Presto

September 8, 1928
PRESTO-TIMES
SLOGAN COMMITTEE
NAMES PUBLISHED
Details of Prize Contest for Best Phrase for
Exciting Interest in Music Also An-
nounced by Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce.
tions may submit a joint entry in this contest, which
will close on December 1, 1928.
The Judges.
"The three judges in thr's contest are men of out-
standing national reputation and have been specially
selected to make their choice of the best possible
slogan and to make certain that you have a full and
fair chance to win.—S. L. Rothafel ("Roxy"), famous
movie impressario; Dr. Frank Crane, outstanding
author-journalist; Frank Presbey, authority on adver-
t : sing.
W. L. BUSH WAS IN AN
OMNIBUS ACCIDENT
But, with a Charmed Life, He Escaped and
Is Organizing Group Piano
Playing Campaign.
Writing from the Belden Stratford Hotel, Chicago,
on Wednesday night of last week, to Presto-Times,
W. L. Bush put in an extra enclosure, a sort of
postscript, saying:
"Just as 1 was about to mail this I was shocked
by the news of Percy Kimberly's death. On the way
from Sterling our big bus. Greyhound, went into a
ditch with 35 passengers and two cars turned over,
skidding, and killed two and injured four. On the
way I saw, between Sterling and Chicago, fourteen
cars turned over along the slippery highway. I got
here, all unnerved, at 7 p. m., four hours late. No
one was badly hurt in our bus. Going to funeral
tomorrow."
The letter, written at Sterling, to which the above
was a postscript, read as follows: "I am on my
way home from Davenport, Iowa; Rock Island, Mo-
line and Sterling, 111., where I had my little store in
1881, and at Dixon the same year.
"I've been laying the wires and groundwork for
group instruction in piano music, beginning second
week in September, at Davenport, Rock Island and
Sterling, with J. D. Harden, whose father I sold out
my stock to in 1881, and went to Aurora.
"The big Fort Armstrong Hotel, a million-and-a
half-dollar, up-to-date hostelry, has had a fine Bush
& Lane in the beautiful lounge de luxe and is praised
and complimented by every man, woman and child
in that splendid organization, the HofFman Hotel
Company. Jacob Hoffman, the president, who ope-
rates hotels in South Bend, Ind., and other places,
rode over here with me, and he said he never heard
a piano with such tone, and praised it for staying in
tune under constant use.
"E. H. Eberhart, our dealer in Rock Island, is in
a hot campaign for mayor of Rock Island, and it will
soon be 'His Honor, the Mayor.'"
A meeting of the trade paper representatives was
held in the office of the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce, New York City, last week and the
campaign to secure a slogan for the music industry
was formally launched.
Incidents Told in Letter to Adam Schneider Who
The committee is composed of the following mem-
bers: . E. C. Boykin, C. D. Greenleaf, Henry C.
Was Toasted in Real Cocktail.
Lomb, Win. J. Haussler, Max J. deRochemont and
A
letter
received
last week by Adam Schneider at
C. M. Tremaine.
his summer home on Lake Beulah, Wis., from Geo.
Purpose Declared.
P. Bent, dated from Los Angeles, was a notification
The primary purpose of the campaign is to secure
that Mr. Bent enjoyed periods of relaxation from his
a slogan similar to the "Say It with Flowers" slogan
literary labors on his forthcoming book, "Four Score
which, we understand, increased the sales of cut flow-
and More."
ers about 400 per cent in seven years, but secondarily
"Last night wife and I had a birthday dinner with
it is a sales campaign and is planned in such a way
I. N. Rice and Mrs. Rice, other guests being their
as to promote a greater interest in playing musical
son and Miss Woods of Fullerton, Calif., a longtime
instruments as well as to enable the dealer to bring
friend of Mrs. Rice.
people into his store for information and details re-
"When a bottle of cocktails illegally appeared we
garding the contest In other words, it is planned to
drank the health of Mr. Rice, whose eighty-first
actually sell musical instruments, selling to the public
birthday anniversary it was.
the idea of the pleasure of self-expression.
A two-color leaflet is being printed, together with
"We also drank the health of Mrs. Rice as well as
a placard which will be ready for sample distribution
the absent ones who had sent congratulatory letters
to dealers next week. The cover for the leaflet is a
to Mr. Rice: Adam Schneider, Dick Bauer, Sam
sort of frieze with 10 or 12 figures playing instru-
Moist and F. D. Abbott, as well as that of the
ments representative of every group in the music young lady who provided the unvolsteadic but enjoy-
field.
able drinks.
The dealer will be instructed to put on local cam-
"I am glad to tell you my rheumatics are about
paigns through clubs, schools, musical organizations
over. I went to Catalina Island to rest and fish.
and young people's groups. He will be assisted
Got the rest, but the fish proved an alibi. Before
in this work by the national publicity campaign which
leaving Chicago I had finished my book which will
will serve as a background for whatever he does
be out in September."
locally.
The placard reads as follows:
TRADE GAINING, SAYS LA VEILLE.
$1,000.00 FOR A SLOGAN.
That piano trade has come back and is increasing
The Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
:
s the assurance a Presto-Times caller got from
is offering $1,000.00 for a slogan best express-
The St. Paul Piano Co., formerly located at 58
Ed. A. LaVeille, freight traffic manager of the Na-
ing the idea of playing a musical instrument.
West
Seventh street. St. Paul, Minn., has leased
tional
Association
of
Piano
Manufacturers
in
his
office
The contest is open to everybody. Step inside
larger quarters at 68 West Seventh street. The move
on the 17th floor of the Marquette Building, Chicago,
and ask for free descriptive leaflet.
was due to a marked improvement in business condi-
on Tuesday of this week. Mr. LaVeille said that
The contest judges are Frank Presbey, advertising
tions, according to E. T. Lundgren, manager.
increasing shipments showed this happy condition.
authority; Dr. Frank Crane, eminent journalist, and
He
predicted
a
good
fall
and
winter
trade
for
all
E. L. Rothafel "Roxy," famed radio artist.
FINANCING IT.
well-established and reliable houses. Rate condi-
Details of Contest.
Wife—"The piano man was here to collect today
tions are now stationary; nothing new to report on
This is said in the leaflet:
that score.
and he said unless he got the payment tomorrow
"Here is your chance to win $1,000—quickly and
they would take the piano."
easily. It is being offered through the Music Indus-
Husband—"How much is it?"
Charles F. Stemmer, head of the Fuehr & Stemmer
tries Chamber of Commerce for a slogan.
Wife—"Eight dollars."
Piano Company, 1932 Wentworth avenue, Chicago, is
"It makes no difference whether you play an in-
Husband—"Let him take it. We can get a new
expected back this week from his vacation, which he
strument or not. Use your ingenuity and your ability
took at his old home in Iowa.
one for five dollars down."—Life.
to put into words, picture or symbol, the reason why
everybody should play some musical instrument.
Here are three suggestions: 'Play for Pleasure and
Profit,' 'Play Your Way to Popularity,' 'Music Means
Self Expression.' Sit down and write out a few of
your own. A few minutes of your time may win
this big prize.
"Keep your slogan short and snappy. Put pep and
vigor into it. Make it appeal to everybody. Con-
vey the idea that everyone can and should play a
E ASKED 1500 Gulbransen dealers to study the Gulbransen Radio, from their own stand-
musical instrument and all that it means in the wav
point, and to tell us what possibilities they saw in it. Hundreds of them, after inspecting
of solace, popularity, recreation, pleasure and culture.
the Gulbransen Radio and analyzing its salability, set surprisingly large quotas for themselves.
"Think of all that music has meant through the
One of the questions on our questionnaire was: "How many Gulbransen Radio Sets do you
ages. There is music in the soul of everyone and
estimate you can handle yearly?"
the ability to play means inspiration, self-expression
and charm. Music suits every temperament, but no
Another: "Do you want us to authorize you as a franchised Gulbransen dealer?"
music gives satisfaction like that which we produce
Many different angles of the Radio were covered by this questionnaire: Sales policy, price
ourselves. Modern methods of instruction enable a
practices, separation of radio activities from other departments, etc.
person to play any instrument in a few days. Music
We felt it wise to face the facts—to get the true picture of the Gulbransen Radio as dealers see it.
today is part of education. NOW! express these
thoughts in your slogan.
A full endorsement has been given the Gulbransen Radio by hundreds of merchants. Others
made valuable suggestions, the practical ones having already been put into effect.
^f
"Do it today! Get busy now! Don't lose a mo-
ment's t : me! Tell your friends about the contest!
The Gulbransen Radio has back of it one of the most substantial and successful indus- ^
f
Step into the nearest musical instrument dealer for
tries in the music business. We understand music merchants' problems. In the piano 4 • +
additional ideas, suggestions and booklets—and mail
business, Gulbransen has attained leadership that all recognize. Gulbransen has name
•>*
in your slogans without delay!"
value on any musical instrument.
&r *
The Conditions.
Gulbransen stands for sound, sane methods. Gulbransen is now presenting to l ^ \ f (iulbruimen
the piano trade the most aggressive, most practical business-building program / ^ ^ >
'riDlmico'
These conditions are set forth in the leaflet: Any
that the piano trade has ever known.
Q +
person is eligible. There is no limit on the number
* ^ V
Without
obliea-
of entries from any one contestant. There is no limit
These resources of a five million dollar company become yours when you hold n ^ ^ ^ f
tion. give us full
Gulbransen Radio franchise.
• ^
details of the Gul-
on the length of a slogan, but remember that a true
Gulbransen Radio in table and console models—A. C. sets only. Gulbransen
> ' s n i X T
Radio
and
slogan "packs a punch'' in one sentence more power-
Radio Speakers. Unsurpassed cabinet work—real piano finish. A highly Be-
^. > >
^
leetive set that radio experts and the lay public recognize as far ahead of the
A ^T^
ful than a whole volume of words.
ordinary run. We understand tone. We understand eye-appeal. Popular prices.
^ ^ >
Entries may consist either of words alone, or of
^^^ ^ f
Name
Gulbransen Radio franchise requests from desirable dealers are being
^9^ f
words in combination with a symbol, or words ar-
filled in the order of their receipt. Use the handy coupon and get com-
piete information on a radio proposition that will make money and
ranged in a distinctive type of lettering. The judges
build substantially for you.
^
will decide prinarily upon the merit of the words in
a slogan, but in case more than one contestant sub-
mits the same words, then the symbol or distinctive
3232W. Chicago Ave.
CHICAGO
*\,., y a n l s t a t P
type of lettering employed, if any, will be taken into
consideration in making the award. Music organiza-
QEO. P. BENT ATTENDS
I. N. RICE BIRTHDAY PARTY
EXPANDS IN ST. PAUL.
Amazing Profit in Gulbransen Radio
We Asked 1500 Dealers to Give Us the Facts
W
GULBRANSEN COMPANY
/-—
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/