. Not a luxury on the one
hand nor yet an elemental "essential" or pri-
mary necessity on the other hand, musical in-
struments and supplies constitute products that
will be purchased by the public as quickly and
as generously as that public has funds beyond
its dire needs. Hence, the conclusion that sales
and production records in the music trades will
indicate, as nothing else could, the temper of
the purchasing public and the state of the
pocketbook.
The Census Bureau in its new status as a
fount of information for the music industry on
sales conditions in the domestic field is matched
by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com-
merce in its latter-day service as a data reser-
voir in the export field. There are members
of the music trades who are bitterly disap-
pointed that Congress, in its present purse-
pinching mood, has refused to provide funds
that would enable the Commerce Bureau to
institute a separate Commodity Section devoted
to musical instruments. But there is consola-
tion. Although musical instruments continue
as heretofore within the jurisdiction of the
Specialties Section, the officials in that section
are bestowing a generous and almost dispro-
portionate amount of attention on this line,
and by means of frequent reports from con-
sular officers in all parts of the world are main-
taining a "live"-file that enables prompt re-
sponse to almost any question trade members
may ask as to sales overseas.
For ex-
ample, this service bureau is making arrange-
ments, in conjunction with the Foreign Tariff
Division of the Department of Commerce, to
promptly notify Yankee exporters of musical
instruments if any foreign country should at-
tempt to manipulate its customs duties on
American instruments and merchandise in re-
sentment at the new U. S. tariff.
Broadening the Scope of the Work
That the Commerce Bureau in its intelligence
service for sellers in the music trades is not
confining itself solely to the export domain
was attested recently when bureau specialists
made a comprehensive, first-hand investigation
in consequence of an alarm to the effect that
German piano wire and other German products
were likely to upset the equilibrium of the in-
dustry in the United States. The sleuthing
indicated that there was no occasion for worry,
but the incident establishes a precedent for
domestic as well as foreign investigation. The
practical nature of the sales advice that is com-
ing from this quarter is exemplified in the tip
to American houses to expend their best efforts
in overseas campaigns upon players, the Bu-
reau's field men having reported that the
mechanical superiority of American players will
enable them to hold their own against vir-
tually- any price competition that may develop.
This has been eloquently attested by the sales
quality of the machine itself. While price is
invariably mentioned it is used incidentally—
not as an argument.
.Results of Well-conceived Publicity
What is the result? Simply this: That even
in a period of depression, when music merchants
were decidedly pessimistic, automobile factories
were working day and night to meet the de-
mand. The motor trade could sell cars at fair
prices and on satisfactory terms because effec-
tive publicity had exerted the proper influence
on the buying public.
It is hard to imagine a Pierce-Arrow or even
a Ford being featured at "nothing down and
balance on easy weekly instalments—take your
time to pay." Such advertising would quickly
put the motor trade on an unprofitable basis.
Music merchants should constantly remem-
ber that a let-down in sales and advertising
standards will ultimately react to their disad-
vantage. The public can have little faith in the
integrity of the music trade if the papers and
mail are crowded with destructive, price-slash-
ing announcements. Nor can dealers profit.
Selling musical instruments on the basis of
ciuality and pleasure means satisfied customers
and helps to open new channels of distribution.
When the piano industry will give its whole-
hearted support to truthful, prestige-building
publicity then, and only then, will the greater
volume of instruments be done on a profitable
basis.
Yesterday is past, so forget it. To-day is here,
make the most of it and at the same time plan
for to-morrow.
of American players made in the Netherlands
the past few years in the face of complete
price demoralization affecting the product
manufactured in Germany.
Advice on Foreign Advertising
It is going to help the interests of the music
trades in no inconsiderable degree that "Ad-
vertising" has now been added to the inves-
tigative responsibilities of the Specialties Sec-
tion. This was another case where a special
section was contemplated. Then came a change
in plans which proposed to link up advertising
with packing as subjects of study by a new
branch of the Bureau. But, in the end, it has
been decided that the advertising "project"
should be affiliated with the Specialties because,
for one thing, it is specialties rather than
staples that enlist the best efforts of the ad-
vertising forces, particularly in export selling.
With the intimate- association thus insured be-
tween musical instruments and advertising in
the activities of the Commerce Bureau it seems
inevitable that the result must be exceptional
attention to the advertising abroad of American
musical instruments. And inasmuch as the sales
progress of the music industries—particularly
in the case of price competition in foreign
markets—must depend in no mean measure
upon education and persuasion via advertising,
it is likely to fall out that the music tradesmen
may bless the day when they were denied a
niche of their own in the Commerce organiza-
tion and were placed in the pew with adver-
tising. Incidentally, yet another cog in the
Commerce machine, the Division of Simplified
Practice, has prospective contact with the sales
forces of musicdom through its current pro-
gram for the standardization of paper sizes,
notably catalog sizes.
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