Music Trade Review

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THE
REVIEW
ffljJIC TIRADE
VOL.
LXXH. No. 15
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill. Inc., at 373 4th Are., New York.
April 9, 1921
Single Copies 10 Cents
$2.00 Per Tear
The Value of Continuous Advertising
N
O business man worthy of the name needs to be told of the value of advertising', for that lesson has long
ago been learned by the business world. There is, however, need for convincing some men of the wis-
dom of a continuous, carefully planned advertising- policy in the face of adverse conditions. There is
a tendency on the part of many firms to curtail drastically their advertising programs at the first sign
of unfavorable economic conditions, and any move toward economy in the conduct of their businesses invariably
begins with their advertising appropriations. The danger of this procedure should be apparent to anyone who
stops to consider that advertising, to produce its maximum results, must be cumulative, and the advertiser who
uses publicity only when times are good, and omits i't when times are a bit stringent, gets by no means full value
for what money he does spend along advertising channels.
During the past couple of years, even with the demand far in excess of the supply, the recognized big
advertisers of the industry, particularly the talking machine companies, not only kept their publicity fully up
to standard, but in many cases actually increased appropriations, not with a view to immediate results but rather
as a means for building up a following to be relied upon for business when the situation changed. These adver-
tisers have found in most cases that the money was well spent, the proof of that fact being that the prevailing
depression in other lines did not reach the music industry until a rather late date, and the manufacturers of
advertised products have for the most part suffered no loss.
Having carried on large and extensive campaigns, however, the question arises as to the advertising
policy for the next few months, and in consideration of this problem an effort should be made to keep as close as
possible to recent standards. An advertising man of national prominence put the matter succinctly when he
said that for the big advertiser, or, for that matter, any regular advertiser, to eliminate or seriously curtail his
advertising program is about as sensible as for a man building a new house to stop work before the upper story
is finished and the roof put on. "We can all appreciate what would happen to a structure left in that condi-
tion and without protection," he declared. "It would simply become a prey to the elements and crumble away.
The man who leaves his advertising structure uncompleted faces a similar situation. There is nothing for-
gotten sooner than an advertised product when the advertising ceases. The reputation and prestige that have
been built up by heavy expenditure, if left unattended and unsupported, crumble and fall to the ground. Just
as the builder sees that his house is finished and is kept in good repair, so should the advertiser see to it that
his advertising program is kept alive and before the public.
"I have had advertisers tell me that they outdid themselves during the years of great prosperity, and
this in itself is a confession of poor policy. Overexpansion in advertising is as dangerous as overexpansion in
plant construction or in the sales organization, for it is necessary to keep an even balance. Those who have
devoted a fixed appropriation of their business expense to advertising in the past might well increase that
appropriation just now instead of decreasing it, charging off the difference to the general cost of reconstruction."
Members of the music trade might well take to heart this message, for, although many concerns keep their
advertising strongly in evidence, there is also apparent a distinct tendency toward curtailment in all lines of
publicity, wholesale and retail. There is a psychological effect about a generous advertising campaign that is
calculated to influence what business is available. We all like to do business with those who appear prosperous,
possibly from the feeling that there is a chance of sharing such prosperity, and the concern that through its
advertising gives the impression of being prosperous and in a position to spend money is not only likely, but
practically sure, to wean business away from competitors who have economized to the point where it hurts.
Extravagance in advertising is to be avoided just as carefully as extravagance in other things, but any
shaving down of advertising appropriations should be considered most carefully before it is put into effect. It
isn't possible to yell for orders in a muffled voice.