Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Piano-Playing Contest Declared Best
Propaganda for the Piano
Frank J. Bayley, of the Detroit and Michigan Associations, Proposes Plan of Piano Promotion Based on
Success of Contest Held in the Detroit Public Schools — Outlines Plan for Convention Which
Would Hold Trade's Attention and Develop Co-operation From All Its Sections
F
RANK J. BAYLEY, of Detroit, president
of the recently organized Michigan Music
Merchants' Association, and largely re-
sponsible for the successful carrying out of the
piano-playing' contest in that city, which has
aroused nation-wide interest, has some definite
ideas as to what is needed to stimulate music
trade activities. In such matters Mr. Bayley is
qualified by long experience to speak with a
large measure of authority.
In an interview with The Review, Mr. Bay-
ley declares that what is needed in the trade is a
definite and practical issue that will win for
the support of the various associations all man-
ufacturers and dealers and not just simply a
small proportion. He believes that any nation-
wide plan should provide in it a place for every
factor in the industry, and takes occasion to
comment on the value of the trade press in
making possible a successful convention by
bringing several hundred dealers to New York
this month, for instance, with no really con-
structive plan as an inducement. He also ad-
vocates the further adoption of the local piano
playing contest plan despite the opinion of cer-
tain trade figures that it is a "circus" stunt.
The Principal Answer
The principal answer to the problem however,
in Mr. Bayley's opinion is a more thorough or-
ganization within the industry and in this con-
nection he says:
"I still maintain, in spite of everything I
heard and saw at the convention, that our in-
dustry needs a thorough job of organization,
the power of an organized trade is tremendous.
Men cannot be organized on sentiment, espe-
cially piano men. There must be an 'issue,' as
it were, that appeals to their pocketbooks. Then
it must be 'sold.' The Music Industries Cham-
ber of Commerce must have one outstanding
activity that can be 'sold' to 100 per cent of the
manufacturers and the National Association of
Music Merchants, also one that has sufficient
appealing power to bring in the big bulk of
dealers throughout the United States and
Canada.
The Immediate Problem
"Our immediate problem is how to increase
the sale of pianos'in this country from approx-
imately 200,000 to, say, 500,000 and then to a
million. This can be done through concerted
effort on a plan of sufficient force. The dc-
Rochemont advertising plan is too weak to
make much of a dent. I am told that the
dealers throughout the country now are spend-
ing $20,000,000 a year, much of which is in fine
constructive advertising, many examples of
which were on display at the convention. This
plan savors too much of donation and the
others are too prone to 'let George do it.' It
has no binding force nor direct benefit. How-
ever, the mere fact that the proposal excites
enthusiasm plainly shows that the manufac-
turers realize something must be done which
is a beautiful start.
"Now take the dealers. The National Asso-
ciation now is launching an.other set of stamps
of its own before the first set is sold, I am
informed that the strongest state association,
Ohio, has decided to have its stamps. Will this
not suggest to others to embark on the stamp
business and will it not be long before we
offer the public our pianos with the backs cov-
ered with stamps?
Is this all not an indi-
cation of lack of leadership which leads to dis-
integration?
Personally I am quite sold on
the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
idea of uniting the efforts of the whole indus-
try in one office, for in unity there is strength.
The Detroit Plan
"We have a Detroit Plan which seems to
meet the problem.
If not, then let's invent
a better.
The contest idea has been an
astounding success and why not try it on the
piano business?
It has proved a great success in Detroit
and is not only capable of selling pianos by
the hundreds in a city, but the attendant free
publicity and propaganda is capable of popu-
larizing the piano back into its own. It has
that necessary element of providing a binder
for united effort because it is too big for
an individual firm and could not be put across
except by a united trade, for it becomes a
civic proposition. Take as an example the auto-
mobile trade in the early days getting behind
good roads.
They could not do it as indi-
viduals, but because they were promoting an
obvious public good, they secured the coopera-
tion of greater influences with the result that
they put the automobile on the map.
An Alternative
"If I had my way, I should take the $200,-
000 from the deRochemont advertising plan
and put a piano-playing contest on in every
city and county in the country, followed by
State-wide and national events. Can you not
see that by means of this plan that the na-
tional industry could be forged into a unit with
a tremendous influence and with immense prof-
its to the trade? Some may not like the scheme,
Alfred L. Smith is quoted as remarking that
'it is a circus stunt.' Perhaps it is. I don't
know and care less.
It creates widespread
enthuiasm and publicity, sells and popularizes
pianos. That's enough for me.
"I heard it stated in New York that the
manufacturers are paying the trade-press $400,-
000 a year and that here is where the manu-
facturers can cut down and save the $200,000
for the advertising appropriation. The trade
press is well organized and reaches and pro-
vides the contact without which no organiza-
tion can exist.
Let us use our trade-press
1 know that it • is responsive because in its
handling of the news of our contest it has
brought letters of commendation and inquiry,
and even men from all over the country. This
is proof that the dealers as well as the manu-
facturers feel that something must be done to
rehabilitate the piano. The time is ripe.
Why Not Try It?
"Why not try it out? It occurs to me that
the Detroit convention is a good place to ex-
periment. My original job was to organize a
Michigan association. I did not see any ac-
tivity that I considered strong enough to base
an organization on, so I invented one. I tried
it out on the Detroit trade and it has proven
to meet all requirements, giving me complete
confidence that a Michigan association can be
made popular and profitable and local associa-
tions formed by means of it in all towns of
any size in the State.
The Cleveland and
northern Ohio dealers with their wives are com-
ing to Detroit Sunday, June 27, as guests of
the Detroit dealers and wives, which indicates
the gravitating force of such a plan. For, were
it not for our contest, these dealers would
never have thought of such a thing nor the
Detroit dealers been prepared. We have an
idea that if the trade-press will boost our De-
troit Convention in August that we can at-
tract dealers from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana
and Ohio. We shall then ask the Chamber
to circularize these States for us or our own
Convention Bureau will be glad to.
A Convention Plan
"Our idea then for a convention resolves
itself into some such plan as this:
"First: Show the low ebb of the piano busi-
ness with respect to itself and other lines,
proving the necessity of doing something by
facts, figures and wall-graphs.
"Second: Selling the piano to the trade, by
means of pedagogues, banker, merchandiser
and educator.
"Third: Placing in detail before the conven-
tion our Detroit plan, its publicity, results and
possibilities, bringing in representative news-
paper men, radio, the Mayor, Board of Educa-
tion, both parochial and public, foremost musi-
cians, conservatory heads, music sisters and
music teachers, who have been in contact, fol-
lowed by an actual demonstration of the grand
final in the largest auditorium in the city with
attendant publicity. It will sell itself without
doubt.
"Fourth: Place the Meissner.Method before
the convention as the natural follow-up, ex-
plaining it in detail, followed by an actual
demonstration with twenty children.
"Fifth: Selling an organizing association
both local and State. Selling the Chamber.
Selling the National Association.
No Reason for Stopping
"I do not see any reason for stopping with
these five States. If the trade-press can get
a couple of hundred dealers to New York with
no constructive plan to really sell pianos as
an inducement, it appeals to me that they could
make a really big convention out of Detroit
and we could organize and enthuse associations
by the wholesale. If the Detroit Plan does not
pan out to be strong enough, let's invent an-
other. Perhaps Mr. Smith will think we are
running a three-ring circus, but we have a cen-
tral location, they will all have a wonderful
time in one of the finest cities in the world
for a convention, in the most beautiful hotel
in America, and I am sure that we will send
them all away pepped up for the piano business
and organization. We anticipate considerable
local publicity and believe the United and As-
sociated Press will discover some news to place
on their wires for the benefit of those who
stay at home."
Baldwin Named as Official
Piano at Winona Lake
Grands of That Make Will Supply the Music
for the Great Religious Conferences at That
Popular Mid-West Resort This Summer
Announcement has been made to the effect
that the Baldwin piano has been selected as the
official piano for the Winona Lake Assembly
this season, and Baldwin grands will be placed
in both the auditorium and the tabernacle at
this famous religious resort. In addition to
the Baldwin two upright Hamilton pianos have
been selected, one for the tabernacle and the
other for the Christian Temple.