8
EVEttiM i;iur)aE-psii;ADi3i;pHxx MomrA.r, y&ftiti 12, sflre?
imi
SOLVING HALF A DOZEN TEXTILE
PROBLEMS BY ADVERTISING
The Nashua Manufacturing Company, whose
selling headquarters are in Boston, has for many
years made cotton blankets.
A few years ago it was generally accepted that
no one would buy a high quality cotton blanket.
This company, however, determined to sell one,
and after several years of experiment, put on the
market a cotton blanket which not only gave
greater warmth and had a more durable nap, but
also was strong and would not tear easily.
The business had been increasing steadily, but
now the growth stopped. The improvement in
quality was not impressed on consumers suffi
ciently to overcome the fact that they had to pay
more to get this quality.
In the spring of 1912 it was decided to
advertise.
There were several distinct problems to be
solved, among them the following:
A general prejudice against an all-cotton
blanket had to be broken down.
The consumer needed to be convinced that the
quality made it worth while to pay more than
formerly.
The trade generally was demanding lower cost
rather than higher quality.
Many of the jobbers at that time preferred to
sell the goods under private brands rather than
under the Nashua ticket.
The mill had little idea of the extent or location
of the retail distribution, as it was obtained
through indirect channels.
It was determined that two fundamental
things must be done.
FIRST, the blanket must be sold as a cotton
blanket, not as part wool. This was difficult,
because the name of the product was "Woolnap"
(originally intended to describe the appearance
and "feel" rather than the material).
SECOND, a sample must be distributed, in
order to show the texture and appearance of the
material.
j
A miniature doll-size blanket wasjiecided upon
as the sample and, as the expense watfpalisiderable,
a price of 12c was put upon it.
The advertising began in the fall of 1912 and
spring of 1913 principally in The Ladies' Home
Journal. The doll blanket was featured.
That season 27,1E9 doll blankets were dis
tributed. The sale of the goods themselves, which had
not increased at all the year before, INCREASED
16. As that year, however, was a good one for all
types of cotton blankets, too much credit should
not be attributed to the first advertising.
The next season the price of raw material
went up. But because the advertising had already
established a certain standard for Woolnap blank
ets, it was determined not to raise the price to
the consumer. The price of the sample, however,
was placed at 15c.
The advertising brought 26,778 inquiries.
That year the general blanket trade was off and
many competing lines showed losses. Woolnap
sales INCREASED 12.
During the 1914-1915 season, in spite of the
European War, and a general falling off in cotton
goods business, the advertising has been con
tinued, and the sales of Woolnap blankets have
INCREASED 14.
The number of doll blankets distributed this
season was 47,144. One advertisement alone, in
The Ladies' Home Journal, produced 15,898
inquiries.
The present large demand from the consumer
has been reflected through the jobbers, who now
generally approve of the Nashua Woolnap ticket
and profit by handling the line in large volume at
low cost of distribution.
And the interest of retailers is indicated by
the fact that in one season alone hundreds of
clippings have been received showing advertise
ments of Woolnap blankets, placed in news
papers and paid for by retail merchants.
This spring for the first time The Saturday
Evening Post is being used with advertising
directed not only at the consumer, but also at the
retail merchant to prepare him for next fall's
campaign.
Advertising has made possible lower prices
to the consumer.
The consumer is buying a more durable and
satisfactory article than before and he is getting
this higher quality at a lower price than would have
been possible without advertising. This is due to
the large volume and consequent lower cost of
distribution.
Amory, Browne & Company, selling agents for
the Nashua Manufacturing Cortmany, Bay:
"The cost of advertising per pair has never
exceeded lc and has usually been considerably
below it, this compared with an average retail
price of something over $2.00.
"Another very prominent result of adver
tising has been the increased pride in the
manufacture taken by the mill, which has
resulted in the goods being far more even in
quality and more carefully made. There is no
question but that the mill takes more pride in
this product than in anything else and will do
anything possible to improve it.
"It has resulted in our putting the size on
the tickets and in making the blankets run
exceptionally close to size, a difficult operation
in blankets.
"It has had the further effect this year of
our putting on the tickets in a conspicuous
manner the words 'Pure Cotton' to prevent
any unscrupulous person offering them as part
wool."
Advertising in this case has in three years
brought these eight important results:
(1) Improved the quality of the goods.
(2) Held down the price to the public.
(3) Educated consumers who formerly
bought only woolen or so-called woolen blankets
to buy a high quality cotton blanket.
(4) Increased the sales steadily and
during the past year in spite of a general decline
in the textile industry, including blankets.
, (5) Distributed more than 90,000 samples,
for which the purchasers paid from twelve to
fifteen cents apiece.
(6) Made misrepresentation impossible.
(7) Showed the mill where its retail
dealers are.
(8) Established the mill trademark rather
than private brands, and obtained the hearty
support of jobbers for it.
ALL AT AN ADVERTISING COST OF
LESS THAN ONE-HALF OF ONE PER
CENT. OF THE RETAIL PRICE,
snrn
The story points its own moral to mills with
similar problems. - -
THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
, '
INDEPENDENCE SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA
xne Barnes home Journal The Saturday Evening Post
The Country Gentleman
I I T yj I - I. I -;
k ' ' ' ft1 ( "I'l-nTirTrr m unnminr rniBf? nTiiTW.nna