Some 100-year-old guidance on print advertising strategy that’s still timely today.
Imagine you own a business owner in 1916, a hundred years ago. No banner ads, no websites, no social media…just good old print advertising was your way to connect with your audience.
“Over a century ago, newspapers were the only game in town – and they knew the power they held for advertisers,” notes this article in Print Observer. “Taking a look back at newspaper advertising sales techniques, we came across some great examples of self-promotional advertising advice from the publications themselves – and it’s pretty amazing.”
Some of the choice bits of advice for marketers:
- “Occasional advertising will bring occasional business. Constant advertising brings constant business.” – The Roanoke Times, Roanoke, Virginia.
- “Continuous advertising, like hammer blows, drives home the nail of conviction.” Bemidji Pioneer, Bemidji, Minnesota.
- “The cost of advertising, rightly done, disappears in the economies it brings.” Evening-Ledger, Philadelphia
Marketers today would be wise to take a look at this advice from a bygone era; the essence of effective advertising remains largely unchanged.