EVEHIKG inSftqER-PHTLADEUPniX TtTlSSDAY, MARCH 30, 1915: CUTTING OUT PRIVATE BRANDS 1 1 VIM W 1FIS A few years ago the owners of the Scott Paper Company, of Philadelphia, looking over their busi ness with an eye to its future development, began to wonder whether they were right in their policy of selling their goods under the private brands of other people. Practically all of the many paper prod ucts which they put out were being marked with the name of jobbers and dealers. They determined to concentrate on fewer brands, to have their own trademark and through advertising to develop a business that would belong to themselves rather than to somebody else. They fixed upon a specialty the paper towel to be advertised. This meant a strictly educational campaign, to teach people to change the habit of a lifetime and try something new. It looked like a long process, but one which in the end would bring ample rewards. It has. In 1911 they began to advertise in various publications, and have continued ever since, with increasing space and increasing success. Last year their national advertising was practically concen trated in The Ladies' Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post and one other publication. The amount of money invested in advertising has never been large. But the results have from the first been very definite. The campaign has had two distinct purposes: First, to introduce the paper towel into the home. Second, to introduce it into the lavatories of large business institutidns and public buildings of every kind. Each of the purposes is linked up with the other. Men who use the paper towel in their own homes learn its merits and put it into their business establishments. Men who find it sanitary and economical in their offices and factories, or have used it in public places, suggest it to their wives as an article for the household. The business has grown tremendously along each of these lines. In one year alone the sales of the paper towel increased 88 per cent, and have continued to show a satisfactory increase each succeeding year. Today towels marked with the Scott name are not only used in hundreds of great stores, offices, factories, schools and public buildings, but are also sold extensively to the consumer, through depart ment stores, drug stores,' grocery stores and other dealers. :i: i: $ Almost the first result of the advertising was the creation of greater enthusiasm among the sales force of the company itself. Then followed the great increase in demand from consumers. Then came a great increase in the number of stores carrying the goods. Today this company, which four years ago sold practically all of its goods under more than 2000 private brands, has reduced the number of such brands to 6, and is putting its own name on almost its entire output. It has vastly increased its sales doubled its selling force obtained ten times as many retail dis tributors established a reputation and a good will with trade and consumer and built up a market which it controls and can continue to develop. The credit for this achievement belongs to national advertising, built upon a foundation of quality goods and sound policies. !j 3 p S 5p There are other Philadelphia manufacturers making private brand goods who will eventually come to the conclusion that it is sound policy to create and control their own markets. National advertising offers the way. , The Ladies Home Journal , The Saturday Evening Post The Country Gentleman f? THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY INDEPENDENCE SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA j ' WA rial ! .11 '2 m i i ii a i ii m i in i n i r i irimiiTrrr m i tpfuwi-m-m-amtTr. 1, i, ',.mtt im Jinr -lTrfli t , , . v-;.iT,....,lM,. sbsBH
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers