6 , BVEttlHG CBD033B PHIl)idDBliiHlA tfBXBAYi KAt 211915; SURPLUS VALUE - -- m iMi ' Jim ' The-third of 'four-advertisements descriptive-of The? Saturday; Evening Post It is often remarked that The Saturday Evening Post seems to have a super-vitality something which brings results to advertisers even out of all proportion to its tremendous number of readers. There is an explanation of this. Beyond the sheer force of 2,000,000 circulation Beyond the fact that this circulation is scientifically distributed at those points where trade is most brisk The Post derives a peculiar added vigor because it has the attention of most active business men. There are three reasons for this: First, editorial policy. The Post has seized upon the major impulse of American life. It sets forth the romance of business interestingly and informingly. Business men in all walks read it because it interests, advises and inspires them. Second, its big volume of advertising makes it a barometer of . business activity. One of the leading manufacturers of the country says: "I am of the opinion that no less than a quarter of a million of the leading business men of this country go through The Saturday Evening Post each week just to see what advertising is in it, if they don't go through it for' any other reason. They have been trained to know thatm this publication they can get in a short time each week a view of what other leading business institutions are doing in the way of advertising and in the way of new methods for marketing their goods. "One of the several reasons in my opinion why the Post is so effective as an advertising medium lies right in this very condition. These thousands of business men look through the Post to see who is advertising, and doing so, they become interested in the propositions that are dis played there by the companies which advertise." Third, hundreds of far-flung selling organizations are constantly at work impressing the Post upon the rest of the business world. The Post is the greatest single factor in the advertising of most concerns using national mediums. In many lines it carries from 40 to 80 per cent of the total national advertising. Each firm which is advertising nationally impresses the fact upon its salesmen. The salesmen go out and impress it upon their trade. Every one of them emphasizes the Post advertising particularly because it is usually the largest factor in their campaigns. The dealer on every hand is having the importance of the Post drilled into him, not by one, but by many salesmen in many different lines. He is urged to read it. He does so. He puts it in his windows and impresses it upon his customers. He refers to it in his own advertising. Thus he comes to give unusual attention to-the. Post and cannot fail to appreciate its influence. Likewise, salesmen follow the Post to see what competing lines are doing and write in from the road telling how they find the effect of Post advertising everywhere. The Post has a visible circulation. "Wherever business men go on the street they see the Post on sale. They see people reading it in cars and on trains and in their homes. The evidence of its work on the consumer is visible and tangible. They see the public studying Post advertisements, discussing the products advertised and buying these products in the stores in preference. The entire business world week aftel week is forced to realize the influence of the Post, is led into reading it and to give particular attention to the advertising in it. The whole thing is a circle of cause and effect. The value of this universal interest among business men is obvious. This largely explains why it carries more than 50 per cent of the national advertising in practically all lines of men's purchases 85 per cent in men's clothing, 70 per cent in hardware, more than 60 per cent in automobiles. It makes the Post powerful in the sale of goods that are pur chased by large corporations, giving it 70 per cent of the national advertising of machinery, 49 per cent in office supplies, 69 per cent in trucks. And it makes the Post a potent factor in overcoming apathy in the trade. To enlist the support of the retail and wholesale dealer, it is important not only to advertise extensively to the consumer, but also to let the trade know that you are doing it. Merchants know by experience that goods advertised in the Post move and bring profits. Therefore, following the Post as they do, they are quick to take note of the goods advertised there and to put those goods in stock and to push them. The visible circulation of the Post builds on its consumer influence, a dealer influence as well. After all, however, the whole influence of the Post upon man ufacturers, merchants and other business men goes back to its tremendous appeal to the individual consumer in the individual home. Its first success as an advertising medium was built upon its appeal .to the family, including not only the woman, but the man. Then, as it demonstrated its ability to sell goods and became a more and more widely used medium, it added to its original strength a constant importance to all business men. This is why it delivers to advertisers a surplus value. i- - - r - -. THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY INDEPENDENCE SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA . ift 4 . - JLSall i l 1 vffi VM .7 iJB 'nil ' 1 i 1 1 Li 1H 1 i8 ' I'm us v 1 J 'i j'lii i ililll S 1 4 i a The Ladies' Home Journal The Saturday Evening Post The Country Gentleman i j s f