April 25, 1925.
HUMAN INTEREST
IN WINDOW SHOWS
Potent Means Used by Ad Writer in Arousing
Interest in Music Goods Cleverly Adopted
by Window Dressing Artists in Lead-
ing Retail Stores Everywhere.
HOME SURROUNDINGS HELP
The Joys Possible From Use of the Instruments
Under All Conditions Forcibly Impressed by
Ingenious Window Dressers.
By RAY McKINNEY.
No music dealer today denies the effectiveness of
window displays in making sales, although not all
dealers use their window spaces to good advantage.
Why any merchant should neglect this valuable
means of advertising is surprising. Not utilizing the
show window property is like paying for space in
the local newspapers and leaving it blank. Neglect
of the window show is a waste of opportunities. That
is such a self-evident fact that it seems a useless
task to point it out.
Every progressive music house makes good use of
its show window spaces, and in many instances the
displays are manifest evidences of advertising genius
in the window dressers. The notable window dis-
plays are not so remarkable for beauty of furnishing
and arrangement as for the "selling point" made plain
in the instrument or instruments shown or in the en-
semble. Something is presented in the most alluring
way.
The Obvious Necessity.
Like the story, the incident of history or the printed
advertisement, the window display must have its
element of human interest. Just a piano, a phono-
graph, a radio set, a brass instrument or something
out of the musical merchandise stock, is nothing
of absorbing interest in itself. But the passing of
thousands will be attracted to the window by adding
human appeal in the placing of the particular com-
modity. It is the "life" of the window.
Boxes containing music rolls readily lend them-
selves to effective arrangements in show windows but
of themselves the boxes do not impress upon the
beholder the merits of the contents. But take the
boxes and add a setting of human interest and you
create something that appeals with force. The Lyric
Music Co., Milwaukee, recently had a display of
Q R S music rolls that proved an amazing sales
maker according to the company's report. The win-
dow, a cut of which was printed in Presto of last
week, associated the Q R S rolls with memories of
college life.
Recalled Old Songs.
It was a good example of the opportunities of the
window dresser of imagination and feeling. Every
college man and college woman is sensitive to any-
thing that awakens recollections of the joyous college
days. And no feelings are so long sustained as those
which may be awakened by songs that yank men and
women back to college days. The objects required
for the setting of the window of the Lyric Music Co.
were easily obtainable. A playerpiano, collection of
college flags, a plainly printed list of old favorites of
class, campus and college and a cut-out of the pleas-
ant-looking Q R S girl were all the window dresser
made use of to associate old memories with the
Q R S rolls. Of course the big list of recorded songs
and music generally contained in the special bulletin
of the Q R S Music Co. increased the interest cre-
ated by the window display.
Displays Increase Sales.
Playerpianos and music rolls are both aided in sales
by the show window displays with a strong human
interest feature. The happy family life of which the
center is the playerpiano is easily suggested in a
window setting. Many fine magazine displays of the
Story & Clark Piano Co., with this motif have been
used with advantage by window dressers in music
stores. Music is associated with the calm joys of
home and the ease with which it may be brought to
every family circle is suggested by the playerpiano
as the central object of the family group.
A playerpiano may be beautiful in form and finish
and its merit may be obvious to piano men or to
musical people more or less acquainted with the in-
struments, but create no emotion in the minds of the
crowds passing the window. The piano men noting
the name are impressed; the musical people see the
playerpiano as something of great possibilities for
producing pleasure. But to the average member of
PRESTO
the well known public it does not of itself suggest
an increase in the pleasures of home.
But supply the home surroundings; father and
mother in comfortable chairs and the kiddies grouped
about the player, singing and some of the smaller
ones dancing, a scene ably depicted in forceful piano
ads, and you have the human appeal that creates the
buying desire in susceptible observers.
The Camp Suggestion.
A portable phonograph is not an impressive object.
It is necessarily made small and ordinarily is taken as
a machine made in small dimensions for economy in
manufacturing or convenience in carrying. Unless
pointed out its most important merits are not discov-
ered. But for years music dealers in Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and Denver have
enjoyed big sales of portable phonographs because
they presented them in show windows with the proper
human interest surroundings.
Suggestive of Joys.
The portable phonographs are given an out-of-door
setting with all the suggested pleasures of a clean,
sanitary camp. A clean cloth is spread on the grass
or folding table. Good food is suggested by the
vacuum jars and cool drinks by the vacuum bottles.
Cots are visible under the tents and lay figures in
out-of-door costumes give the human touch to the
picture. Everything is there to conjure up the pleas-
ures of the vacation; the woods, the river, the moun-
tain background and in the center of the scene is the
great accessory of the daytime and evening pleasures
—the portable phonograph.
The scene suggests the dependability for pleasure
on the little machine—the song record by day and
the dance music for the young people when evening
falls. The western houses have not monopolized the
method of featuring the portable phonograph de-
scribed above. Every year at the approach of the
outing season, Lyon & Healy, Chicago, the Dreher
Piano Co., Cleveland, Grinnell Bros, Detroit, and
other progressive houses in the middle west and east
have suggested the augmenting of camp life pleas-
ures, boating, yachting and touring, by means of
the human interest show window.
CONVENTION OF TEXAS
TRADE MAY 8 AND 9
Gathering of Music Merchants of Lone Star
State in Austin to Hear Notable Men
on Various Topics.
May 8 and 9 are the days set by the Texas Music
Merchants' Association for the sixth annual conven-
tion to be held in Austin. J. R. Reed, president of
the association calls on the membership to make a
good numerical showing and promises that a pro-
gram of great variety will fully reward visitors to
Austin for the convention days. Only a small per-
centage of Texas music merchants are now outside
of the association and these will join the organiza-
tion during the annual meeting, according to Mr.
Reed.
''The benefits of a trade organization are evident
to all observing men of the music trade today and
apart from the fraternal feeling in the trade, the
methods of the retail body show a desirable improve-
ment compared to ways of other days," said Mr.
Reed who is president of the Texas Music Merchants'
Association. Other officers are: T. J. York, Corsi-
cana, first vice-president; Lester Burchfield, Dallas,
second vice-president; and V. B. Callaway, Houston,
secretary-treasurer. The board of directors is com-
prised of W. H. Humpries, Dallas; J. O. Elliott,
Dallas; A. T. Beyer, San Antonio; Oscar Springer,
Galveston; G. H. Beasley, Texarcana, and H. P.
Mayer, Paris.
The list of speakers for the various occasions is
long and includes prominent men outside of the
music industry. President Splawn, of the University
of Texas, will speak of the "The Place of Music in
Education." Other speakers and their topics are:
Charles E. Byrne, vice-president of the Steger &
Sons Piano Mfg. Co., Chicago, "Advertising;" M. C.
L. Gary, Radio Corp. of America, "Radio and Music
Merchant;" Prof. Max S. Handman, University of
Texas, ''Some Common Economic Fallacies;" Charles
E. Boggs, Austin, "High Lights on the Balance
Sheets;" Sam Sparks, "Business Makes the Banker;"
John Keen, "Creating a Desire for Music;" Rev.
L. II. Wharton, "Inspirational Talk on Music;" and
Mrs. Skiles, president of the Texas Federated Music
Clubs, "Encouragement of Music Study."
STORY & CLARK PIANO CO.
IN NEW HOME MAY 1
Plan to Clear Old Warerooms of Many Instru-
ments in Big Removal Sale
Recently Launched.
The beautiful new home of the Story & Clark
Piano Co., 170 N. Michigan avenue, Chicago, will be
ocupied on May 1. The present home of the com-
pany is a scene of unusual activity, as all departments
are preparing to make the change.
The retail department, desiring to move as little
of its stock as possible, has launched a big removal
sale which has resulted in a heavy trade.
Large cards in the show windows, at 315 S. Wa-
bash avenue, announce the move to the new home,
and also the removal sale. They read: "We will
occupy our new home at 170 N. Michigan avenue on
or about May 1; help us move our stock."
How the Meissner
fits in with
Commencement
Good music! Few things play
such an important part in gradua-
tion exercises and commencement
programs—few people realize this
as keenly as school officials them-
selves.
Take advantage of Commence-
ment to sell more Miessner Pianos.
No ordinary piano can take the place
of the Miessner for school use. It is
the ideal school piano—low, light,
portable. Easily moved to any
room, or carried out on the lawn
for folk dancing.
Particularly
adapted to Class Piano Instruction,
which is increasing in popularity
day by day.
SEVEN BIG MARKETS
There are Seven Big Markets for
the Miessner—unlimited possibili-
ties for profit for Miessner dealers.
Free booklet, "How to Get Business
in New and Untouched Fields With
the Miessner," fully explains. Send
for this booklet at once and see how
many Miessners you can sell before
Commencement.
Miessner Piano Co.
126 Reed Street
Milwaukee, Wis.
THE LITTLE PIANO WITH THE BIG TONE
Miesmier Piano Co.
12« Reed St., Milwaukee, Wis.
Gentlemen: Please send me the free booklet. "How
to Get Business in New and Untouched Fields With
the Mil ssner." and complete information about the
Miessner Sales Plan.
Same
Name of Store
Street and Number
City
State
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