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THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
the player-piano, presented forcefully and in a dignified manner
to the public at large, there will come some united attempt on
the part of piano merchants to give to the player that dignity and
exploitation to which it is entitled.
The music business cannot be bulked in with ordinary human
commodities. A player-piano is not a thing that can be sold on the
basis of "knocked down prices" and "carload lot" arguments. Sell-
ing a desire for music is far away from selling a kitchen cabinet.
There is nothing in common between the products or the method
of selling. Refinement in the advertising of players means an
increased respect for the instrument, its value and the dealer who
sells it. It must be brought home to more prospects that their
real reason for buying an instrument is themselves and not because
they can purchase it at 10 per cent off.
JANUARY 24, 1925
The future of the player-piano depends entirely upon a proper
appreciation and a proper presentation of that instrument by the
trade at large. The field is almost limitless, but it cannot be culti-
vated intensively with the sort of exploitation that appeals only to
the bargain hunter and which disgusts the music lover who seeks
a proper medium for the production or reproduction of music
under his control.
The player-piano is in every sense an art product, for it is a
medium for expression in the art of music, and when it is presented
upon that basis, consistently and persistently, and taken out of the
straight commodity class, then there will arise before it a future
regarding which there can be no question. It simply means a sub-
stitution of interest and dignity for indifference and cheapness in
its exploitation.
The Standard National Advertising
W. A. Mennie, Vice-President of the Standard Pneumatic Action Co., New York, Outlines the Scope of the
First National Advertising of a Player Action Direct to the Ultimate Buyer Which Has
Ever Been Undertaken in the History of the Music Industries
HE extensive national advertising cam-
paign just announced by the Standard
Pneumatic Action Co., New York, will
unquestionably attract wide attention through-
out the industry for two reasons: First, that it
represents the initial attempt of a player action
manufacturer to present his products directly
to the public through the medium of magazine
advertising on a large scale and, secondly, that
the copy will be of a type calculated to prove
of immeasurable benefit to the player-piano
trade as a whole.
The object of this Standard campaign is, nat-
urally, to increase the demand for Standard
Player Actions by first increasing the popularity
of the player-piano with the public at large.
The question has been raised many times that
the player-piano has suffered through the fact
that its exploitation by the average retailer has
been on a dollars and cents basis and there has
been very little direct appeal to the public along
the line of music. In short, the player has been
handled much as an ordinary commodity and all
too little effort has been put into making the
prospects see it as a producer and reproducer
of music and as a means for entertainment and
education in the home.
In all its advertising, the Standard Pneumatic
Action Co. has displayed a distinct broadness
of vision and has worked primarily for the ad-
vancement of the cause of the player-piano,
realizing that as that instrument became better
known, more highly appreciated and in greater
demand so would the business of supplying the
necessary player action develop in direct ratio.
The national campaign represents the culmi-
nation of the company's progressive publicity
program in which it has persisted since the
business was first organized some fifteen years
ago with the results that are generally familiar to
the trade and are quite evident in the volume
of business handled by that one concern. As
has been said before, it represents a new de-
parture in player action advertising and one
that requires confidence and courage to launch
and carry through.
In discussing the campaign and its object,
W. A. Mennie, vice-president of the Standard
Pneumatic Action Co., said to the Review:
"The purpose of the Standard's national ad-
vertising campaign is broader than merely to
increase the Standard's popularity. Its object
is to greatly increase the demand for player-
pianos.
"Thanks to the efforts of the dealers, sales-
men and tuners of the music industry, who have
helped to place 'The Standard Player Action'
in its present position, our product doesn't
need national advertising. Standard player ac-
tions are accepted everywhere as 'evidence of
quality.'
T
W. A. Mennie
"But the player-piano does need advertis-
ing, and it is with the aim in mind of creating
a much larger market for player-pianos that
this campaign will be run.
"There is no question that this vast country
affords a very large market for player-pianos—
far beyond the present sales. To cultivate this
market the public must be told the truth about
the player-piano. People must be made to un-
derstand that the present-day player is really a
marvelous instrument—a piano on which any-
one who cares to play music—can play, after a
little practice—with the skill of a trained pian-
ist.
"Each of our national advertisements has
been designed to break down the prejudice
which some people have set up in their minds
against the player-piano. Each advertisement
will create a definite, favorable impression of
the player-piano. Each advertisement will
quicken the love for music that most of us have.
Each will point out that lovers of music can
satisfy their instinctive appreciation of good
music by means of a player-piano.
"There is not a question of doubt that the
advertisements will appeal to a very large per-
centage of the people who read them. For
everyone knows, that men and women, without
exception, have an inherent love for music and
a keen desire to play music in their own way.
"And when you consider that these adver-
tisements will appear in The Saturday Evening
Post, with copies of magazines going into over
two millions of homes each month, you will
get a better impression of how wide the influ-
ence will be—and how great. The beautiful oil
paintings which will illustrate the advertise-
ments have been painted by a famous artist.
They are of a refined and 'human interest' na-
ture, which will, in themselves, teach a new re-
spect for the player-piano.
"Advertising of this character will unques-
tionably establish the Standard player action
equipped player-piano as an instrument of qual-
ity. And it will aid dealers to get a just price
and make a fair profit on a quality instrument.
"It is hard to estimate just what results may
be expected from this national advertising cam-
paign. But there is little doubt that within a
short time a stimulating effect will be felt by
dealers everywhere, in an increased demand for
player-pianos — especially those instruments
equipped with the Standard player action."
Further commenting on the campaign, Mr.
Mennie said, "I want to highly praise the ef-
forts of the customers of our company for their
co-operation in announcing the Standard player
action national campaign to the trade."
Asked about prospects for this year, Mr.
Mennie said: "I am confident that we will have
by far the largest year's business in the history
of the Standard pneumatic action. Even be-
fore our campaign starts, orders that I have
taken for 1925 are far in advance of those on
hand at the same time during 1923 and 1924,
which were the two best years in the history
of our company. Through the impetus given
to the player-piano industry, as a whole, by our
national advertising, we are anticipating a rec-
ord-breaking year's business this year."
J. K. Fletcher Manager
of New Gorley Go. Store
Petersburg Establishment of Prominent Rich-
mond Firm Building Substantial Business
Under His Able Management.
RICHMOND, VA., January 16—J. K. Fletcher,
manager of the new store of the Corley Co.,
Petersburg, Victor dealer, is well known to the
music trade of that city, having been identified
with it for the past five or six years. The
store was established about the middle of
November and is located at 23 West Washing-
ton street. It handles the same general music
lines as are handled at the retail headquarters
of the Corley Co. in this city. A big volume
of business was done during the holiday period
and it is believed that under the able manage-
ment of Mr. Fletcher even greater things are
in store for it.