Speaking to another of his kind recently, an advertising man was overheard to remark that he believed there were less than six experienced men in charge of advertising appropriations in Shanghai, meaning men with previous training. Casting his mind's eye over the Settlement, the writer is inclined to agree with him, though both may be wrong. One gets the impression that there is too much haphazard advertising done here, too much waste of good money and material.
Without intending in any way to be personal, or to cast inflections whence they may rebound unpleasantly, it strikes an independent observer that a number of import firms here, in whose hands certain good agencies are placed, are not doing full justice to them. 'Their. principals grant certain appropriations for advertise ing and this money' is not always expended with the serious thought and care that should be given, or it may be spent merely because it is there to be used, without re~ gard to whether it is used wisely. No home firm will thank its agents here for money "saved". in not using the entire fund allotted, or for not using promptly and properly all advertising material sent out from home, Such material and funds are meant to be used; not to be hoarded.
Advertising is an investment in salesmanship for it is a part of selling expense; it should never be looked upon merely as go much money spent." In 1925 perhaps Jones, of Soandso & Ca., Ld., who in 1924 was in the sundry goods department, was "doing" the firm's advertising along with his new job in the general imports office; in 1926 Smith of another department is doing it, Instead of making out a sche-ule covering the whole year, so much to be spent on this, so much on that, and so much for special contingencies, in studied systematic form, the money is often doled out regardless, without due consideration of the merits or demerits of the publication or scheme, to any canvasser who calls begging for a share of the spoil. Firms handling advertising in this way are easy prey for those who go about selling $20 spaces in football, amateur theatrical, or other programmes and the like, or in mushroom publications that never issue No. 8. Such expenditure should be charged to "Charity," not to advertising.
There was a time years ago when one discussed the "theory" of advertising. There is no theory about it, for it has been demonstrated beyond all shadow of doubt that advertising in these modern days is not theory but fact. When properly hand-Jed advertising is an art, a science, and Just as much so in China to-da; at home, whether it be in the form of posters, circulars, calenda: s, or most important of all—newspapers, Chinese or foreign.
Should any "hong" manager by chance have been patient with the writer and have read this survey to the bitter end, let him consider. Don't shift the serious and important responsibility of the firm's advertising from Jones to Smith, then back to Jones or to Brown. Keep it in Jones' hands. Every firm cannot employ, a trained advertising man brought out from home, but there are many Joneses who in a few years may learn, of experence, enough about the work to be useful and profitable eraployees.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.