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Author: 
 
 Fischer, Albert T. 
 
 Title: 
 
 Window and store display 
 
 Place: 
 
 Garden City, N.Y 
 
 Date: 
 
 1922 
 
MASTER NEGATIVE # 
 
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 PRESERVATION DIVISION 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET 
 
 ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED - EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD 
 
 Business 
 
 263.3 
 F52 
 
 Fischer, Albert T. '' 
 
 Window and store display; a handbook for advertisers, 
 by A. T. Fisclier. Garden City, N. Y., and Toronto, Dou- 
 bleday, Page & company, 403i-. 1922. 
 
 xiv p., 1 1., 203, [Ii p. front, (port.) illus., plates, diagrs. V^Y"^. 
 
 1. Advertising. 2. Salesmen and salesmanship. i. Title. 
 
 Library of Congress 
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 Columbia Bntbersittp 
 
 in tfte Citp of ^eto gorfe 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 School of Business 
 
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WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 A Handbook for Advertisers 
 
I 
 
 i> 
 
 r. 
 
 I 
 
 k. 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE 
 
 DISPLAY 
 
 A Handbook for Advertisers 
 
 BY 
 
 A. T. FISCHER 
 
 GARDEN CITY NEW YORK 
 
 DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY 
 
 1922 
 
I* 
 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1921, BT 
 
 DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY 
 
 ALL AIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF 
 
 TRANSLATION INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, 
 
 INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN 
 
 
 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES 
 
 AT 
 
 THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y. 
 
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT 
 
 No one person has written — or could write — 
 this book, since it is the record of experience of 
 many individuals. 
 
 In the task of assembling the data from which 
 this book was prepared, as well as formulating the 
 conclusions that have been drawn, also for 
 research and editorial work, special mention 
 must be made of C. W. Carter, who has worked 
 with me faithfully through many years of hard 
 and trying experience. 
 
 To many others, including artists, plansmen, 
 investigators, and assistants, whose names crowd 
 in on me now, I hereby tender all due acknowl- 
 edgment. 
 
 A. T. Fischer. 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio. 
 
i 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 MAKING A SCIENCE OF DEALER DISPLAY 
 
 Antiquity of Display— Invention of Glass Show Windows— Origin of 
 Posters— Development of American Advertising — Growlh of Trade 
 Marks— Influence of Agencies on Advertising— Rise of the Modern 
 Advertising Campaign— Display the Last Medium to Be Organized. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 EVOLUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 
 "Something" for the Dealer— " Pretty Pictures," Hangers, etc.— 
 Evolution in Display Material— Overdoing Mere Bigness— Need to 
 Study Display Laws— Old-time Methods— Hit-and-miss Manage- 
 ment—Scientific Study Was Needed. 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE PLACE OF DISPLAY IN THE MODERN ADVERTISING 
 
 CAMPAIGN 
 
 Connecting Dealer Essential— Changing View of Advertising- 
 Display a Sales Force in Itself— Sleeping Business— Reduce Burden 
 of Lost Sales— Danger from Impeded Circulation— Display Influ- 
 ences Consumer— Display a New Growth Factor— What Display 
 Does for Manufacturers— What Display Does for Sales Force— 
 What Display Does for the Public. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 APPLYING CIRCULATION STANDARDS TO WINDOW 
 
 ADVERTISING 
 
 Must Study the Possibilities— Possibilities of Space— Possibilities of 
 Circulation — Circulation Varies with Location— Demonstrated Cir- 
 culation Value of Dealer Windows. 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 800,000 RETAIL WINDOWS— WHAT THEY SIGNIFY 
 
 Store Windows as Advertising "Medium"— Nature of the "Me- 
 dium"— Differentiated from All Other "Mediums"— "Quality 
 Circulation" 
 
 vii 
 
VUl 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 GETTING THE WINDOWS 
 Old-time Dealers " Cooperated "—New Advertising Problems— 
 "Waste in Advertising"— Problem of Scattered Distribution— First 
 Attempt to Systematize Dealer-Cooperation— First Attempt to 
 Organize Data on Cooperation — The Lesson Learned. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE DEALER'S SIDE OF IT 
 
 Manufactm^rs' Viewpoint— Dealers' Viewpoint— Few Dealers Born 
 Merchants — Need for Majority Cooperation — Majority Receptive — 
 Dealer WiUingness— Help That Didn't Help. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 MOTIVES WHICH MOVE THE DEALER 
 Dealer's Viewpoint Final— Why Displays Failed— Manufactm^rs 
 Make Mistakes — Buying to Throw Away — Common Objections to 
 Displays. 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 MANUFACTURERS SHOULD WORK ON A NEW BASIS 
 Too Selfish Viewpoint — Mistaking Size for Domination— The First 
 Object of Display — Dealers Not Antagonistic to Manufacturers' 
 Displays— Dealer "Knows WTiat He Sees"— "Circulation" Which 
 Interests Dealers — ^New Basis for Manufacturer. 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 MISTAKES OF THE PAST— HOW TO CORRECT THEM 
 All Science a Slow Growth — Recent Development of Display Science 
 — Former Status of Display Among Advertisers — Checking Up 
 the Situation — New Code of Display Practice. 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 DISTRIBUTION OF WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 MATERIAL 
 Hit-and-miss Practice — Not One but Many Needed— Four Methods 
 of Cooperation — Adopt Definite Plan — Salesman's Part in Plan — 
 Not a Burden on Salesman — Fit Plan to Specific Needs — Waste 
 Through Ignorance — Call Display by Its Right Name. 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 WHAT DETERMINES THE ''LIFE" OF DISPLAY? 
 Life of Display Material — Surviving the Selling Season — ^Term in 
 Window — Opportunity for Repeat Showing— Construct for Service 
 Intended. 
 
 CONTENTS ix 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 COUNTER SPACE— AND HOW TO COMMAND IT 
 
 Getting Leverage for Sales— Analysis of Counter Merchandise- 
 Clever Display Overcomes Handicaps— Counter Way Is the Modern 
 Way— Theft Is Negligible Factor— Counter Sales Are Quick Sales 
 — Counter Display Not Always Merchandise Display. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 HOW MUCH DOES DISPLAY INCREASE SALES» 
 Specific Tests with Display— In Drug Stores— In Grocery Stores — 
 In Candy, Hardware, Haberdasher Stores, etc.— When Salesman Co- 
 operates—Experience of Dealers with Windows— Merchandise Sold 
 when Displayed— Manufacturers Should Make Specific Tests— More 
 Business Procurable — Immediate Definite Returns. 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE FETISH OF "SIZE" 
 
 What Is "Dominance?"— Physical EflFect or Mental Effect— Domi- 
 nance Is Extension of Impress— Tricking the Eye — Color Con- 
 tributes to Dominance — Restless Designs— Size Is Relative — Brand 
 Emphasis Not Matter of Size — Danger in Manufactiu-er's Viewpoint 
 —How Size Affects Use by Dealers— Smaller Material More Practical 
 in Most Cases. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 PICTURES MAKE THE MIND ACT 
 Importance of Imagination— Pictures Stimulate the Desired Reac- 
 tion—Study Motives— Motives Explained— Complex Origin of 
 Motives— Importance of Emotion— Chance for Inhibitions— Reflec- 
 tion Retards Action — Action on Impulse. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 ANALYZING A PRODUCT FOR DISPLAY 
 The "Big Idea"— Must Make Sacrifice— Peculiar Needs of Display- 
 Display Space Differs from Other Space— Three Functions of Dis- 
 play—Established Character of Display— Determine Dominant Idea 
 —The "Different" Idea— Simplicity and Elimination. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE ART SIDE OF IT 
 
 Sympathetic Artist Essential— Art vs. Commerce— Public the Real 
 Patron of Art To-day— Technique of Display Art 
 
X CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 VALUE OF POSTER TREATMENT IN DEALER DISPLAY 
 
 Poster Principles — Secret of Poster Power — Origin of Poster — 
 European Posters — Poster in America — New Impetus to Advertising 
 Art. 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 COLOR AS RELATED TO DISPLAY 
 
 Function of Color — Need for Discrimination — Scientific Use of 
 Color — Physical Basis of Color — Color Excites Feeling — Light vs. 
 Dark Colors — Suggestion by Means of Color — Physical Pull of 
 Color — Relative Area a Factor in Color Effect — Visibility of Colors 
 — Color in Dealer Display — Quality in Display Not Dependent on 
 Many Colors — How Color Acts. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 THE COPY BURDEN 
 
 The Copy Load — Reducing Copy — Modern Layouts Help Copy — 
 Modern Style of Lettering — Compact Copy Area — Easy Reading 
 Style. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 CONSTRUCTION AN ALL-IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN 
 
 SUCCESS OF DISPLAYS 
 
 Dealer Looking for New Ideas — Street Car Cards — Meet Dealer's 
 Viewpoint — The Old-time Hanger — Show Cards — Counter Stands 
 — Counter Containers — Three Panel Screens — Value of Novel Con- 
 struction — Be Sure Novel Construction Is Practical. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 THE MODERN USE OF DISPLAY CONTAINERS 
 
 Limited to Certain Kinds of Goods — Obstacle to Be Overcome — 
 Goods Selected for Counter — Display Box Impractical — What Is a 
 Display Container? — Various Types Available — Features to Consider 
 — Merchandising Value of Containers — Sales Increased by Containers 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 IMPORTANCE OF THE SMALL TOWN DEALER 
 
 Small-town Consumers — Most Towns Are Small Towns — Small- 
 town Dealers — "Main Street "vs. Wall Street — Surprising Volume — 
 Closer to Community — Needs of Small-town Dealer — Potency of 
 Displays — "Passersby" in Small Towns — Help Needed— Selected 
 Dealer or Mass of Dealers? 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 XL 
 
 CHAPTER XXV 
 
 HOW DISPLAYS MAY BE USED TO EDUCATE DEALER 
 
 AND CLERKS 
 
 Retailer Unable to Remember Everything — Customer Knowledge 
 vs. Dealer Knowledge — Display Should Coach the Dealer — Keeping 
 Track of Merchandise Facts — Utilizing Display to Educate Dealer. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 CONTINUITY IN PLANNED DEALER DISPLAY 
 
 Plan for Series of Displays — Cumulative Value of Series — Few Manu- 
 facturers Awake to Value of Series — Dealer Ready for Series — 
 Manufacturer Multiplied Trade's Cooperation — Manufacturers Over- 
 look True Situation — Schedule Plan Needed for Displays — Practise 
 Forethought. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 PERMANENT DISPLAY AT THE DEALER'S 
 
 Types of Permanent Signs — Success in Use — Coca Cola — Careful 
 Planning Necessary — Success of Small Signs — Unusual Advantages — 
 Decalcomanias and Transparent Signs — Long Life — Beauty — Util- 
 ity of Such Signs — Returns on Investment. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 DEALER DISPLAY AS A BUSINESS FORCE 
 
 Infancy of Display Advertising — Growth in Appreciation — Need 
 of Coordination — Special Week Campaigns — Economy of Store Dis- 
 play Plan — Circulation Value — Strategic Value — Dealer Must Be 
 Considered. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 
 Somebody had to write this book. 
 
 Advertising in all its phases, except this one 
 phase of connecting it up, has been studied and 
 presented in books from every angle. But there 
 was always this missing link. 
 
 Planning the Advertising Campaign and arrang- 
 ing the budget has seemed to include all the 
 machinery for making retail customers for The 
 Advertised Braxid—except the retail machinery. 
 
 In fact, the recognition of Dealer Display as a 
 definite advertising medium in itself has come 
 only in the past decade. 
 
 To-day every advertising man admits the need 
 for more scientific management of Window and 
 Store Display. 
 
 But—they ask— how go about it? 
 
 Only organized experience can build knowledge. 
 
 This book is an earnest effort to present in a 
 readily understandable way the plain facts about 
 the use of display as an advertising medium as well 
 
 xm 
 
XIV 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 as a definite factor in selling— facts based on bed- 
 rock experience. 
 
 More than twelve years have gone into the 
 building of this experience— twelve years of gather- 
 ing and comparing statistics. 
 
 The one end in view has been to show as clearly 
 as possible: 
 
 1. What dealers have had in the past. . 
 
 2. What they need. ... 
 
 3. How to get it. . . . 
 
 4. What better display will do. . . . 
 
 The book was written in the belief that it would 
 be of practical and timely interest to every ad- 
 vertising man and every manufacturer of a trade- 
 marked product marketed through retail stores, 
 as well as have a technical appeal to the advertis- 
 ing fraternity. 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 A Handbook for Advertisers 
 
Window and Store Display 
 
 A Handbook for Advertisers 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 MAKING A SCIENCE OF DEALER DISPLAY 
 
 WHAT everybody knows, no one can 
 deny. 
 There is no need to whip up a froth 
 of argument on the value of display in retafl 
 stores. 
 
 Dealer display in one form or another is the 
 oldest of all promotion methods. 
 
 The display which Wanamaker, Marshall Field, 
 Macy, and other similar stores make in their 
 plate-glass windows is not a bit diflPerent in prin- 
 ciple from the display which the primitive trades- 
 man made when he showed himself in the market 
 place surrounded by his wares. 
 
 More art, more subtlety, more scientific direc- 
 tion, yes—but in purpose exactly the same. 
 
 1 
 
 \ 
 
Antiquity 
 of Display 
 
 2 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 The ruined walls of Pompeii still throb with the 
 commercial life of its time, showing many in- 
 scriptions in red and black pigment, designed to 
 attract the notice of the public. Roman shops 
 had their sign emblems, sometimes painted, 
 but more often in stone or terra-cotta relief set in 
 pilasters. It was common to see rows of goods 
 set out in front of shops in ancient Rome, just as 
 the small tradesman persists with his sidewalk 
 display to this day. Roman booksellers dis- 
 played actual show-cards, bearing the names of 
 new books, in their windows. Glass was unknown 
 for windows, but frequently the whole shop front 
 opened out to the public— a practice still common 
 throughout the Orient. 
 
 Artist-craftsmen were early employed to make 
 pictures of commodities as signs for shopkeepers, 
 or emblematic figures outside shop doors. Com- 
 ing to the Middle Ages it is said that many of the 
 "old masters'" fruit or fish subjects were actually 
 intended for shop signs. The public was illiterate. 
 It could only be appealed to by display of the 
 actual commodities or suggestive emblems or 
 pictures. Symbols typical of a given trade, 
 such as a hand for a glove-maker, a boot for a 
 
 SCIENCE OF DEALER DISPLAY 
 
 8 
 
 i 
 
 bootmaker, the red-and-white twined pole for the 
 barber-and-blood-letter were in common use in 
 the 14th century and have persisted down to our 
 own day. 
 
 Glass for window use dates from about the 
 middle of the 15th century, the invention of 
 printing came in 1454. These two were destined 
 to revolutionize the business of marketing com- 
 modities — ^but the glass shop window was the first 
 to be recognized as a trade builder. Those old 
 16th and 17th century shopkeepers may not 
 have known how to read or write (except for 
 figure calculations) but they were intensive mer- 
 chandisers and knew the great psychological 
 law of to-day — "The public buys what it sees." 
 
 Before the great fire of London (1666) the 
 streets were protected with hand rails for pe- 
 destrians, and placards or handbills were often stuck 
 u^ on these rails and posts and came to be known 
 as "posters." 
 
 Printing was not resorted to for trade promo- 
 tion until long after it had been invented. 
 
 All are familiar with the quaint newspaper 
 "cards" and announcements of tea, coffee, medi- 
 cine, or the latest book, appearing in the 17th 
 
 Invention 
 of Glass 
 Show 
 Windows 
 
 Origin of 
 Posters 
 
 Develop- 
 ment of 
 American 
 Advertising 
 
 i, 
 
Growth of 
 
 Trade 
 
 Marks 
 
 4 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 century in England. In America the similar 
 newspaper announcements of new importations 
 of goods likely to appeal to the Colonial house- 
 holder and his dame, undoubtedly marked the 
 beginning of advertising through the printed 
 message. /The 200 newspapers in the United 
 States at the end of the Revolution had grown to 
 some 2,700 papers at the close of the Civil War. 
 But the art of advertising as we have it to-day 
 did not originate with newspapers, it arose from 
 the needs of the manufacturers, who in the rapirf 
 development of the factory system in the last 
 half of the 19th century found themselves face 
 to face with a brand-new problem in the history 
 of the world— the increase of production beyond 
 the bare economic necessities of the population 
 and the need to fight individually for the largest 
 possible share of any given market. 
 
 The problems of production were paramount 
 until the close of the 19th century. Dating from 
 about 1890 there commenced that enormous in- 
 crease in trade-marked merchandise which by 
 1899, according to Census figures, was paying 
 nearly $96,000,000 for advertising in the news- 
 papers and periodicals of this country— a sum 
 
 I 
 
 SCIENCE OF DEALER DISPLAY I 
 
 which in five years had jumped to nearer 
 $146,000,000 and in ten years from 1899, namely 
 in 1909, had more than doubled, reaching 
 $202,533,245.* Meanwhile, the nation's wealth 
 was increasing rapidly, more than doubling it- 
 self between 1900 ($89,000,000,000) and 1912 
 ($188,000,000,000). There was more money to 
 spend — and more spenders. But there were 
 more manufacturers contending for the market. 
 
 Advertising had already come to be the mainstay 
 of the American publication (this $202,533,245 
 being estimated as 60 per cent, of the total revenue 
 of the publications in 1909). 
 
 Every advertising man knows the story of the 
 rise of the advertising agencies as related in the 
 naive record of Geo. R. Rowell, the founder of 
 Printers* Ink, in his "Forty Years An Advertising 
 Agent." The agencies did what the individual 
 trade-mark advertiser never could have accom- 
 plished — they whipped the publications into a imi- 
 form, dependable tool for advertising, ironing out 
 the whimsical inconsistencies of rates, succeeding 
 
 •Whereas in 1870 there had been only 486 trade marks registered in the United 
 States, in the years from 1906 to 1913 there were added 85,792 trade marks, or an 
 average of 5,000 new marks every year. In 1919 alone, more than 12,000 applications 
 were filed. 
 
 Influence of 
 Agencies on 
 Advertising 
 
lU i it i MXiC'j ■ 
 
 Rise of the 
 Modem 
 Advertising 
 Campaign 
 
 6 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 first with the magazines and only very recently 
 with the newspapers, threshing out the problems 
 of so-called circulations until these, too, became 
 dependable commodities, putting the whole thing 
 on a practical basis for discussion, a proposition 
 which could be presented by one business man to 
 
 another. 
 
 The advertismg agencies of America were the 
 first to systematize Space as a commodity and 
 place it on the market. They made it possible for 
 advertisers to buy a definite unit of space, with a 
 definite circulation value, for a definite price. One 
 must never forget out of what a chaotic jumble of 
 mismanagement, inconsistencies, and irregulari- 
 ties the American Advertising Agencies produced 
 a dependable working machine for trade-mark 
 
 promotion. 
 
 Hence rose out of promiscuous advertising the 
 formal promotion method— i.e., the Modem 
 Advertising Campaign. 
 
 One of the fundamentals of any campaign is 
 the fitting of parts to the whole— i.e., team work. 
 
 Out of team work grew the systematizmg of 
 auxihary methods of trade-mark promotion— the 
 use of space in other circulatory systems, such as 
 
 SCIENCE OF DEALER DISPLAY 7 
 
 street cars, billboards, dead walls, fence signs, etc., 
 all of which have come to be more or less organized. 
 
 To-day each of these is recognized as a true 
 medium with its own characteristic advantages 
 and disadvantages. Each has its place in promo- 
 tion and can be lined up for a definite part m the 
 Advertising Campaign. 
 
 Window and Store Display, on the other hand, 
 is the last to become organized and put on a really 
 scientific basis. 
 
 Since 1914 advertisers have recognized more 
 than ever before the need of definite linking up 
 and rounding out of the campaign by means of 
 properly planned dealer display. 
 
 Magazines and newspapers charge for space ac- 
 cording to circulation. 
 
 In dealer display, on the other hand, space is 
 free— and circulation greater as well as more selec- 
 tive. 
 
 Display the 
 Last 
 Medium 
 to Be 
 Organized 
 
 ii 
 
tmi 
 
 4 
 
 
 "Some- 
 thing" for 
 the Dealer 
 
 CHAPTER n 
 
 EVOLUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 
 
 THE oldest, most natural medium for ad- 
 vertising is of course the space in the 
 dealer's own window and store — right 
 where the goods are for sale. 
 
 In the Great American Patent Medicine Era of 
 Advertising, right after the Civil War, the need of 
 "something for the dealer" was shrewdly sensed, 
 but in the absence of real knowledge of the sub- 
 ject, this "something" was usually some small 
 picture card for the dealer to hand out. It was 
 usually just a picture — any picture from a blue 
 satin slipper full of pink roses to a little girl playing 
 with her kitten; or a noncommittal landscape — 
 and invariably crudely printed on a handpress. 
 Every child in those days possessed a "scrap book" 
 in which were pasted the "pretty pictures" col- 
 lected at the local stores or bestowed by grown-up 
 shoppers. Any man or woman who will own up to 
 forty-odd years can doubtless recall such a scrap 
 
 EVOLUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 
 
 book and visualize even now some particular 
 "pretty picture" that was the pride of the collec- 
 tion — but who can remember the names imprinted 
 on the pretty cards and products they were sup- 
 posed to advertise? 
 
 The next step in "something for the dealer" 
 was a card on a larger scale, lithographed and with 
 the compliments of the advertiser elaborately 
 enscrolled on the face of the picture. But practi- 
 cally always this, too, was just another "pretty pic- 
 ture," on a large scale. 
 
 Punched with a hole and a string run through 
 it, this "pretty picture" became a "hanger" — 
 dear to the hearts of advertisers making their 
 first struggling effort to enlist the good graces of 
 the dealer and excite his cooperation to the point 
 of "store display." 
 
 This "hanger," or rather its descendant, a 
 veritable chip off the old block, we have with us 
 to-day. 
 
 But there are other descendants, luckily ! 
 
 Evolution, that practical Efficiency Law of the 
 Universe, has done its work. Origination has 
 been rewarded by the law of selection and survival 
 of the fittest, in dealer display as elsewhere. From 
 
 "Pretty 
 Pictures," 
 Hangers, 
 etc. 
 
 Evolution in 
 
 Display 
 
 Material 
 
10 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Overdoing 
 
 Mere 
 
 Bigness 
 
 the specific show card, dealer display has progressed 
 through various stages — from the joining of two 
 or more flat cards or panels to form a screen, to 
 the novel and often highly ingenious "cut-out" 
 usually built in two or more planes to lend interest 
 and attraction. 
 
 The will to do — so far as the advertiser was 
 concerned — has been the will to outdo, and with 
 the increase in attention to advertising, there has 
 grown a corresponding increase in attention to 
 material for the use of the dealer — but the ten- 
 dency until very recent years has been to strive for 
 something not better but bigger than the other 
 fellow. 
 
 Some advertisers, in other words, have tried to 
 apply to dealer display the principles of dominance 
 which apply to other advertising space — they 
 have made the mistake of playing "brute force 
 'publicity'^ as the trump card of the pack in Ad- 
 vertising. Maybe it is in many mediums — but 
 the first thing to learn about dealer display is that 
 the space is yours only conditionally — and you 
 must learn how to "speak for it" nicely. 
 
 The noisy, flashy, boisterous, unwieldy display 
 doesn't get the tidbit of space so long as the dealer 
 
 III 
 
 EVOLUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 11 
 
 is managing the business. Your display must in- 
 gratiate itself by its own good manners to get the 
 dealer's window. 
 
 The oldest, best proved, most productive 
 medium for advertising, has its own special laws 
 which must be studied before it can be utilized 
 successfully. 
 
 The force of this fact first came home to the 
 advertising world about a decade ago. Practically 
 no attempt had been made up to that time to 
 study the advertising value of dealer display and 
 still less to systematize it — as has been done for 
 publication mediums. 
 
 Those engaged in the production of such dis- 
 plays — lithographers and poster printers for the 
 most part — confined themselves to the work of 
 reproducing trade marks or name signs, the 
 manufacturer himself furnishing specifications. 
 Or, where the manufacturer did not furnish the 
 design, the only creative effort took the form of 
 elaborate ornament, scrolls, filigrees, etc., in a 
 manner borrowed from the customary "label 
 designing" of the day, which is happily now almost 
 obsolete. 
 
 These signs — for such they were rather than dis- 
 
 Need to 
 Study 
 Display 
 Laws 
 
 Old-time 
 Methods 
 
Hit-and- 
 miss Man- 
 agement 
 
 Scientific 
 Study Was 
 Needed 
 
 12 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 plays^were practically always flat cards or sheets, 
 the artist simply concerning himself with one 
 thmg— to get the design in a square or rectangular 
 space of given dimensions. The manufacturer, for 
 his part, passed these through as "okay" if they 
 faithfully "followed copy" and happened to strike 
 his personal taste. Apparently nobody troubled 
 to consider what the dealer's attitude might be. 
 
 Before 1910 it is safe to say that no manufacturer 
 bothered to see whether such material was satis- 
 factory and successful in operation. Manufactur- 
 ers did not know whether the material they had 
 purchased was successful or not. 
 
 They did not know how many of their signs ever 
 actually reached their own dealers. 
 
 They did not know how many dealers liked and 
 used the displays or how many did not like them 
 and threw them away. 
 
 They did not know what really became of the 
 material. 
 
 Manufacturers simply did not know— ten years 
 ago. 
 
 Scientific management was a new term in those 
 days— and certainly no one had thought to apply 
 it to dealer display! 
 
 EVOLUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 13 
 
 Any science presupposes research and original 
 investigation — and nobody had felt that there was 
 really enough at stake individually to investigate 
 this oldest of all advertising mediums! 
 
 There was simply nothing tangible about it. 
 
 There was no systematic knowledge in books 
 or in office files on this subject. There were con- 
 victions a-plenty; and notions — ^but they were 
 either hazy or broad generalities. 
 
 Seemingly, every man had a right to his opinion, 
 based on his own "experience," but not one had 
 teachable or provable experience that he could 
 pass on to another, because — 
 
 There was absolutely no daia. 
 
 If 
 
Connectmg 
 
 Dealer 
 
 Essential 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE PLACE OF DISPLAY IN THE MODERN ADVERTISING 
 
 CAMPAIGN 
 
 THE Modem Advertising Campaign is an 
 evolution. Two decades have revolution- 
 ized marketing methods in this country. 
 Plans which in their day brought full measure 
 of success for the advertiser will not suffice to 
 launch the New Brand of to-day. 
 
 For any branded product sold through retail 
 stores, it is now an admitted fact that the ad- 
 vertising back of it loses much of its force unless 
 the interest of the dealer is secured. 
 
 Selling is a compelling, or controlling, act. The 
 more you leave open to chance the less you exercise 
 your controlling function. In a modern adver- 
 tising campaign, the value of the investment 
 can be secured only when the consumer has identi- 
 fied the advertised product at the dealer's store. 
 
 Not to connect up the dealer with the whole 
 selling program makes it hard for the consumer 
 
 14 
 
 DISPLAY IN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN 15 
 
 to make the identification either of Brand or 
 Dealer. It leaves a vital factor open to chance. 
 
 This weakens the entire advertising campaign, 
 whatever its other mediums. 
 
 The old theory of consumer demand was based 
 on the principle that the advertising haunted the 
 consumer's mind because of the vision of additional 
 satisfaction. But with the multiplying of compet- 
 ing brands and the mutual competition of vigorous 
 advertising, it has become harder every year to get 
 hold of the consumer mind! More and more 
 advertisers have come to believe that however 
 vivid the imagination and fireside musings of the 
 reader of the advertisement, it is necessary to take 
 the dealer into account and confront the customer 
 at the store with some display which will either 
 remind vividly or conjure up a brand-new picture. 
 
 All your preparation of advertising and force 
 of argument or reminder at the point of the sale 
 are simply for the purpose of registering that pic- 
 ture in the consumer's mind. She buys because 
 of what she thinks, as a result of what you suggest, 
 at the dealer's, tying up with your other adver- 
 tising. 
 Make no mistake about this! Sales depend on 
 
 Changing 
 View of 
 Advertising 
 
Display a 
 Sales Force 
 in Itself 
 
 Sleeping 
 Business 
 
 16 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 picturization, howsoever that may be accom- 
 plished. And the shortest possible distance be- 
 tween mentaJ picture (desire) and motor act (sale) 
 is where cash and commodity actually change 
 hands. 
 
 Thus, display at the dealer's store does, of itself, 
 by its very nature and independent of any other 
 sales effort, stimulate demand for a product. This 
 is an elementary fact. 
 
 Display— in other words— -can he used as a simple 
 and complete-in-itself method of marketing a given 
 product, via retail stores, independent of all other 
 methods of promotion. 
 
 Somebody has used the expression "sleeping 
 business" i. e.,— the business which is waiting to 
 be stirred up for any commodity, in any market. 
 
 Any man will agree that for any merchant to sit 
 down and wait for the customer to make the 
 demand is to miss untold possibihties. The pub- 
 lic requires prodding, not only to create in it new 
 wants, but actually to induce it to buy the goods 
 which it frankly needs. The dealer selects his 
 stock with a view to these possible wants and 
 actual needs, in addition to those for which he 
 estimates a direct demand. But having gathered 
 
 DISPLAY IN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN 17 
 
 his stock, wouldn't he be foolish to fail to use his 
 store windows and counters to show what he has 
 
 for sale? 
 
 Any national advertiser or any user of general 
 publicity who does not provide for connecting up 
 with the place where the goods are for sale is over- 
 looking a large share of possible sales. 
 
 He is deliberately turning his back on " sleep- 
 ing business." 
 
 Entirely apart from the nature of the goods, if 
 the manufacturer is assuming to market them by 
 means of advertising, he must, to get the full force 
 of the advertising, find some way of connecting 
 up with the dealer. 
 
 Only thus can he reduce the burden of lost 
 sales — an unnecessary tax on any business. 
 
 Advertising is literally a matter of "circulation" 
 in that the message of the manufacturer must 
 circulate from beginning to end of the course. The 
 message must travel the complete Route of the 
 Sale from the manufacturer to the consumer. If 
 any vital factor to the sale is overlooked this 
 "circulation" is impeded, and impeded circulation 
 stunts development. 
 
 The advertiser who fails to pump his advertising 
 
 Reduce 
 Burden of 
 Lost Sales 
 
 Danger from 
 
 Impeded 
 
 Circulation 
 
18 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Display 
 
 Influences 
 
 Consumer 
 
 throughout the complete channel of distribution 
 is deliberately impeding natural circulation. 
 
 No matter what else you do to advertise, you 
 are not doing enough if you are not tying the 
 message up with the specific dealer; in some way 
 making him an integral part of your sales plan — 
 not only to get the full possibilities of "consumer 
 demand" as the logical points of your general 
 publicity— but those untold other possibilities 
 which fall in the class of business waiting to be 
 awakened. 
 
 Briefly stated, the reasons the manufacturer 
 should connect the dealer's store with his general 
 publicity are as follows: 
 
 1. Store display arouses sleeping desires, adds 
 business otherwise absolutely non-existent. 
 
 2. Store display advertising of whatever descrip- 
 tion increases consumer response to all other 
 advertising, because of specific reminder. 
 
 General Publicity Creates Thought— While Dealer 
 Display on the Spot Where Cash and Commodity 
 Change Hands, Creates Action. 
 
 It is only when you have uncoiled the great 
 springs of action that you discover how potent a 
 
 DISPLAY IN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN 19 
 
 thing thought is. As Wrigley says, there is no 
 such thing as "saturation point," in a modernly 
 advertised and completely organized business. 
 This fallacy of "saturation" was demonstrated 
 by the gum manufacturers, since the "limits" 
 they set ten years ago have been exceeded 
 ten times over! And look at the automobile 
 business. If anybody had told you ten years 
 ago that every Tom, Dick, and Harry is an auto 
 prospect would you have believed it.? Frankly, 
 No. 
 
 Isn't this what Herbert Hoover meant when he 
 laughed at the idea of this country ever suffering 
 from "over-production?" 
 
 The sad truth is, we all discount our real pos- 
 sibilities. We say advertising is a modern miracle 
 that makes the desert blossom like the rose — but 
 we nip off all the buds and young shoots and try 
 to confine our responsibility to just the main 
 trunk of Advertising, the big general publicity 
 campaign — and leave all the sprouts, the new 
 growth part of the business, to the local dealer — 
 unheeding whether it flourishes or dies. 
 
 Dealer display has an important place in the 
 modern advertising campaign. It should be 
 
 Display a 
 New- 
 growth 
 Factor 
 

 20 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 What 
 Display 
 Does for 
 Dealers 
 
 What 
 Display 
 Does for 
 Manufac- 
 turers 
 
 considered as an integral factor in the method of 
 marketing the Special Brands. 
 
 It helps the dealer, helps the consumer as well 
 as the Advertiser himself. Display answers the 
 question from the dealer, "WTiere do I come in 
 on your advertising.?^ " and furnishes a ready- 
 made localized individual sales plan. 
 
 Dealer display helps make better merchants of 
 storekeepers who are not born merchandisers. 
 It helps pay the rent of high-priced desirable 
 locations. It makes the most of those less de- 
 siralJe locations. It converts "uninterested** 
 prospects into interested customers, makes 
 passers-in of the ordinary passersby. 
 
 Display increases movement of goods, speeds 
 up the turnover, makes possible the buying in 
 larger quantities, and makes profitable the han- 
 dling of goods which offer small margin or individual 
 sales. It saves personal sales effort for dealers, 
 or guides the argument where they wish to push 
 
 the sale. 
 
 For the national advertiser, display offers the 
 connecting link between all the preparatory work 
 of selling and the actual closing of the sale. Dis- 
 play at the dealer's safeguards returns from the 
 
 DISPLAY IN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN 21 
 
 EDUCATION 
 
 DEALEI^ 
 
 AfMO 
 
 .CLEK2IC 
 
 5AL&5 
 DOLLAI^ 
 
 ^DDinonAT 
 
 AI^GUMENT 
 
 FOR 
 
 SALES 
 ■ORCI 
 
 ^VEBTISmO' 
 
 BIGHT 
 
 WHEeC TUE 
 
 GOOD5 
 
 WHAT 
 
 ^ADVEeriSEB' 
 
 GETJ* '^gpM 
 
 PBOPEBLY- 
 
 PLAhMED 
 DIvSPLAy. 
 
 MATEBIAL 
 
 MEW^ 
 
 SALES 
 
 WITMOUT 
 
 OTHER 
 
 IDYEQTISING. 
 
 BEDUCCD 
 IJUBSTITUTIOnj 
 
 TUI^MOVEB^ 
 
 FOB, 
 
 DEALEI2 
 
 ale: 
 
 F-ora. 
 
 CHART SHOWING FUNCTION OF DISPLAY IN ADVERTISING 
 
 CAMPAIGN 
 
What 
 Display 
 Does for 
 Sales Force 
 
 What 
 Display 
 Does for 
 the PubUc 
 
 22 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 advertising investment, increases actual results, 
 prevents loss from missed sales, insures reminder 
 at the opportune time for buying. It reflects 
 and also extends the advertising in all other 
 mediums, contributing actual new publicity as 
 well as deciding unsettled sales. 
 
 It strengthens the salesman's sales proposition 
 with the trade, makes it easier to engage a pros- 
 pect's attention, and cuts down selling time. 
 It answers the house salesman's oft-put question 
 how best to use the house advertising for his own 
 order-book. 
 
 Also for the consumer. Display answers the 
 question on which hinges most mischance in 
 general publicity ad vertising— namely : WTiere can 
 I get it.? Moreover, Display is the best method 
 yet found for cutting down the dangerous interim 
 between interest and action consummating in 
 actual exchange of consumer coin. 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 APPLYING CIRCULATION STANDARDS TO WINDOW 
 
 ADVERTISING 
 
 WE ALL know how it was with the News- 
 papers as a medium— they did not arise 
 full fledged as a waiting tool for the Ad- 
 vertiser. They existed primarily for another pur- 
 pose. Somebody had to see beyond that purpose 
 additional possibilities, then patiently dig out the 
 facts and finally remold this scattered, hetero- 
 geneous, unwieldy medium into a single tool of 
 definite usefulness for advertising. 
 
 It was the same way with the Magazines— - 
 before circulations reached a national scale. 
 The possibilities were there all the time. It 
 only remained to develop and utilize them. 
 
 Primarily, the windows of a retail store exist for 
 the benefit of that dealer, not the manufacturer. 
 
 But that does not prevent the manufacturer 
 from seeing the latent possibilities— and using 
 them for his own purpose, if he can do it. 
 
 23 
 
 Must 
 Study the 
 Possibilities 
 
Possibilities 
 of Space 
 
 Possibilities 
 
 of 
 
 Circulation 
 
 Circulation 
 Varies with 
 Location 
 
 24 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 The factors which make retail windows a 
 valuable medium of Advertising are — Space and 
 Circulation, the same as with other mediums. 
 
 The space alone in retail store windows covers 
 more than 33,000,000 square feet. It is choice 
 as to location, in the sense that it is always 
 on the line of traflSc for that community and fully 
 protected. It is yours for the asking. There 
 is a way to get it if you fit your proposition to the 
 dealer. 
 
 And consider Circulation! 
 
 Circulation — as applied to Window Display — 
 has solely to do with Location. 
 
 There are two sides to Circulation as the Ad- 
 vertiser views it — Quality and Mass. 
 
 The greater of these is Mass — or volume. 
 The point which Advertisers up to now have 
 failed to realize is that Window Display Circula- 
 tion is not purely theoretical — it has a demonstra- 
 ble quantity. 
 
 It can be audited like any other circulation. 
 
 You can pick out any store and by ticking off 
 
 pedestrians as they pass by during the business 
 
 hours of the day know the total number of possible 
 
 customers there existed on that day for that dealer. 
 
 WINDOW DISPLAY CIRCULATION 
 
 You can pick out any store and by ticking off 
 pedestrians as they pass by during the business 
 hours of the day know the total number of possible 
 customers there existed on that day for that dealer. 
 
 Then by duplicating the same list on different 
 kinds of days,— covering weather, season, local 
 shopping habits and similar conditions—you can 
 quickly strike your averages and estimate the total 
 for any specific period. 
 
 
 AVERA(5E PAS5CR5 BY 
 
 PER HOUR 372 
 PER DAir-(12 HKS.)-4,464 
 
 THE CIRCULATION VALUE OF A WINDOW DEPENDS 
 
 ON ITS LOCATION 
 
24 
 
 Possibilities 
 of Space 
 
 Possibilities 
 
 of 
 
 Circulation 
 
 Circulation 
 Varies with 
 Location 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 The factors which make retail windows a 
 valuable medium of Advertising are — Space and 
 Circulation, the same as with other mediums. 
 
 The space alone in retail store windows covers 
 more than 33,000,000 square feet. It is choice 
 as to location, in the sense that it is always 
 on the line of traffic for that comnmnity and fully 
 protected. It is yours for the asking. There 
 is a way to get it if you fit your proposition to the 
 dealer. 
 
 And consider Circulation! 
 
 Circulation — as applied to Window Display — 
 has solely to do with Location. 
 
 There are two sides to Circulation as the Ad- 
 vertiser views it — Quality and Mass. 
 
 The greater of these is Mass — or volume. 
 
 The point which Advertisers up to now have 
 failed to realize is that Window Display Circula- 
 tion is not purely theoretical — it has a demonstra- 
 ble quantity. 
 
 It can be audited like any other circulation. 
 
 You can pick out any store and by ticking off 
 pedestrians as they pass by during the business 
 hours of the day know the total number of possible 
 customers there existed on that day for that dealer. 
 
 WINDOW DISPLAY CIRCULATION 
 
 You can pick out any store and by ticking off 
 pedestrians as they pass by during the business 
 hours of the day know the total number of possible 
 customers there existed on that day for that dealer. 
 
 llien by duplicating the same list on different 
 kinds of days,— covering weather, season, local 
 shopping habits and similar conditions— you can 
 quickly strike your averages and estimate the total 
 for any specific i)eriod. 
 
 THE CIRCLLATION \ALUE OF A WINDOW DEPENDS 
 
 ON ITS LOCATION 
 
AVERAGE 
 
 VASSEtiS BY 
 
 PER HOUR 
 
 1791 
 
 V 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE 
 GITIUS 
 50P00 to 
 Z50,000 
 
 AVERAGE 
 PASSERS BY 
 PER0AY-(12HRS) 
 21,492 
 
 
 LARGE CITIES 
 Z50,000 
 AND UP 
 
 
 ! 
 
 mwmm 
 
 "A 
 
 B - — 
 
 
 ^i^ 
 
 
 UP TOWN LOCATIONS 
 AVERAGE PfiSSESiS BY 
 
 PER HOUR 556 
 PER PAY- C12 HRS)6,672 
 
 DOWN TOWN LOCATIONS 
 
 AVERAGE PASSERS BY 
 
 PER HOUR 3,&05 
 
 PERPAY-UZ nsi$,)4Z/y60 
 
 THE CIRCULATION VALUE OF A WINDOW DEPENDS 
 
 ON ITS LOCATION 
 
 CIRCULATION STANDARDS 
 
 25 
 
 Then by duplicating the same test on different 
 kinds of days — covering weather, season, local 
 shopping habits and similar conditions — you can 
 quickly strike your averages and estimate the total 
 for any specific period. 
 
 That is in fact what modern merchants do in- 
 dividually before picking their own locations — a 
 candy man, for instance, wishing to establish a 
 store, checks the passersby at different locations, 
 finds out the average per day, knows his percentage 
 of probable sales from that particular type of traffic, 
 estimates thereby the sales volume to be expected 
 from the location, figures therefrom what rent he 
 can afford to pay — and makes his decision. 
 
 The success of the United Cigar Stores in picking 
 their locations on the basis of circulation almost 
 entirely independent of size, is common knowledge. 
 
 WTiat you can do for one store you can do for a 
 chain of stores or for different types of stores in 
 different kinds of location in different sizes of cities 
 and towns in different parts of the country. 
 
 And then you begin to have demonstrable cir- 
 culation. 
 
 With a thousand displays in a thousand dealer 
 windows of a given type of store you can very 
 
 Demon- 
 strated 
 Circulation 
 Value of 
 Dealer 
 Windows 
 
AVXSACjE 
 VASSISIS BY 
 PER HOUR 
 1791 
 V 
 
 UP TOWN LOCAHONS 
 AVERAGE PASSEXi5 BY 
 
 PER HOUR 556 
 PERPAY-C12HR5.)6,672 
 
 DOWN TOWN LOCATIONS 
 AVERAGE PA55ERS BY 
 
 PER HOUR 3,5 05 
 PER DAY'UZ HR5.) AZp^O 
 
 THK CIKCl 1^\T1()X VALUE OF A WINDOW DEPENDS 
 
 ON ITS LOCATION 
 
 CIRCULATION STANDARDS 
 
 25 
 
 Then by duplicating the same test on different 
 kinds of days— covering weather, season, local 
 shopping habits and similar conditions — you can 
 cjuickly strike your averages and estimate the total 
 for any specific period. 
 
 That is in fact what modern merchants do in- 
 dividually before picking their own locations — a 
 candy man, for instance, wishing to establish a 
 store, checks the passersby at different locations, 
 finds out the average per day, knows his percentage 
 of probable sales from that particular type of traffic, 
 estimates thereby the sales volume to be expected 
 from the location, figures therefrom what rent he 
 can afford to pay — and makes his decision. 
 
 The success of the United Cigar Stores in picking 
 their locations on the basis of circulation almost 
 entirely independent of size, is common knowledge. 
 
 What you can do for one store you can do for a 
 chain of stores or for different types of stores in 
 different kinds of location in different sizes of cities 
 and towns in different parts of the country. 
 
 And then you begin to have demonstrable cir- 
 culation. 
 
 With a thousand displays in a thousand dealer 
 windows of a given type of store you can very 
 
 Demon- 
 strated 
 Circulation 
 Value of 
 Dealer 
 Windows 
 
26 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 definitely estimate by the law of averages that you 
 will get for any and for each individual display a 
 specific average circulation. 
 
 The law of averages — when you approach the 
 thousand basis — ^gets to be pretty reliable. 
 
 All the little eccentricities and idiosyncrasies of 
 individual wilfulness or circumstantial re-action, 
 correct each other, as you approach one thousand 
 cases — and of course beyond one thousand they 
 become more and more punctiliously accurate. 
 Business men to-day very thoroughly appreciate 
 this fact — namely, that there is nothing so depend- 
 able as statistics — if you have enough of them ! 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 800,000 RETAIL WINDOWS— WHAT THEY SIGNIFY 
 
 IT IS only after looking at the proposition 
 from all sides that any manufacturer can gain 
 a fair idea of windows as an advertising 
 medium. 
 
 It is only by comparison of actual figures that a 
 manufacturer can realize the tremendous possi- 
 bilities in the retail store windows throughout the 
 whole country, and what they signify. 
 
 The retail window is an extraordinary medium. 
 
 And it has one unique advantage over all other 
 mediums known to advertisers — the advantage of 
 furnishing the advertising right on the spot where 
 the goods themselves are for sale. 
 
 To talk about space as space and circulation as 
 circulation is hardly enough for the manufacturer 
 advertiser. He must know in concrete terms 
 something more definite about the kind of space 
 and the kind of circulation. 
 
 To talk about dealer windows as an advertising 
 
 27 
 
 Store 
 
 Windows as 
 Advertising 
 "Medium" 
 
1 
 
 28 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 800,000 RETAIL WINDOWS 
 
 29 
 
 Nature 
 of This 
 "Medium" 
 
 medium requires some explanation and tangible 
 figures. 
 
 At the same time with all the difference between 
 this and all other recognized mediums, it is very 
 essential to recognize many things they have in 
 common. 
 
 Let us put it this way: 
 
 Suppose some solicitor told you there was one 
 advertising medium in this country which has a 
 total circulation of 106,000,000 — not counting 
 duplication. 
 
 Then suppose he explained to you that this cir- 
 culation was not to be taken as a whole, but nicely 
 broken up in chunks, according to territory and 
 different commodity appeals — the food appeal, the 
 hardware appeal, the drug sundry appeal, etc., etc. 
 
 He would have to explain to you that the space 
 in this medium was measured not in columns and 
 inches, but in units varying from 4 ft. to 24 ft. in 
 length, by 6 ft. in height, with an average of all 
 units 7 ft. by 6 ft. 
 
 He would explain to you that for the most part 
 this space was open for seasonable advertising only, 
 but that in season and in reason you could have it 
 for long or short time. 
 
 He could present statistics to prove that the aver- 
 age showing is one week's time— with many, many 
 instances recordable where the showing once secured 
 continued for two, three, and even longer number 
 of weeks — in certain cases a year or two years. 
 
 He could assure you that without exception 
 every large advertising success in this country had 
 utilized this medium. 
 
 In not a few instances it has been the main 
 medium — and in many cases the sole medium of 
 advertising. 
 
 Always he could prove to you it has been the 
 most economical medium, based on demonstrated 
 circulation and actual check-up on sales. He 
 might add that no one has ever estimated — or tried 
 to estimate — the total volume of sales resulting 
 from use of this single medium. But you would 
 readily agree that it would undoubtedly run into 
 many, many billions of the annual total business 
 of the United States. 
 
 This medium is not a magazine, he would say — 
 yet it combines the circulation totals of all maga- 
 zines—and then multiplied by three! It is not a 
 newspaper, but sends out the same message in 
 widely scattered territory, and the life of its mes- 
 
 Differen- 
 tiated from 
 AU Other 
 "Mediums" 
 
30 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 sage is almost invariably seven times that of any 
 newspaper advertisement. It is not a car-card, 
 and its space does not rmi in two fatiguing parallel 
 lines; but instead, each unit of space is set oflF by 
 itself, no two exactly alike, but each hangs on the 
 public highway like a separate picture where 
 all passersby can see. It is not a billboard— 
 although undeniably it has considerable billboard 
 value and if placed end to end its total 8C 0,000 
 units would measure fully 5,600,000 linear feet of 
 space for appealing to the outdoor public, or 
 33,600,000 square feet. 
 
 This space, he would say, consists of: 
 
 172,842 Grocery 
 
 Store Windows 
 147,980 General 
 
 Store Windows 
 46,398 Drug Store 
 
 Windows 
 42,217 Candy Store 
 
 Windows 
 37,116 Cigar Store 
 
 Windows 
 29,445 Shoe Store Windows 
 23,009 Jewelry Store Windows 
 
 ^^=5^ 
 
 C^^^ 
 
 b 
 
 THIS SPACE \S 
 
 YOURS WITHOUT 
 
 COST IF YOUR 
 
 DISPLAY S«nSFIE^ 
 
 1 THE DEALER. 
 
 ^=^ 
 
 :^^ 
 
 
 y^^ 
 
 
 
 800,000 RETAIL WINDOWS 31 
 
 32,472 Department Store Windows 
 
 37,563 Furniture Store Windows 
 
 29,080 Hardware Store Windows 
 
 18,770 Haberdasher Store Windows 
 
 40,531 Auto Supply and Garage Windows 
 
 — to say nothing of book stores, news agencies, 
 meat markets, barber shops, restaurants, repair 
 shops, holes-in-the-wall, etc. 
 
 This means, for each of these lines or divisions of 
 trade, a circulation equal to the population of the 
 United States — not only once, but repeated over 
 and over again. 
 
 Not only volume is hereby reached, but quality 
 is secured by this medium, because of the fact that 
 the circulation is divided up into precisely the kind 
 the advertiser always seeks, namely, possible im- 
 mediate customers for his individual dealer and 
 product. 
 
 "Quality 
 Circulation" 
 
GETTING THE WINDOWS 
 
 33 
 
 Old-time 
 Dealers 
 *'Co- 
 operated" 
 
 New 
 
 Advertising 
 
 Problems 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 GETTING THE WINDOWS 
 
 IN THE early days when fewer brands were 
 clamoring for attention it was easier to get 
 dealer cooperation. 
 If the dealer had your goods and received your 
 display the most natural thing for him to do was 
 to " stick it up somewhere in sight." In those days 
 the retailer had the feeling that it was up to him 
 to push whatever he had in stock. But the change 
 which gradually shifted the burden of making sales 
 from the dealer to the manufacturer took part of 
 this initiative away from the dealer. Moreover, 
 the modern system of marketing had a tendency to 
 develop many small retail stores and minor trades- 
 men instead of the concentration of retailing in a 
 few capable merchants' hands. 
 
 The very success of Brand Advertising brought 
 with it an entirely new set of problems. In 1910 
 there was founded for the purpose of studying these 
 problems, the Association of National Advertising 
 
 32 
 
 M 
 
 II 
 
 i 
 
 Managers, which at a later date was changed in 
 name to the Association of National Advertisers. 
 
 Taking up successively the various problems of 
 waste in national advertising, in duplication, in 
 undependable circulation, etc., the A. N. A. M. 
 early in its career turned attention to the subject 
 of waste in dealer advertising. 
 
 Booklets, circulars, and such counter distribu- 
 tion material came into chief prominence as well as 
 display material. The chief waste was found to be 
 
 1. Failure of jobbers to pass the manufactur- 
 
 ers' display material on to the retailer. 
 
 2. Failure of stores to use all material received. 
 
 Some of the largest advertisers, such as Armour, 
 Moxie, Coca Cola, etc., etc., had already adopted 
 the plan of using their own crews for installing dis- 
 play material. Being products of universal con- 
 sumption with plenty of dealers in every important 
 locahty, this plan of crew service for dealer display 
 was apparently working out all right. 
 
 But these large advertisers had distribution 
 ranging all the way from 25,000 dealers to 300,000 
 dealers, whereas there were many in the Associa- 
 tion who from the nature of their sales proposition 
 
 "Waste 
 in Adver- 
 tising" 
 
 Problem of 
 
 Scattered 
 
 Distribution 
 
34 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 First 
 
 Attempt to 
 Systematize 
 Dealer Co- 
 operation 
 
 would never hope to have more than a few thou- 
 sand outlets, at the very most. 
 
 Working on the assumption, however, that the 
 real way to get displays in dealer windows was to 
 put them there, and already having much data in 
 my possession from private investigations, I per- 
 sonally worked out and submitted to the dealer 
 service committee of the A.N.A. M. in 1913 what 
 looked like a very workable plan for getting manu- 
 facturers' displays in the windows of dealers — at a 
 given time and in a given territory to tie up with 
 other advertising. This plan was carefully out- 
 lined and received the endorsement of the Associa- 
 tion to the extent that I was encouraged to go 
 ahead with all preliminaries, organizing the coun- 
 try into definite display territories and securing 
 district display managers and under them, their 
 necessary corps of window trimmers. This or- 
 ganization, under the name of the Dealer Service 
 Bureau, was brought to the attention of the leading 
 American manufacturers who were by this time 
 crying out against waste. 
 
 The plan was all right — it still is all right — but 
 to cut a long story short, it did not work out on a 
 satisfactory volume basis. Those manufacturers 
 
 GETTING THE WINDOWS 
 
 35 
 
 who were ready and desirous of installing displays 
 the first season had, with a few notable exceptions, 
 such a heterogeneous mess of odd-lot, hit-and-miss, 
 unrelated material that it was in most cases im- 
 possible to produce a creditable window without 
 using big stocks of the merchandise itself to put a 
 semblance of unity into the display. This ob- 
 viously was impossible with the average dealer, 
 and was also expensive in time required for trim- 
 ming the window. 
 
 Then instead of an installing service, I organized 
 an investigation service to secure definite facts and 
 figures as to retail dealers' use of displays. This, to 
 the best of my knowledge, was the first attempt at 
 an impersonal and impartial investigation of dealer 
 attitude toward using manufacturers' display 
 material (1914). 
 
 This investigation service was destined to render 
 even greater aid to advertisers than the installing 
 service first contemplated. It forced a studv of 
 the whole subject from a much broader angle of 
 usefulness— not merely, how to get displays in the 
 window if the manufacturer is able and willing to 
 pay for the actual service of trimming the window 
 —but, what is most important, how to plan all dis- 
 
 First 
 
 Attempt to 
 Organize 
 Data on Co- 
 operation 
 
1 
 
 The Lesson 
 Learned 
 
 36 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 flays in such way as will make them most readily ac- 
 ceptable to the dealer to the end that he will be more 
 than willing to put them in the window himself. 
 
 This opens up a much broader, far more useful 
 study of the real problem. 
 
 It applies to more advertisers, more dealers. 
 It leads to a larger volume of windows. 
 
 More than this, it has one big vital lesson — it 
 shows the unfailing natural law of the survival of 
 the most fit. It leads to higher evolution in the 
 planning of worth-while dealer material. 
 
 And thus, out of what threatened to be a mis- 
 fortune in the non-success of the installing or- 
 ganization there actually grew the greatest of all 
 gains — the means of studying by first-hand investi- 
 gation under all sorts of circumstances the great 
 neglected problem in American Advertising — 
 Getting the Displays in the Window. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE DEALER'S SIDE OF IT 
 
 IT'S the fashion to blame lack of cooperation 
 on the dealer and consider it as prima facie 
 evidence that he is the weak link in the chain 
 of distributing merchandise. 
 
 Ask almost any advertising manager who has 
 suffered this loss to explain it and he will pretty 
 surely ascribe the failure to one of two causes: 
 
 1. Dealer too lazy to bother with display. 
 
 2. Dealer does not recognize the value of the 
 
 display. 
 
 But when you go at this the other way round — 
 when you talk direct to the dealers— you wcn't 
 find the same analysis of cause and effect by any 
 means. It is true that there are a great many 
 retail storekeepers who have neither the training 
 nor the natural instinct which makes successful 
 merchants. Only a small proportion make a life 
 
 37 
 
 Manufac- 
 turers* 
 Viewpoint 
 
 Dealers* 
 Viewpoint 
 
Few Dealers 
 
 Bom 
 
 Merchants 
 
 Need for 
 Majority Co- 
 operation 
 
 I 
 
 38 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 profession of store management, many, many come 
 into their proprietorship of a retail store quite by 
 accident of chain of circumstances, many others 
 "try it out" as they do everything else in hfe. 
 Although there are roughly 800,000 retail stores in 
 this country we are not like France a "nation of 
 little shopkeepers." The mortality of manufac- 
 turers' mailing lists certainly indicates the amount 
 of shifting and changing continually going on in the 
 personnel of the storekeepers of this country, easily 
 10 per cent, a year. 
 
 Probably 15 per cent, of those who set up shops 
 for the public are fit by nature or fit themselves for 
 the important service of retailing to the consumer. 
 
 What does this mean? 
 
 It means that the rank and file are amateurs and 
 always will be amateurs in merchandising. 
 
 The bom merchants will give good cooperation 
 whenever it is to their interest to do so-and they 
 will often do this with or without any help you 
 furnish. They do it for themselves certainly, for 
 what they expect to get out of it. 
 
 But there is the other 85 per cent.— the rank and 
 file of the army of storekeepers. There they are 
 and it stands to reason you can't ignore them with- 
 
 THE DEALER'S SIDE OF IT 
 
 39 
 
 
 out losing efficiency of 85 per cent, of your distrib- 
 uting machinery. On the other hand, you simply 
 must see them for what they are — the rank and file 
 — the common soldiers of merchandising — and it is 
 up to you to train and officer this dealer rank and 
 file so as to perform the service you require of this 
 little army. 
 
 Remember, that individuals who are not born 
 leaders themselves are most tractable and efficient 
 in routine services. 
 
 If you as a manufacturer are losing about 85 per 
 cent, of your dealer cooperation, don't blame the 
 rank and file but see what's wrong with your leader- 
 ship and managership, for in nine cases out of ten 
 that's where the real failure lies. 
 
 Probe deep and find the reasons. 
 
 Careful analysis of the attitude of retailers in 
 many lines shows that a majority of dealers stand 
 ready to make displays for the manufacturer fea- 
 turing some Special Brand. The occasional dealer 
 who refuses to use manufacturer's display mate- 
 rial on principle is hardly a factor worth worrying 
 over — less than three fourths of 1 per cent, when 
 you come to actually count noses. A very much 
 larger number may be classed as indifferent, that is 
 
 Majority 
 Receptive 
 
40 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Denier 
 Willingness 
 
 they will not express any definite attitude one way 
 or the other. Frequently they will represent as 
 high as 5 per cent, of the total list. The rest of 
 any manufacturer's dealer list is made up of two 
 great classes — those rendering good display cooper- 
 ation, and those not rendering it. 
 
 But here is the point: 
 
 Careful check-up on display attitudes of dealers in 
 many different lines showed that 13 per cent, of 
 the entire list claimed to have received little or 
 nothing in the way of display; whereas 35 per cent, 
 said they received display material from the re- 
 spective manufacturers which for some specific 
 reason was unsatisfactory; and another 9 per cent, 
 said that part only was satisfactory for their use. 
 
 Here is a total of 57 per cent, of a composite list 
 of dealers, who apparently are entirely willing and 
 waiting to complete the chain of merchandising to 
 the consumer, but the manufacturer fell down in 
 some way or another in furnishing the right sort 
 of display material! 
 
 Here was a loss of 57 per cent. eflSciency In dealer 
 cooperation — taking dealers in all lines as a whole 
 in a composite test. 
 
 I 
 
 THE DEALER'S SIDE OF IT 
 
 41 
 
 m 
 
 
 I 
 
 The loss varied with the different lines as you 
 will see by the figures attached — 
 
 SUMMARY OF RESULTS OF QUESTIONING COMPOSITE 
 
 LIST OF DEALERS ON MANUFACTURER'S 
 
 DISPLAY MATERIAL 
 
 Question: Do you think manufacturers whose goods you handle fur- 
 nish the right sort of store and window advertising ma- 
 terial? 
 
 Answers: Taken down in personal interview, analyzed as follows: 
 
 Product 
 
 L Grocery . 
 
 2. Notions and 
 
 Furnishings . 
 
 3. Hardware 
 
 (cutlery) . . 
 
 4. Drug (Inc. 
 
 Conf . Tobac- 
 co and Sta- 
 tionery) . 
 
 5. Shoe and Shoe 
 
 Repair . 
 
 6. Tire Store 
 
 Garage . 
 
 7. Jewelry . 
 
 Satisfied 
 with 
 Dis- 
 plaj's 
 
 % 
 
 Satisfied 
 Some 
 Only 
 
 % 
 
 Not 
 Satisfied 
 with 
 Ma- 
 terial 
 
 % 
 
 Received 
 No 
 Dis- 
 play 
 
 % 
 
 Would- 
 n't 
 Use 
 Any 
 Way 
 
 % 
 
 34.85 
 25.51 
 41.24 
 
 40.16 
 
 37.91 
 
 63.79 
 36.84 
 
 10.61 
 14.37 
 15.30 
 
 7.33 
 1.31 
 
 1.32 
 
 34.04 
 37.24 
 32.15 
 
 33.24 
 
 31.37 
 
 27.58 
 47.37 
 
 15.84 
 
 16.13 
 
 7.32 
 
 12.85 
 
 16.99 
 
 3.46 
 11.84 
 
 .39 
 .59 
 
 .22 
 
 1.60 
 .66 
 
 No 
 Answer 
 
 % 
 4.27 
 
 6.16 
 
 3.77 
 
 4.82 
 
 11.76 
 
 5.17 
 2.63 
 
 On the basis of these figures it would appear that 
 dealer "helps" were not really "helps" to the 
 majority of dealers. It seemed that about the best 
 display assistance was in the merchandising of auto 
 tires — and the least assistance was found in notions. 
 
 Help That 
 
 Didn't 
 
 Help 
 
 rhe 
 
42 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 mi 
 
 But the majority of all the lines were furnishing 
 satisfactory material to only a third or a half of 
 their dealers. 
 
 Think of it! 
 
 An average of 57 per cent, of dealer cooperation 
 thrown away through some failure — either in 
 planning the display or in distributing the display 
 — ^by the manufacturers. 
 
 Is the fault with "dealer cooperation" or is it 
 with "manufacturer cooperation"? 
 
 After all, that is the real question. 
 
 t 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 MOTIVES WHICH MOVE THE DEALER 
 
 WHAT are the motives which move the 
 dealer to use display material.?^ 
 The practical thing to do is to face the 
 facts squarely and never lose track of the real ends 
 the dealer has in view. You can then understand 
 his motives and see that he is not actuated by 
 childish whim or ignorance or indifference, as so 
 many manufacturers seem to suppose. 
 
 If you look at the figures on page 40 you will see 
 that out of the total 57 per cent, of dealers who 
 didn't cooperate there were 13 per cent, who 
 claimed not to have received the material. The 
 remaining 44 per cent, did not cooperate although 
 they had received material. 
 
 Let us analyze the reasons why those dealers did 
 not use the manufacturer's advertising material. 
 
 In the first place, we must none of us ever forget 
 one fact: 
 
 The dealer is the natural guardian of his mjon win" 
 
 4S 
 
 Dealer's 
 
 Viewpoint 
 
 Final 
 
44 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Why 
 
 Displays 
 
 Failed 
 
 dow space — he has a right to censor it — to do with it 
 as he sees fit. 
 
 If you know motives you can largely predicate 
 actions. 
 
 The motives of the dealer are two-fold — 
 
 1. To make sales. 
 
 2. To increase store prestige. 
 
 From the point of sales, the m.otive is Gain, while 
 from the point of Prestige the motive is a combined 
 one of Pride and Future Gain, the exact proportion 
 depending on the personal makeup of the dealer. 
 But Pride is a mighty element always with retail 
 dealers. 
 
 Now in this investigation to see why 44 per cent. 
 of those receiving displays failed to make use of 
 them, it is interesting to note all the various reasons 
 assigned by dealers as follows: 
 
 Display was received in wrong season for sales. 
 
 Display arrived too late for the purpose or link- 
 up intended. 
 
 Amount of business did not justify complete 
 window. 
 
 Small appeal of product to dealer's class of trade. 
 
 MOTIVES OF DEALER 
 
 45 
 
 Small profit in handling article. 
 Display not distinctive enough to attract atten- 
 tion. 
 Display was too cheap looking. 
 Display was too gaudy for taste of dealer. 
 Display was out of keeping with character of 
 
 store. 
 Not the kind of material to increase store pres- 
 tige. 
 If the advertiser will study these reasons he will 
 see how most of them fall naturally under the two 
 principal motives, namely: 
 
 1. Desire to make sales. 
 
 2. Desire to increase store prestige. 
 Nothing could be more eloquent than the plain 
 
 reasonableness of these simple objections! 
 
 More than that, evidence would seem not only 
 to release the dealer from all this charge of lack 
 of cooperation but fix the blame on the manu- 
 facturer. Many manufacturers furnish displays 
 on the assumption that they are just the thing 
 for the purpose of the dealer. They take the 
 attitude of the fatherly grown-up administering 
 exactly what's needed by the peevish child — and 
 either ramming it down by force or wheedling 
 
 Manufac- 
 turers Make 
 Mistakes 
 
46 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Buying 
 to Throw 
 Away 
 
 and coaxing — maybe sometimes even misrepre- 
 senting it as candy. 
 
 How is the manufacturer going to secure the 
 necessary dealer cooperation? 
 
 The answer is simple. 
 
 This can only be done by carefully considering 
 the motives that actuate the dealer. If the dis- 
 play, on its face, does not offer opportunity to 
 make sales or increase prestige, and if the display 
 is not distributed properly and in time for suc- 
 cessful utilization by the dealer, it is unreasonable 
 for the manufacturer to expect good results. 
 
 Surely it would be logical to study the require- 
 ments for a given product and type of dealer be- 
 forehand and plan the display by means of this 
 knowledge. 
 
 Just a little common sense applied to the psy- 
 chology of dealer and display would obviate much 
 loss. I personally know of many, many cases where 
 a salesman proposing a type of display has been told 
 by the manufacturer that it really did fulfill all the 
 requirements. But it cost too much— and the 
 manufacturer's policy, as far as display material 
 was concerned, was to buy the kind of material which 
 he could afford to have his dealers throw away ! 
 
 MOTIVES OF DEALER 
 
 47 
 
 One large food manufacturer was typical of 
 many when he stated that he bought displays for 
 grocers with a view always to how little he would 
 lose if the display was not utilized ! 
 
 The vast majority of dealers are willing to make 
 displays. But here are some of the reasons they 
 give for rejecting the manufacturers' material: 
 
 1. Not distinctive enough. 
 
 2. Too hard to put together. 
 
 3. Not the kind of material to increase store 
 
 prestige. 
 
 4. Too large for the space the dealer has. 
 
 5. Too small for the purpose. 
 
 6. Not the right selling season. 
 
 7. Not enough profit in the probable business 
 
 to justify the amount of space. 
 
 Manufacturers who blame the retailer for not 
 using all the displays received should try to look 
 at their own material as the dealer will look at it. 
 
 It is not enough to furnish a display that will 
 sell more goods — it must be a display of such char- 
 acter that it will have the greatest likelihood of 
 being used by the largest number of dealers. 
 
 Common 
 Objections 
 to Displays 
 
WORK ON A NEW BASIS 
 
 49 
 
 h 
 
 Too Selfish 
 Viewpoint 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 MANUFACTURERS SHOULD WORK ON A NEW BASIS 
 
 MANY manufacturers— when left to them- 
 selves—design displays not with a view 
 to getting the largest amount of cooper- 
 ation from dealers, but for one of two motives: 
 
 1. Desire to get biggest possible name display in 
 
 dealer's window. 
 
 2. Desire to get large number of sales from dis- 
 
 play. 
 
 It is the wrong way to plan a display because it 
 is too one-sided and does not take into account the 
 dealer. The dealer is satisfied to come in for in- 
 creased sales, but it is not surprising that dealers 
 object to so-called ** dealer cooperation" when 
 the new handsome window display comes out of its 
 wrappings— just a billboard for the manufacturer, 
 not a display that helps the dealer. 
 
 A billboard is a splendid medium. 
 
 And it is true that any window has always a 
 certain billboard value— both for pedestrians and 
 
 48 
 
 for wheel traffic — ^but don't make the mistake of 
 forgetting you are under a gentleman's agreement 
 with Mr. Dealer not to abuse the hospitality of his 
 store and window. And don't forget, if he doesn't 
 like your display he will throw it out. 
 
 A billboard's all right — so's a bull — but not in a 
 china store. 
 
 We must learn to put into store display the same 
 careful thought and analysis that is given to page 
 space advertising. Dominate — but do it artisti- 
 cally. Scale it up relatively and you will not only 
 get all the effect of size you seek for your package 
 or trade mark, but with it that suggestion of fitness 
 which is so lacking when poorly executed giant 
 packages and coarse name display are set up in the 
 dealer's store or window without regard to any- 
 thing but size. Giant reproductions have their 
 uses, but they must be attractive. Psychology 
 teaches that when certain things — for example, a 
 human hand, or foot, etc. — are unduly enlarged and 
 brought too close to the eye, the effect is not im- 
 pressive, but repulsive. So look out for these 
 barbaric effects in planning dealer-display ma- 
 terial. There must be more than size to recom- 
 mend it. Bigness without distinctiveness is crude. 
 
 Mistaking 
 Size for 
 Domination 
 
50 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 The First 
 Object of 
 Display 
 
 Dealers Not 
 Antagonistic 
 to Manufac- 
 txirers' 
 Displays 
 
 Instead of planning a display with the two ob- 
 jectives of (1) Trade Mark dominance and (2) 
 Sales, start first with the determination to produce 
 a display which will satisfy the largest 'possible num- 
 ber of dealers. 
 
 Put that down as your first objective. 
 
 It is the corner-stone in building Dealer Co- 
 operation. It is the very first thing every manu- 
 facturer should know about Dealer Display. To 
 know in advance what kind of display your dealers 
 of a certain type can use is a matter of experience 
 or special investigation. If you haven't the ex- 
 perience you should call in an expert. Guess-work 
 is no longer excusable. Granting the display is 
 practical and possible for the majority of dealers, 
 you must then furnish them with as many as possi- 
 ble reasons for using it. Then you have a real 
 chance at dealer cooperation. 
 
 Remember, all of your objectives are not nec- 
 essarily the dealer's objectives. However, both 
 manufacturer and dealer have a common desire to 
 increase sales. 
 
 Dealers place a high value on display material 
 adapted for use in their own store. This is shown 
 by the answers of retail storekeepers to the ques- 
 
 WORK ON A NEW BASIS 
 
 51 
 
 i 
 
 876% OF 
 
 DEALERS 
 
 SAID STORE 
 
 MATERIAL 
 
 WAS THE 
 BEST ADVERTIS- 
 ING THE MANU- 
 FACTURER COULD, 
 OO. 
 
 tion " What kind of advertising can a manufacturer 
 do for you that will be most effective in increasing 
 sales?'' 
 
 This question was put impartially to 3,338 
 dealers. The following presents their attitude 
 clearly : 
 
 2,899 dealers or 87.6 per cent, valued store ma- 
 terial highest. 
 
 327 " " 9.4 " " valued general 
 
 publicity highest. 
 
 112 " " 3. " " would not say. 
 
 3,338 
 
 100.0 per cent. 
 

 Dealer 
 
 "Knows 
 What He 
 Sees" 
 
 52 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Some advertisers may doubt the truth of this 
 statement, or they may feel that a dealer can be 
 made to say anything. But this attitude of the 
 dealer has been checked carefully and impartially. 
 Results have always been substantially the same. 
 If any advertiser questions the fact, the thing to 
 do is not to challenge the statement that the vast 
 majority of dealers overwhelmingly prefer localized 
 advertising, and their first choice is store display, 
 but to make individual investigation and investi- 
 gate carefully before drawing any final conclusions. 
 The fact is surprising only because manufacturers 
 have failed to see the situation through the dealer's 
 eyes. Put yourself in his place. 
 
 The advertising which impresses the dealer is 
 the advertising which he himself sees. One bill- 
 board in his own locality impresses him more than 
 the assurance of a hundred scattered elsewhere; 
 a car-card on a line which transports him person- 
 ally back and forth has more dealer persuasion 
 than all the cars in the community; the advertise- 
 ment which he himself sees in his daily paper or 
 home magazines has more subtle weight of argu- 
 ment than a whole schedule of advertisements 
 which he will never experience personally. 
 
 WORK ON A NEW BASIS 
 
 53 
 
 In other words, the dealer being an average hu- 
 man, just goes along like the rest of us and knows 
 what he sees. 
 
 The dealer knows what you are doing for dealers 
 when he receives a valuable display for use in his 
 own store. 
 
 Get the dealer's point of view. The dealer 
 doesn't think of his store as "backing up" your 
 national advertising — and why should he f His 
 desire is that you advertise in some way which will 
 help him individually. 
 
 The only "circulation" the dealer cares about is 
 that fraction of it which the Audit Bureau credits 
 to his own locality. He does value any form 
 of advertising which reaches the "circulation" 
 which surges back and forth in front of his own 
 store. 
 
 In substance — display draws attention to his 
 goods and sells them. He doesn't care two straws 
 about the advertising end except as it results in 
 sales for him individually. It's the sales created 
 by display that make displays appeal to dealers. 
 
 Some of the reasons which retail storekeepers 
 give for favoring displays above other forms of ad- 
 vertising are as follows: 
 
 "Circula- 
 tion" Which 
 Interests 
 Dealers 
 
54 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 New Basis 
 for Manu- 
 facturer 
 
 "Advertising displays bring people into my 
 store." 
 
 "They get in touch with my own trade." 
 
 "Bring me immediate results." 
 
 "Help me in showing off goods." 
 
 "Help to show the class of goods I handle." 
 
 " Call attention to articles you can't always dis- 
 play." 
 
 "Suggest what to buy." 
 
 Therefore, the right way to plan a dis- 
 play for the largest possible number of dealers 
 is from the viewpoint exj)ressed in the 
 
 above. 
 
 Brush away all those old-time ideas about how 
 to plan a dealer display and start on the modem 
 basis : 
 
 Ask yourself 
 
 1. What kind of display will bring people inside 
 
 the store for that dealer? 
 
 2. What will help him in showing off the goods 
 
 with least trimming effort? 
 
 3. What kind of display will best convey the 
 
 general class of goods he handles? 
 
 4. What will make strongest suggestion appeal 
 
 for consumer to buy? 
 
 WHAT IS THE PeflLERS OWN PRepeRCNCe 
 IN THE MflTTER Of flDVERTISINQ ? 
 
 Grocery store sales depend largely on the 
 gfK)ds displayed in the store and window 
 
 The hardware mer- 
 chant knows it is 
 easier to sell what he 
 tiisplays 
 
 DRUG STOReS 
 
 Every druggist understands the necessity of 
 displaying his goods and extolling their uses 
 
 HflRPWflRe STOReS 
 CHART SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION OF MORE THAN 3,000 DEALERS 
 
54 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 >i4 
 
 New Basis 
 for Manu- 
 facturer 
 
 I 
 
 "Advertising displays bring people into my 
 
 store." 
 "They get in touch with my own trade." 
 "Bring me immediate results." 
 "Help me in showing off goods." 
 "Help to show the class of goods I handle." 
 " Call attention to articles you can't always dis- 
 
 play." 
 
 "Suggest what to buy." 
 
 Therefore, the right way to plan a dis- 
 play for the largest possible number of dealers 
 is from the viewpoint expressed in the 
 above. 
 
 Brush away all those old-time ideas about how 
 to plan a dealer display and start on the modern 
 basis : 
 
 Ask yourself 
 
 1. What kind of display will bring people inside 
 
 the store for that dealer.'* 
 
 2. What will help him in showing off the goods 
 
 with least trimming effort .^^ 
 
 3. W^hat kind of display will best convey the 
 
 general class of goods he handles.'^ 
 
 4. What will make strongest suggestion appeal 
 
 for consumer to buy? 
 
 WHAT IS THE DEALERS OWN PREFERENCE 
 IN THE MATTER Of flDV/ERTISING ? 
 
 Grocery store sales depend largely on the 
 goods displayed in the store and window 
 
 GROCeRY STORtS 
 
 The hardware mer- 
 chant knows it is 
 easier to sell what he 
 displays 
 
 Every drnggisf understands the necessity of 
 thsjjlaying his goods and extolling their uses 
 
 HflRPWflRe STORCS 
 
 CHART SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION OF MORE THAN 3,()()() DEALERS 
 
WHAT IS THE DCflLeRS OWN PREFCRCNCe 
 IN THE MATTER OF ADVERTISING ? 
 
 WORK ON A NEW BASIS 
 
 65 
 
 In the clothing store goods properly displayed 
 are half sold • 
 
 HflBeRPflSHCRY STORES 
 
 The progressive 
 dry goods merchant 
 knows that a large 
 part of his rent is paid 
 for display space 
 
 CONFeCTIONeRY sTORes 
 
 Most confections bought are bought through 
 appeals to the eye — i. e. attractive packages, 
 wrappers which are invariably displayed 
 
 DRY GOODS STORES 
 CHART SUMMARY OF IN\'ESTIGAT10N OF MORE THAN 3,000 DEALERS 
 
 Then you'll have something for yourself and 
 your dealers. 
 
 Summed up — think of the dealer's convenience, 
 think of his pride in his store, and think of the 
 actual sales the display is likely to make for him. 
 
WHAT IS THE DCflLeRS OWN PREFeReWCe 
 IN THE MflTTCR OF flDV/CRTISING ? 
 
 WORK ON A NEW BASIS 
 
 55 
 
 In the clothing store gomls i)roi)(Tly <lis|)l;iye(l 
 lire liiilf sold • 
 
 HflBeRPflSHERY ST0R€5 
 
 The progressive 
 dry go<)(is merchant 
 knows that a large 
 part of his rent is paid 
 for display space 
 
 CONFeCTIONeRY STOReS 
 
 Most confections honght arel>onght through 
 appeals to the eye— i. e. attractive packages, 
 wrappers which are invariably displayetl 
 
 DRV GOODS STORES 
 CHART SUMMARY OF IXVESTIGATION OF MORE THAX 3,000 DP:aLERS 
 
 Then you'll have something for yourself and 
 your dealers. 
 
 Summed up — think of the dealer's convenience, 
 think of his pride in his store, and think of the 
 actual sales the display is likely to make for him. 
 
t 
 
 All Science 
 a Slow 
 Growth 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 MISTAKES OF THE PAST— HOW TO CORRECT THEM 
 
 WHEN you realize that display in stores 
 is something more than a gratuitous ac- 
 cessory to marketing your merchandise, 
 then for the first time you perceive that it has its 
 own unique functions. 
 
 When you admit that it has its separate and dis- 
 tinct part in making the machinery of distribution 
 work, then you see the necessity of studying its 
 laws of operation. 
 
 And you begin to appreciate that its hit-and- 
 miss use in the past was a matter of neglect to com- 
 prehend the real problem. 
 
 But be patient! Remember that Advertising as 
 a science was not built up in a day. Its different 
 mediums have all had to be first recognized as such 
 and then organized for operation. Dealer space 
 at its worst has never been more chaotic than was 
 periodical space when first the early agents set 
 themselves the task of organization ! In all proba- 
 
 56 
 
 MISTAKES OF THE PAST 
 
 57 
 
 bility the first attempt ever made to find out just 
 what advertisers were doing with dealer display 
 was an investigation conducted for the writer in 
 1914 through a certain research organization, call- 
 ing on the 300 largest advertisers of the country. 
 
 It was evident from this investigation that the 
 leading American Advertisers believed strongly in 
 the value of dealer helps and window display, some 
 indeed considering them a necessity. But few of 
 these had amj actual data to go by or kept any check 
 on the funds expended on this branch of promotion 
 work. 
 
 The one great appalling fact was that Adver- 
 tisers at that time did not know what definite plan 
 to follow; or what results were forthcoming from 
 the display plans they were following. For in- 
 stance, they did not know how much of their ma- 
 terial was reaching the dealer or being utilized by 
 the dealer, or how dealers felt toward their dis- 
 plays, or what results dealers secured from displays. 
 
 At the same time the general feeling was strongly 
 in favor of dealer displays as an adjunct to other 
 advertising and more than half of these leading ad- 
 vertisers were every year increasing their appropri- 
 ations along this line. More than a quarter of 
 
 Recent 
 Develop- 
 ment of 
 Display 
 Science 
 
58 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Former 
 Status of 
 Display 
 Among 
 Advertisers 
 
 those interviewed, and they were all leading na- 
 tional advertisers, stated they were spending one 
 fifth or more of their entire appropriation for dealer 
 helps or display. 
 
 To sum it up, this investigation showed that 
 even so short a time ago as 1914 the biggest Na- 
 tional Advertisers in this country (which means 
 in the world) had the following composite attitude 
 toward dealer display: 
 
 1. Display promotion was not recognized as an 
 
 integral part of the advertising campaign, 
 but the desirability of dealer cooperation 
 was recognized. 
 
 2. Material was supplied for dealers by all but 
 
 11 per cent, of these National Advertisers. 
 But no records were kept beyond shipping 
 of material, usually to a jobber destination. 
 
 3. Displays were usually worked out by the 
 
 Advertising Manager, usually independ- 
 dently but sometimes with agency 
 cooperation. (At the time there were no 
 recognized display specialists in existence, 
 "window trimming" was the only display 
 art known.) 
 
 MISTAKES OF THE PAST 
 
 59 
 
 4. No appropriations were made especially for 
 
 dealer display — it was just one of the 
 etceteras charged up to advertising. 
 
 5. Salesmen were left to cooperate at their own 
 
 option. 
 
 In a few cases, traveling "trimming crews" were 
 being utilized for the handling and installing of the 
 manufacturer's displays, but this practice was 
 necessarily confined to a very few products which 
 have very wide distribution, which alone would 
 justify this expense. In a few other cases, all con- 
 fined to specialty grocery products, the salesmen or 
 missionary men calling direct on the trade had as 
 a recognized part of their duties the placing of small 
 unit displays. But either of these definite plans was 
 exceptional among the then National Advertisers. 
 
 Meanwhile, the writer's own associates, estab- 
 lished in the ten largest manufacturing points of 
 this country, were in constant touch with America's 
 largest producers of branded products — both 
 advertisers and non-advertisers. Year by year it 
 was noticeable that more and more monev was 
 being expended in the channel of dealer material 
 of all kinds, and that a spirit of rivalry had entered 
 
 Checking 
 Up the 
 Situation 
 
i 
 
 60 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 New Code 
 of Display 
 Practice 
 
 into competition for the dealer's cooperation and 
 many manufacturers were going to extravagant 
 lengths to secure this coveted cooperation. Huge, 
 unwieldy displays, some weighing as much as ten 
 or twelve pounds and costing several dollars each, 
 were being furnished to dealers. But even with 
 this large investment we found that few indeed 
 were planned with any definite idea of distribution. 
 As a consequence, in many cases the displays were 
 not forwarded to the trade and were merely occupy- 
 ing space in the manufacturer's own stockroom ! 
 
 Out of all this mass of investigative data it was 
 possible to trace cause and effect and step by step 
 build up some tentative laws for the use of dealer 
 display as a medium. 
 
 Out of the body of negative findings — what 
 manufacturers didn't do and what dealers wouldn't 
 do — and often what they couldn't do — ^it was pos- 
 sible to construct certain positives. 
 
 Out of all this grew what might be called the 
 first real Code of Dealer Display, as follows: 
 
 1. Your display for dealers must be an integral 
 
 part of your Advertising campaign. 
 
 2. You miLst plan for a method of distribution 
 
 MISTAKES OF THE PAST 
 
 61 
 
 which actually places the display in the 
 hands of the dealer. 
 
 3. The display must be the result of experience 
 
 in handling a large number of successful dis- 
 play campaigns — i. e., it must be designed 
 by or submitted for approval of experts. 
 
 4. Displays must be recognized as a definite part 
 
 of the advertising investment, and provision 
 made for them in the budget or appropria- 
 tion. 
 
 5. Salesmen must not be left to their own initia- 
 
 tive in use of display but its purpose and 
 function explained to them and a method 
 worked out for their better cooperation 
 with display material. 
 
 There is nothing very startling about this code 
 to-day— it may sound entirely matter of fact and 
 sensible to you*. 
 
 If so it is because you have become vastly en- 
 lightened since the years 1913-14— for pages 58 and 
 59 shows in summary the then common practice 
 among the leading advertisers of the country. 
 
 An enormous change has come since 1914 in the 
 practical handling of Dealer-Display problems. 
 

 Hit-and- 
 miss 
 Practice 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 DISTRIBUTION OF WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 MATERIAL 
 
 j4 SSUMING now that the display is fit to go 
 
 /% in the dealer's windows — (that you, for 
 -Z jL instance, would wish to have it in your 
 window if you were the dealer) — you are free to 
 east about for the best practical plans for getting 
 the display distributed where it will be used most 
 widely and most effectively. 
 
 Incidental and accidental display should no 
 longer be tolerated by scientific management — 
 any more than a manufacturer would be satisfied 
 to dispatch his merchandise shipments to their 
 destination and never find out whether or not they 
 actually arrived. When you buy display material 
 it surely is not for the purpose of filling your ware- 
 house. 
 
 A display is not a display until it takes its place 
 in the dealer's window. 
 
 Neither is it enough to send displays out, hit 
 
 62 
 
 DISTRIBUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 63 
 
 or miss, on the chance of their being utilized. In 
 reality, this promiscuous sending is the most waste- 
 ful of all methods. 
 
 One individual display in one dealer's window 
 doesn't affect the advertiser much, however pro- 
 ductive it is for that dealer. What you want and 
 must have is multiplicity of showings — ^i. e., mass 
 cooperation and volume of windows. 
 
 What are the best methods, therefore, to secure 
 mass cooperation.? 
 
 Crew installations are not practical for the large 
 majority of manufacturers, on account of expense 
 and scattered distribution. We come to four main 
 methods of handling this problem of display co- 
 operation : 
 
 1. Paying for Cooperation (either by outright 
 
 payment, free goods, or special deals). 
 
 2. Prize Contests. 
 
 3. Featuring Specific Display in National Ad- 
 
 vertising. 
 
 4. Part of Selling Plan, including: Proper pres- 
 entation to the dealer— Folders, letters, etc., to 
 dealer, announcing the coming of display— Feature 
 the display before or when sent out, instead of 
 throwing it at the dealer. 
 
 Not One 
 
 but Many 
 Needed 
 
 Four 
 
 Methods of 
 Cooperation 
 
i 
 
 64 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Let us examine each of these in turn: 
 
 (1) Paying for Dealer Cooperation should be 
 ehminated at the start, from our point of view- 
 first, because it is wrong in principle, and, second, 
 it does not pay. 
 
 (2) Prize contests probably pay in dealer inter- 
 est and have some news value. They give sales- 
 men something different to talk about, hence are 
 useful in staple products or those without their 
 own striking talking points. They also induce 
 many displays that never enter the contest. This 
 method pays indirectly in its by-products though 
 seldom in actual bona fide entries of contestants. 
 
 (3) Featuring specific displays in the manufac- 
 turer's national advertising (trade papers, maga- 
 zines, etc.) is of course a good plan where the 
 campaign exists and the manufacturer has bona 
 fide distribution to justify— but even this is 
 really begging the question of display cooperation 
 for its own sake and is not the purpose of the 
 present discussion. One successful method of 
 featuring displays has been on the basis of a 
 national week such as Canned Goods Week, Coffee 
 Week, etc. 
 
 H 
 
 ( 
 
 
 CO 
 I— I 
 
 SI 
 
 < 
 < 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 < 
 
 o 
 
 III 
 < 
 
 xn 
 
 P 
 
 H 
 < 
 
64 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Let us examine each of these in turn : 
 
 (1) Paying for Dealer Cooperation should be 
 eliminated at the start, from our point of view — 
 first, because it is wrong in principle, and, second, 
 it does not pay. 
 
 (2) Prize contests probably pay in dealer inter- 
 est and have some news value. They give sales- 
 men something different to talk about, hence are 
 useful in staple products or those without their 
 own striking talking points. They also induce 
 many displays that never enter the contest. This 
 method pays indirectly in its by-products though 
 seldom in actual bona fide entries of contestants. 
 
 (3) Featuring specific displays in the manufac- 
 turer's national advertising (trade papers, maga- 
 zines, etc.) is of course a good plan where the 
 campaign exists and the manufacturer has bona 
 fide distribution to justify— but even this is 
 really begging the question of display cooperation 
 for its own sake and is not the purpose of the 
 present discussion. One successful method of 
 featuring displays has been on the basis of a 
 national week such as Canned Goods Week, Coffee 
 Week, etc. 
 
 
 " 
 
 S3 
 
 I— i 
 
 
 
 
! •; 
 
 DISTRIBUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 65 
 
 (4) This brings us down to the fourth and most 
 practical method of securing dealer cooperation — 
 namely, making display an integral part of the 
 Selling Plan. 
 
 This display must not be left as optional or acci- 
 dental, but standardized, not only in itself, but in 
 the method of presentation to the dealer, whether 
 
 (1) By means of house's salesmen. 
 
 (2) By means of jobber's salesmen. 
 
 (3) By means of house campaign to dealers, 
 
 featuring display. 
 
 The reason Chain Stores have worked so success- 
 fully is because they exemplify the principle of 
 standardization of selling method, a carefully for- 
 mulated and completely worked out selling plan. 
 Nor is this selling plan left optional with any mem- 
 ber of the Chain — it is the plan. 
 
 The reason Exclusive Agency argument has a 
 lure for many dealers is because the dealer recog- 
 nizes in it a fundamental selling plan and sees very 
 definitely his individual part in it. 
 
 The reason there has been so much uncertainty 
 about dealer cooperation from the rank and file 
 
 Adopt 
 
 Definite 
 
 Plan 
 
Salesman's 
 Part in 
 Plan 
 
 66 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 in the plan of multiple dealer distribution has been 
 because there was no plan which definitely tied up 
 the individual store with the rest of the program. 
 
 One reason manufacturers' salesmen have so 
 often failed to cooperate in the successful distribu- 
 tion of displays is because they were merely asked 
 to do it, or exhorted to do it, or petitioned to do it 
 
 instead of being shown wherein it would benefit 
 
 them — what they would get out of it. 
 
 If a salesman only knows that the house is adver- 
 tising, and doesn't know when, where, what, and 
 wherefore, it is evident that the advertising after 
 all is not a part of the selling plan. 
 
 If a salesman knows something about advertising 
 schedules and mediums and knows the function and 
 the possibilities of the dealer-display material, he 
 surely will include display material as an integral 
 part of his proposition to the dealer. 
 
 A salesman who isn't thoroughly "sold on the 
 house's advertising" has usually a pretty good 
 alibi— there's evidently something loose-jointed in 
 his instructions and sales equipment or he would 
 know the selling plan. 
 
 Modern marketing and merchandising calls for 
 dealer-display cooperation as a definite part of the 
 
Salesman's 
 Part in 
 Plan 
 
 66 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 in the plan of mulliple dealer distribution has been 
 because there was no plan which definitely tied up 
 the individual store with the rest of the program. 
 
 One reason manufacturers' salesmen have so 
 often failed to cooperate in the successful distribu- 
 tion of displays is because they were merely asked 
 to do it, or exhorted to do it, or petitioned to do it 
 
 instead of being shown wherein it would benefit 
 
 them— what they would get out of it. 
 
 If a salesman only knows that the house is adver- 
 tising, and doesn't know when, where, what, and 
 wherefore, it is evident that the advertising after 
 all is not a part of the selling plan. 
 
 If a salesman knows something about advertising 
 schedules and mediums and knows the function and 
 the possibilities of the dealer-display material, he 
 surely will include display material as an integral 
 part of his proposition to the dealer. 
 
 A salesman who isn't thoroughly "sold on the 
 house's advertising" has usually a pretty good 
 alibi— there's evidently something loose-jointed in 
 his instructions and sales equipment or he would 
 know the selling plan. 
 
 Modern marketing and merchandising calls for 
 dealer-display cooperation as a definite part of the 
 
 
 
 
 <" 
 ^ 
 
 Jl 
 
 
 < 
 
DISTRIBUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 67 
 
 z 
 
 
 o 
 
 EC 
 
 n 
 
 ■XI 
 
 I— I 
 
 K 
 
 selling plan which must be presented as such by the 
 salesman to the dealer, and provision should be 
 made for the dealer to secure his display equipment 
 —not as something optional but as one standard 
 factor in the sales plan. 
 
 Instead of being an additional detail for the man 
 with the sample case to be plagued with, the dis- 
 play is a real boon. It is a provable fact that any 
 sales presentation, no matter how clever and effec- 
 tive, can be made immensely more coherent, logical, 
 and impressive to the dealer if into the warp and 
 woof of this presentation is woven the golden thread 
 of a specific display selling 'plan. 
 
 The best way to insure salesmen talking to deal- 
 ers about the general advertising and display is to 
 so plan that it is both easy and necessary for the 
 salesman to talk about both in his selling canvas. 
 Arrange so that it forms a part of his equipment, 
 a part of his selling tools. This requires tact and 
 good judgment, but it can be done in practically all 
 cases. 
 
 Plans for distribution and displays must include, 
 therefore : 
 
 ^Selling the house (or jobber) salesman on dis- 
 play. 
 
 Not a 
 Burden on 
 Salesman 
 
DISTRIBUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 67 
 
 
 r 
 v. 
 
 x 
 
 selling plan which must be presented as such by the 
 salesman to the dealer, and provision should be 
 made for the dealer to secure his display equipment 
 —not as something optional but as one standard 
 factor in the sales plan. 
 
 Instead of being an additional detail for the man 
 with the sample case to be plagued with, the dis- 
 play is a real boon. It is a provable fact that any 
 sales presentation, no matter how clever and effec- 
 tive, can be made immensely more coherent, logical, 
 and impressive to the dealer if into the warp and 
 woof of this presentation is woven the golden thread 
 of a specific display selling j)lan. 
 
 The best way to insure salesmen talking to deal- 
 ers about the general advertising and display is to 
 so plan that it is both easy and necessary for the 
 salesman to talk about both in his selling canvas. 
 Arrange so that it forms a part of his equipment, 
 a part of his selling tools. This requires tact and 
 good judgment, but it can be done in practically all 
 cases. 
 
 Plans for distribution and displays must include, 
 therefore : 
 
 —Selling the house (or jobber) salesman on dis- 
 play. 
 
 Not a 
 Burden on 
 Salesman 
 
68 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Fit Plan to 
 
 Specific 
 
 Needs 
 
 — Selling the dealer on its value to him individ- 
 ually by means of salesman's talk or through 
 letters or folders, picturing the display. 
 
 — ^Delivering it in timely season, accompanied by 
 vivid reminder of its specific use and pur- 
 pose. 
 
 The particular details must of course be worked 
 out specifically to fit the conditions governing the 
 particular display — not some conditions but all 
 conditions, for instance: 
 
 Distribution plan must be adjusted to fit 
 
 (1) The Advertising Campaign. 
 
 (2) The Method of Marketing. 
 
 (3) The Attitude of Dealers. 
 
 (4) The Extent and Location of Distribution 
 
 and Competitive Conditions. 
 
 This has proved to be a practical way to distrib- 
 ute display material effectively. 
 
 Sending display material out promiscuously 
 is not distributing it— it merely gets rid of the 
 
 material. 
 
 Waste is seldom wanton destruction. 
 It comes from ignorance of true value. 
 
 DISTRIBUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 69 
 
 It is easier to see a criticism when it isn't directed 
 against our own concern, so let's try this view of it: 
 The waste that goes on in a housewife's kitchen 
 isn't vicious destructiveness or contrariness or lack 
 of interest — it's pure childlike ignorance of what is 
 really being lost down the kitchen sink and the 
 garbage can. 
 
 In the same way the waste (of good displays) 
 which goes on in the retail store isn't viciousness or 
 contrariness or even laziness on the part of the un- 
 cooperating dealer, but is due to the fact that his 
 eyes have not been opened by you. 
 
 Clamorous dealer exhortation or wild denuncia- 
 tion in advertising conventions won't correct the 
 condition, because this vehemence excites op- 
 position. It's combative, not cooperative. But 
 silently, bit by bit, tighten up the connection in- 
 herently between your own display units and every 
 other link in your sales campaign by making it all 
 an integral selling plan, and automatically you 
 insure this cooperation. Just as the domestic sci- 
 ence teacher says to the housewife — 
 
 Waste 
 
 Through 
 
 Ignorance 
 
 Call Display 
 by Its Right 
 Name 
 
 "This isn't the milk waste from yesterday, it's 
 the sour milk needed for to-day's gingerbread. 
 
70 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 METHODS OF DISTRIBUTING DISPLAYS TO DEALERS 
 
 DISTRIBUTION OF DISPLAY MATERIAL 71 
 
 "This isn't the dripping grease to be scraped 
 out into the garbage — it's the shortening or fry- 
 ing fat you are needing every day." 
 
 Thus to the dealer you say — This isn't something 
 we thought you'd just as Hef have hanging around 
 somewhere (for the free advertising we might get 
 out of it) but it's the 
 
 one and only 
 
 definite 
 
 connecting 
 
 link 
 
 between you individually and all those thousands 
 or tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands we 
 have put into advertising Our Brand to help you. 
 
Life of 
 
 Display 
 
 Material 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 WHAT DETERMINES THE "LIFE" OF DISPLAY? 
 
 A FTER the display has secured space from 
 /\ the dealer the question of most interest to 
 -A. M. the manufacturer is "How long will it 
 last?" 
 
 The answer to that question — like so many dis- 
 play questions— isn't really up to the dealer at all 
 but comes right back to the manufacturer who 
 furnished the display. 
 
 It is answered — not in the dealer's store — but 
 when the display was planned. 
 
 Generally speaking, the life of a display depends 
 on three things: 
 
 1. The general idea and appearance of the dis- 
 
 play; 
 
 2. The physical make-up, strength, construction, 
 
 etc., of the display; 
 
 3. The degree to which the dealer has been 
 
 "sold" on its value to him. 
 
 74 
 
 THE "LIFE" OF DISPLAY 
 
 73 
 
 If a display continues to make sales for the 
 dealer it will be used as long as it keeps in usable 
 condition. 
 
 In other words, if the display itself is right, and 
 does actually attract attention, create sales, and 
 please the dealer, its life is indefinitely prolonged. 
 
 A cardboard display, attractive in itself, properly 
 constructed so that it does not collapse or become 
 broken through ordinary handling, and provided 
 the colors do not fade out so that it becomes an 
 eye-sore, should easily last through an ordinary sell- 
 ing season. Attractive material is often given 
 other space on ledge or wall or counter after it 
 comes from the window. 
 
 A display should be planned with full knowledge 
 of the chances for its use throughout a selling sea- 
 son. It should then be built to survive that selling 
 period, whatever it may be. 
 
 The life of a display in a dealer's window aver- 
 ages about two weeks, an extra good display will be 
 shown two to four weeks. If the selling season is 
 continuous, the display should be so planned that 
 some part of it is adapted for use inside the store 
 after the initial use in the window. 
 
 Some of the most valuable results of window 
 
 Surviving 
 the Selling 
 Season 
 
 Term in 
 Window 
 
opportunity 
 for Repeat 
 Showing 
 
 II 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 Construct 
 for Service 
 Intended 
 
 74 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 advertising are cumulative, and this is particularly 
 true of a repeat consumption product, or one 
 whose season continues through several months. 
 There is an untold amount of business going to 
 waste from folks who intend to do a certain thing 
 but never quite get around to it. Take pencil and 
 paper and jot down for yourself the many things 
 you have been meaning to buy — this long, long 
 time. 
 
 On the other hand, in the case of paper material, 
 you do not expect long life. It is designed for 
 temporary use only. But even paper window dis- 
 plays easily average a full week of life in dealers' 
 windows. 
 
 For instance — a display stand on the counter 
 must be built for use as well as ornament. A store 
 counter is a busy ground, not a protected grand 
 stand. The display which holds its place is the 
 one that keeps trim and tidy and never becomes a 
 nuisance or upsets. The average clerk soon loses 
 patience with a top-heavy stand that's always 
 "throwing" the goods onto the counter. A 
 counter display which is too tall so that clerk and 
 customer have to play hide and seek over and 
 around it is the pet abomination of the dealer and 
 
 ii^ 
 
 THE "LIFE*' OF DISPLAY 
 
 75 
 
 clerk, and sooner or later it will be swept off the 
 counter. 
 
 Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 
 
 Fig. 1 illustrates poor construction, as the weight 
 and extreme height of product will tend to upset 
 the stand. Fig. 2 shows better construction, the 
 weight resting on bottom and the tall bottle being 
 held firmly in place by the sloping base. 
 
 Fig. 3 shows top-heavy construction, the package 
 being so high as to cause the whole display to bend 
 by its weight, this shortening the life of the dis- 
 play. Fault can be overcome by placing package 
 lower down where it will be supported by the easel 
 on back. Or if this dominating layout is to be 
 retained, it can be made practical by using an extra 
 tall easel or by using dummy package in place of 
 actual package. These two methods would add 
 to the expense of the display. If this is an ob- 
 
76 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 
 Examples of cutout showing top-heavy construction, making dis- 
 play impractical and shortening its life at the dealer's 
 
 jection the only other alternative is to reproduce 
 the package in the design, instead of using actual 
 package. 
 
 Large display units, such as cutouts, screen 
 panels, etc., should always be built with due regard 
 to the length of time on duty. If for long hfe, it is 
 necessary to reinforce such displays, or to plan 
 them in such way that the natural grain of the 
 cardboard will be a help and not a hindrance. For 
 material which is wanted for long life, there are in- 
 genious methods of construction which cunningly 
 strengthen the board where it is naturally weak. 
 Cardboard has its laws as have all raw materials. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 COUNTER SPACE— AND HOW TO COMMAND IT 
 
 COUNTER space is always at a premium 
 because of its strategic value in the 
 store. Who was it— Archimides? — who 
 said he could lift the world— provided he could 
 find a spot on which to rest the end of his 
 lever? 
 
 Anyway, he pictures exactly what you can do in 
 the way of lifting your sales — if you can get just the 
 right toe-hold on the dealer's counter. 
 
 Just one little spot is all the ancient physicist 
 wanted — and the modern sales engineer asks for 
 only a few square inches on the counter, well know- 
 ing that this space is often the most valuable in the 
 whole store. 
 
 Goods which deserve counter space — ^bearing 
 in mind that we must always take the dealer view- 
 point in all these matters — fall into the following 
 main divisions: 
 
 77 
 
 II 
 
 Getting 
 Leverage 
 for Sales 
 
 1 
 
 Analysis of 
 
 Counter 
 
 Merchandise 
 
78 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 1. Merchandise which the dealer has some strong 
 
 incentive to push, such as overstock, slow 
 sellers, etc. 
 
 2. Merchandise with extra long profit. 
 
 3. Merchandise which is newly received, novel, 
 
 unusually attractive, or otherwise has ex- 
 hibition value or as the merchant says 
 "makes a nice showing." 
 
 4. Merchandise which is in universal demand, 
 
 but small in size so that the merchant keeps 
 a regular stock on counter to save steps and 
 time in handling customers. 
 
 5. Merchandise which is highly suggestive, but is 
 
 bought mainly on impulse rather than sober 
 calculation and deliberate errand. 
 
 6. Merchandise out of the usual line associated 
 
 with the store — candy in cigar stores, foun- 
 tain pens in drug stores, poultry remedies 
 in hardware stores, coffee percolators in 
 groceries, hairnets in drug stores, etc. 
 
 If your goods have this inherent self-interest ap- 
 peal they can easily command counter space. 
 
 If you want your goods on the dealer's counter, 
 study the proposition from this angle. Furnish 
 
 COUNTER SPACE 
 
 79 
 
 some obvious appeal of self-interest and the dealer 
 puts your goods on the counter because youVe 
 
 earned it. 
 YouVe got your solid foothold— a fulcrum for 
 
 leverage of sales. 
 
 Now take a look at the above classification again 
 and check up your product from the points of view 
 of Nos. 3, 4, and 5. 
 
 Thus: 
 
 3. If your product isn't novel or unusually at- 
 
 tractive you can make it so by the proper 
 dressing up or display setting. Even the 
 ugly ducklings in the great advertising 
 family (and there are some homely birds 
 among them) can be most intriguingly dis- 
 played by means of an ingenious display 
 stand, and the display expert who knows 
 his business can make even a commonplace 
 looking product engagingly attractive. 
 
 4. If your product is not universally known by 
 
 Brand, but is a commodity (small in size) 
 which can be logically offered to a large 
 proportion of the community, you can pro- 
 
 Clever 
 Display 
 Overcomes 
 Handicaps 
 
80 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Counter 
 Way Is the 
 Modern 
 Way 
 
 cure counter preference for it if you devise 
 the right kind of display container which 
 will be a convenience as well as a sales- 
 maker for the dealer. 
 5. If your product can be displayed and also 
 pictured in use, such a picture will prove 
 highly suggestive, because it starts a train 
 of thought in the mind of the chance cus- 
 tomer and results in purchase on impulse. 
 This No. 5 classification covers the large major- 
 ity of products capable of being shown on a dealer's 
 counter. Most sales — indeed all sales — depend 
 on a picture in the mind of the buyer, conjured 
 up by some stimulus, whether the sight of the goods 
 or the reminder of the product or some work of the 
 sales clerk. But this picture in the mind precedes 
 every purchase. The human imagination is the 
 greatest salesman in the world— a truly wonderful 
 
 "closer." 
 
 Counter space selling is the great merchandising 
 principle which Retailing has learned from those 
 two greatest modern institutions — the Depart- 
 ment Store and Chain Store. Instead of a ware- 
 house the retail store is a display place for mer- 
 chandise. 
 
 LiV 
 
 COUNTER SPACE 
 
 81 
 
 Counter merchandising is based on the old adage 
 — Well displayed is half sold. 
 
 How successful this principle is can be appreci- 
 ated when you consider that even though there is 
 occasional loss from theft, this objection is out- 
 weighed by sheer force of increasing volume of sales ! 
 
 To prove this to your own satisfaction, ask ten 
 dealers who have displayed merchandise on display 
 stands or in containers or on the counter without a 
 display device, if they have experienced any loss 
 through theft. They will invariably say yes. 
 They also will admit by word as well as act (con- 
 tinuing to display merchandise on counters), that 
 the profits from increased sales far outweigh the 
 loss. If the loss from theft were great the Wool- 
 worth Building could never have been erected. 
 On the other hand, the value of counter display is 
 clearly demonstrated in the success of the 5 and 
 10 cent Stores which are all counter. Occasion- 
 ally dealers may complain about theft, but manu- 
 facturers should not be blinded or mislead by such 
 complaint. One 10-cent package taken from his 
 counter will remain in a dealer's memory a long 
 time. But question him further and he will tell 
 you that he has sold dozens by reason of his 
 
 IJI 
 
 Theft Is 
 
 Negligible 
 
 Factor 
 
82 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 
 Counter 
 Sales Are 
 Quick Sales 
 
 display on the counter, which he would not have 
 sold if the goods were out of sight, on the shelf or 
 under the counter. He will tell you that in spite of 
 the very small amount of stealing he would not 
 under any circumstances consider putting his mer- 
 chandise under cover. 
 
 Grocers, bakers, and candy stores have always 
 worked on the principle of counter merchandising, 
 because their stocks are perishable and must sell 
 quickly or not at all. 
 
 All food products are particularly responsive to 
 display — not only for the appetite appeal, but in 
 the case of bakery and grocery goods the housewife 
 is naturally looking for suggestions when market- 
 ing for the family table. Her mind is open and 
 receptive to new desserts, or a tasty salad dressing, 
 etc., etc. Moreover, the grocer is a hard-working 
 individual, with not much time, and the counter 
 way is the quickest way of merchandising. 
 
 We might even go so far as to say that in the 
 case of grocery stores the counter is of more impor- 
 tance than the window. Don't forget that yours is 
 but one of many hundreds of products or even one 
 of a thousand sold regularly by that dealer. You 
 must get your product into view on the counter and 
 
 CD 
 H 
 
 M 
 
 O 
 O 
 P 
 
 P 
 
 W 
 H 
 
 a: 
 
 o 
 < 
 
 H 
 
 < 
 
 a 
 < 
 
 
82 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Counter 
 Sales Are 
 Quick Sales 
 
 display on the counter, which he would not have 
 sold if the <?oods were out of sight, on the shelf or 
 under the counter. He will tell you that in spite of 
 the very small amount of stealing he would not 
 under any circumstances consider putting his mer- 
 chandise under cover. 
 
 Grocers, bakers, and candy stores have always 
 w^orked on the principle of counter merchandising, 
 because their stocks are perishable and must sell 
 quickly or not at all. 
 
 All food products are particularly responsive to 
 display — not only for the appetite appeal, but in 
 the case of bakery and grocery goods the housewife 
 is naturally looking for suggestions when market- 
 ing for the family table. Her mind is open and 
 receptive to new^ desserts, or a tasty salad dressing, 
 etc., etc. Moreover, the grocer is a hard-working 
 individual, with not much time, and the counter 
 way is the quickest way of merchandising. 
 
 AYe might even go so far as to say that in the 
 case of grocery stores the counter is of more impor- 
 tance than the window. Don't forget that yours is 
 but one of many hundreds of products or even one 
 of a thousand sold regularly by that dealer. You 
 must get your product into view^ on the counter and 
 
 
 O 
 P 
 
 •/. 
 
 y. 
 
 r. 
 
 s. 
 
 y. 
 
COUNTER SPACE 
 
 83 
 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 -%* 
 
 O 
 
 K 
 
 H 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 u 
 
 < 
 
 O 
 
 off the shelf. You've got to command the counter 
 by some factor of superiority. 
 
 In the drugstore, display material should be in 
 the window and on the counter because of many 
 competing articles sold in that store. The average 
 druggist will carry a dozen or more well-known and 
 well-advertised tooth pastes or shaving creams and 
 so on with hundreds of products sold through the 
 drug store. 
 
 You need reminder material on the counter to 
 make sure of your sale, when the consumer has 
 entered the store. 
 
 The same reasoning prevails with any highly 
 competitive product, sold through the same chan- 
 nels. 
 
 Counter displays are most naturally for package 
 goods or small articles — but not invariably so. 
 
 Counter display may indeed be independent of 
 actual merchandise. A well-known stove manufac- 
 turer wrote me facetiously that he couldn't very 
 well get his stove up on a counter. He had a 
 literal mind. You can get a toe-hold for stove 
 leverage on a dealer's counter by means of picture 
 suggestion— just as you can get it for ice-boxes or 
 lawn-mowers. 
 
 Counter 
 Display 
 Not Always 
 Merchandise 
 Display 
 
COUNTER SPACE 
 
 83 
 
 y. 
 
 f. 
 
 o 
 
 r. 
 O 
 •j: 
 
 
 y. 
 
 'y 
 Pi 
 
 
 
 oflF the shelf. You've got to command the counter 
 by some factor of superiority. 
 
 In the drugstore, display material should be in 
 the window and on the counter because of many 
 competing articles sold in that store. The average 
 druggist will carry a dozen or more well-known and 
 well-advertised tooth pastes or shaving creams and 
 so on with hundreds of products sold through the 
 drug store. 
 
 You need reminder material on the counter to 
 make sure of your sale, when the consumer has 
 entered the store. 
 
 The same reasoning prevails with any highly 
 competitive product, sold through the same chan- 
 nels. 
 
 Counter displays are most naturally for package 
 goods or small articles — but not invariably so. 
 
 Counter display may indeed be independent of 
 actual merchandise. A well-known stove manufac- 
 turer wrote me facetiously that he couldn't very 
 w^ell get his stove up on a counter. He had a 
 literal mind. You can get a toe-hold for stove 
 leverage on a dealer's counter by means of picture 
 suggestion — just as you can get it for ice-boxes or 
 lawn-mowers. 
 
 Counter 
 Display 
 Not Always 
 Merchandise 
 Display 
 
84 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 I 
 
 It makes me nervous to see a clerk jauntily shove 
 a 5 lb. electric iron around on a plateglass showcase. 
 I know I wouldn't permit it if I were back of that 
 counter — but I would be glad to place 3 oz. of card- 
 board where they would exert an overwhelming 
 pressure on the prospective who is ready to take 
 the initiatory step in the favorite indoor sport of 
 equipping American homes with electric appli- 
 ances. 
 
 Counter Space is a sound principle of merchan- 
 dising — in fact, it is a fundamental principle. 
 
 Just how you must use this principle in applica- 
 tion to your own problem is a matter for specific 
 inquiry and careful planning. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 HOW MUCH DOES DISPLAY INCREASE SALES f 
 
 * 
 
 IF YOU will ask the average retailer, "Does 
 display increase sales?" you will invariably 
 receive the definite reply "Yes." But he 
 does not know how much of an increase, any more 
 than does the average manufacturer. 
 
 He has not kept actual records to find out what 
 a given display produced, yet he knows that dis- 
 play does increase sales. 
 
 Dealers and manufacturers do not have much 
 in the way of definite figures. In one investigation 
 covering more than three thousand retail stores of 
 all kinds, 90 per cent, stated displays had increased 
 sales, but estimates of the average rate of increase 
 varied all the way from 25 per cent, to 300 per cent. 
 
 In order to determine what increase in sales 
 would result from displays, specific tests have been 
 made under my own supervision, all being con- 
 ducted in the same way, namely, checking sales 
 week by week for an agreed period, without dis- 
 
 85 
 
 Specific 
 Tests with 
 Display 
 
86 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 In Drug 
 
 Stores 
 
 play, then installing a given display and again 
 checking sales week by week for another identical 
 period. A few of these tests will serve for exam- 
 ples: 
 
 Drug Store Display Tests: 
 
 I. The product selected was a well-advertised 
 tooth paste, and the display used was a 
 newly adopted counter display con- 
 tainer — 
 
 A sales test was conducted in 20 drug 
 stores for 3 weeks before this new dis- 
 play container was used, to determine 
 the normal sales. A total of 155 tubes 
 were sold. 
 
 Then foranother 3 weeks, in these same 
 20 drug stores, a sales test was con- 
 ducted with the tooth paste displayed 
 on the counter. The total sales for 
 these 3 weeks were 412 tubes of the 
 dental paste. 
 Thus, the increase in sales when this dis- 
 play was in use was 257 tubes or 165 per 
 cent, increase in sales for that product. 
 n. The product selected was a medical prepa- 
 
 in. 
 
 DOES DISPLAY INCREASE SALES? 87 
 
 ration, an herb tea, the goods being 
 by nature "slow sellers." Checking 
 first without using any display, a test in 
 10 drug stores, for 3 weeks, showed 26 
 packages had been called for in the nor- 
 mal course of business. 
 
 However, when sales test was made 
 with a counter display it proved that 
 many persons wanted the product, but 
 never just happened to get around 
 to inquire for it. A test in these same 
 stores for another 3 weeks showed the 
 surprising total of 63 packages sold 
 over the counter, or a 142 per cent, 
 increase in sales. 
 Another medical tea was given a similar 
 counter test in a different list of stores 
 and, of course, a different display. 
 First sales were checked in 9 drug stores 
 for 3 weeks without any display, and 
 the result was only 24 packages sold. 
 Then the packages were packed in a 
 counter-display container and placed 
 on top of the showcase. The result, 
 when sales were again checked for 
 
In Grocery 
 Stores 
 
 88 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 another 3 weeks, was 57 packages sold, 
 or a toal of 137 per cent, increase in 
 sales. 
 
 Grocery Store Display Tests: 
 
 I. The product was an extract, on the market 
 for fifty odd years, and known to every 
 housewife and enjoying exceptional 
 prestige — 
 
 To learn the normal demand a record 
 was kept in 14 grocery stores, for 3 
 weeks, without any display, and the 
 result was 68 sales. Then the very 
 same test was conducted with the pro- 
 duct placed in a display container 
 on the counter in each of these 14 
 stores, and sales were watched for 
 another 3 weeks. The result this time 
 was 154 sales. Here again there was 
 no other form of advertising in use at 
 this time, and no special sales plan or 
 customer inducement. The product 
 was a long-established trade staple, 
 and yet the mere fact of dealer display 
 on the counter caused a jump in de- 
 
 DOES DISPLAY INCREASE SALES? 
 
 89 
 
 { 
 
 mand from 68 to 154 bottles or 126 
 per cent, increase. 
 II. The product — the largest selling soup in the 
 United States — on the market about ten 
 years, but heavily advertised and enjoy- 
 ing universal distribution — 
 
 When a test was made in 21 grocery 
 stores for 3 weeks without any dis- 
 play, the sales showed 356 cans per 
 week or total 1,068 cans for the 3-week 
 period. 
 
 Then the same test was conducted after 
 placing an attractive display on each 
 grocer's counter. The addition of 
 this simple reminder in each of these 
 stores created an immediate jump in 
 sales, and a 3 -week check showed 
 the product was selling at the rate of 
 608 cans per week or 1,824 cans total 
 for 3 weeks, as against the normal 
 sale of 1,068 cans. This for 21 stores 
 made an average of 70.8 per cent, in- 
 crease in sales. No additional collat- 
 eral advertising was in progress during 
 any test period. 
 
 r 
 
 1 
 
In Candy, 
 Hardware, 
 Haber- 
 dasher 
 Stores, etc. 
 
 90 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 in. The product was a new kind of soap — ^not 
 well advertised and lacking in demand 
 or distribution — 
 
 A check on sales for 3 weeks showed 
 only a total of 52 packages disposed 
 of by the dealers. 
 
 Then, a small unit display was made in 
 the same stores (on the counter), and 
 the sales for the next 3 weeks nearly 
 tripled — showing 153 packages total, 
 or an actual increase of 194 per cent, 
 in sales. 
 
 Similar tests were made for candy, hardware, 
 and haberdasher stores, in each case selecting one 
 given product, and following sales for a list of stores 
 straight through for 6 weeks — the first 3 weeks 
 permitting no display whatever, and the next 3 
 weeks arranging in each of the stores a uniform 
 display and then comparing sales for the two 
 periods. In brief, they showed as follows: 
 
 Dealers' sales without the help of display; First 
 3 weeks: 
 15 Candy Stores sold total 384 packets of a 
 given 5-cent confection 
 
 DOES DISPLAY INCREASE SALES? 91 
 
 10 Auto Supply - - 
 14 Haberdashers 
 
 - - 72 plugs 
 
 - - 249 men's garters 
 
 Same dealers' sales with help of a specified display; 
 Second 3 weeks: 
 
 15 Candy Stores sold total 1,074 packets of 
 same 5-cent confection 
 
 10 Auto Supply - - - - 125 plugs 
 
 14 Haberdashers - - - - 581 men's garters 
 
 INCREASE— 
 
 In candy test 180 per cent, increase in sales 
 
 In auto supply 74 " 
 
 In haberdashery 233 " 
 
 a 
 
 <( 
 
 <c 
 
 «« 
 
 « 
 
 cc 
 
 <c 
 
 €€ 
 
 These figures show only averages. Of course the 
 individual dealer increases varied greatly, depend- 
 ing on individual store conditions. 
 
 Moreover, the tests were all conducted from a 
 disinterested, purely investigative standpoint and 
 do not show fairly what could be expected of dis- 
 play if properly pushed in connection with the whole 
 selling and advertising campaign. 
 
 For the purpose of demonstrating the value of 
 
 
 ii 
 
When 
 
 Salesman 
 
 Cooperates 
 
 92 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 dealer display when the house salesmen themselves 
 lend their earnest cooperation, the following two 
 detail tests will no doubt be interesting. 
 
 The first test was conducted by a corps of dis- 
 interested investigators to determine the actual 
 sales help of a certain display. 
 
 A number of stores were selected and inven- 
 tory of stock, as well as record of sales, was taken 
 before and after display was used. The stores 
 were situated in widely separated localities. 
 
 It was found that total sales in the week be- 
 fore the goods were in view of the customer to- 
 taled 53 packages. 
 
 In the week during which the display was used, 
 the sales ran almost three-fold — 150 packages 
 having been sold, a total increase in sales of 
 183 per cent. In one instance the increase was 
 as large as 500 per cent, over previous sales. 
 
 Verv few dealers seemed to have any definite 
 idea as to how much display material increases 
 sales. They were very much interested in the test 
 and in most instances were willing to cooperate. 
 
 The second test was entirely independent of the 
 first, being conducted by the manufacturer of the 
 
 
 
 DOES DISPLAY INCREASE SALES? 93 
 
 same product through his own sales force to deter- 
 mine to what extent display would increase sales 
 when used by his own sales people. 
 
 A comparative sales test was conducted in 28 
 stores and the results noted in the following were 
 taken from exact records of stock and sales fur- 
 nished by the manufacturer. 
 
 In one week previous to the display of the ma- 
 terial 36 sales of the article were made, whereas 
 in the week following the display sales were 297. 
 A total increase of 725 per cent! This figure 
 does not include the increase in a number of 
 stores where percentages of increase could not be 
 computed because there were no sales originally. 
 
 Incidentally these two tests — one made by a dis- 
 tinctly disinterested group of investigators and the 
 other through house salesmen — would indicate 
 how advantageously display material can be used 
 when the sales force is properly sold on it. 
 
 As bearing on this same question of what definite 
 results are traceable to the mere fact of display, the 
 following excerpts are quoted from a trade publica- 
 tion: 
 
 "A certain large retailer in New York City says 
 
 I 
 
 >f 
 
 Experience 
 of Dealers 
 with 
 Windows 
 
Merchan- 
 dise Sold 
 When 
 Displayed 
 
 94 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 that from long experience he can depend on 
 selling from fifteen to thirty-five women's suits 
 and dresses ranging in price from $15 to $50 
 on the day he shows these goods in his 
 window. 
 
 "A York, Pa., retailer who had a sale of about 
 $15 per week on a certain 60-cent candy, found 
 that he had increased its sale to an average of 
 $100 per week by devoting a window each 
 Saturday to this candy. 
 
 "Last August a Philadelphia store, during the 
 time of a general furniture sale, placed a par- 
 ticular bedroom set in one of its windows. All 
 the sets of this design were entirely sold out in 
 two days. 
 
 "Another New York store one day last summer 
 devoted their three windows, one to sport coats, 
 one to straw hats, and one to women's hand bags. 
 As a result twenty-two sport coats were sold, 
 three hundred and forty-five straw hats, and $600 
 worth of bags during that day."* 
 
 I have purposely selected records made during 
 normal times (as references to 60-cent candy and 
 
 *The Modem R4tailer, Decemb«r, 1915. 
 
 5. 
 
 _j 
 
 n 
 
 —1 
 
 pmJ 
 
 ^ 
 
 CI. 
 
 '^P 
 
 in 
 
 '-^ P 
 
 
 i- (jj 
 
 (=^ 
 
 
 lU 
 
 CO 
 
 
 x: 
 
 
 >- 
 
 a; 
 I 
 
 a. 
 
 <n 
 
 Ci 
 CI 
 
 CO ^ 
 
 UJ t:" 
 
 
 
 
 i^?ap> 
 
 
 
 
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 UJ I- 
 
 ^-in 
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 t; 01 
 
 - ^ K 
 
 r :r 9 
 
 ^ l4i Z 
 
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 ii «> 2 
 
 -am 
 
 H 
 W 
 
 Oh 
 02 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 GC 
 
 H 
 
 w 
 
 H 
 
 u 
 
 
 o 
 
 
9\ 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Merchan- 
 dise Sold 
 ^Vhe^ 
 Displayed 
 
 Ili;il from loiii: rxixM-UMur lir c.ni drprnd on 
 scWmi: from liflivn lo lliirly-fivo womcMi's snils 
 and diwssi's nm.i^ino in prico from $1.5 lo $50 
 i>n ihc ihiy he shows (Iirsr ^^omls in i,is 
 window. 
 
 "A ^ ork, Pn., ivlail(M- wlio li.id a s;dr of ahoul 
 $l.-> ptT wtvk on a (vrlain (i()-(vn( candy, fonnd 
 that ho had incivasod its sah^ io an avora^'o of 
 ^\00 per wook hy dovotino- a window each 
 Salurtlay to tliis candy. 
 
 *i.ast Aniiiist a Fhilaih^lphia store, (hiring the 
 tiiJic of a ovncral fnrnitnrc sale, placed a par- 
 ticnlar hcch'ooni set in one of its windows. All 
 tlie sets of this desii^m were entirely sold out in 
 two da vs. 
 
 « 
 
 -Another New York store one day last summer 
 devoted their tliree windows, one to sport coats, 
 one to straw hats,and one to women's hand bags. 
 As a result twenty-two sport coats were sold, 
 three liundredand forty-five straw hats,and $G00 
 worth of bags during that day."* 
 
 I have purposely selected records nuule durin^ 
 normal times (as references to GO-cent candy and 
 
 *Tkt Modern Rgtailer, Decemb«r, 1915, 
 
 CI 
 
 CO '^f= 
 
 ui 
 
 Z3 
 
 1 — 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 
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 r^ 
 
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 zoi 
 
 
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 tn s/5 
 
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 in 7) 
 
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 ten,. 
 
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 DOES DISPLAY INCREASE SALES? 
 
 95 
 
 fifteen-dollar suits show) as these indicate normal 
 reaction to display in ordinary times. 
 
 It would pay every manufacturer to make 
 specific tests for himself to see just what increase 
 might be expected for his own product in his own 
 dealers' stores. 
 
 Such tests are easily arranged, a little tact in 
 handling dealers and details of checking being all 
 that is required. Properly managed, the dealers 
 and clerks themselves become hugely interested in 
 the tests. However, emphasis must be laid on the 
 fact that the work of checking stock and recording 
 sales, before using and during use of display, must 
 be handled independently of the dealer, and con- 
 ducted in an absolutely uniform way, so that the 
 results will represent actual facts and not what you 
 may want to prove. 
 
 What you want is information, not confirmation 
 of your own foregone conclusions. 
 
 Merchants themselves don't know the possibili- 
 ties in dealer display. 
 
 Many manufacturers don't know their own mar- 
 ket possibilities. 
 
 This has been demonstrated over and over again 
 by manufacturers who have taken the trouble to 
 
 Manufac- 
 turers 
 Should 
 Make 
 Specific 
 Tests 
 
 More 
 
 Business 
 
 Procurable 
 
DOES DISPLAY INCREASE SALES? 
 
 J 
 
 I 
 
 Zj >- 
 
 o 
 
 
 CO 
 
 UJ 
 
 oo 
 
 >- 
 ex 
 
 CO ^ 
 
 CO 
 
 m\\ 
 
 v.-' 
 
 ex 
 
 NO 
 
 CO 
 
 ui O 
 5iO 
 
 <I(M 
 
 O (/3 wj 
 
 r If X 
 
 - u) >- 
 
 ^ ^i 
 
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 ►: w ^ 
 
 /] f^ >• 
 
 X (I 
 
 a > i2 
 
 ' a Q 
 
 ''i a o 
 
 95 
 
 7) 
 
 /. 
 
 
 CrUMTi-doIlar suils sliovvj as llicsc iiidicalc normal 
 read ion to dlspliiy in ordinary times. 
 
 I( would pay every manufaeturer lo make 
 specific tests for himself to see just what increase 
 ini^ht he expected for his own product in his own 
 dealers' stores. 
 
 Such tests are easily arran^^'d, a little tact in 
 handling dealers and details of checking being all 
 that is required. Properly managed, the dealers 
 and clerks tliemselves })ecome hugely interested in 
 the tests. However, emphasis must be laid on the 
 fact that the work of checking stock and recording 
 sales, before using and during use of display, must 
 be handled independently of the dealer, and con- 
 ducted in an absolutely uniform way, so that the 
 results will represent actual facts and not what vou 
 may want to prove. 
 
 What you want is inform at ion, not confirmation 
 of your own foregone conclusions. 
 
 Merchants themselves don't know the possibili- 
 ties in dealer display. 
 
 Many manufacturers don't know their own mar- 
 ket possibilities. 
 
 This has been demonstrated over and over again 
 by manufacturers who have taken the trouble to 
 
 Manufac- 
 turers 
 Should 
 Make 
 Specific 
 Tests 
 
 More 
 
 Business 
 
 Procurable 
 
96 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Immediate 
 
 Definite 
 
 Returns 
 
 do a little specific analyzing for themselves in a 
 given territory, and have gone at the problem of 
 fitting a sales and advertising plan which will 
 reach in and ladle out those market possibilities. 
 Too many of us just skim off the top, which is the 
 easiest way. 
 
 Too many merchants and manufacturers simply 
 sit back and rest on thtir oars after a few sweeps 
 and expect the natural momentum — and the eco- 
 nomic currents and eddies — to carry salesmanship 
 into safe harbor. 
 
 Window and store display is one form of adver- 
 tising on which you can actually check increase in 
 sales and get returns immediately. 
 
 It is safe to say that on the average, the mere 
 fact of dealer display will show a sales increase 
 varying from 25 per cent, to 200 per cent, depend- 
 ing on nature of product, locality, season, etc. 
 With the knowledge definitely established of how 
 much display does increase sales, it remains for the 
 manufacturer to use this principle in his selling and 
 advertising plan. 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE FETISH OF "SIZE" 
 
 ONE of the delusions about dealer display is 
 the notion that size is the chief element of 
 effectiveness. 
 
 Dominance is indeed the first criterion in Adver- 
 tising; but it is necessary to perceive that domi- 
 nance is, after all, an effect on the human eye, or 
 rather on the optical centres of the brain. Domi- 
 nance is an idea in the mind, a reaction to the sense 
 stimulus— not the stimulus itself. 
 
 This is clearly seen by a little reflection. 
 
 For instance, you can level a man flat by a black- 
 jack blow and he won't even know what happened 
 to him. You have floored him physically, by brute 
 strength, and the result is you have deadened any 
 mental reaction instead of exciting it. The whole 
 effect of the blackjack, or of any brute force, is 
 physical. But take a fine drill and insert it in the 
 tooth and bur-r away and you have an instance of 
 a very small sense stimulus producing an intense 
 
 What Is 
 *'Doml- 
 nance"? 
 
 Physical 
 Effect or 
 Mental 
 Effect 
 
98 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 THE FETISH OF "SIZE" 
 
 99 
 
 Dominance 
 Is Ejrtension 
 of Impress 
 
 Tricking 
 the Eye 
 
 reaction. A very small sense area is affected, but 
 the whole mind is wrapped up in the experience. 
 
 Dominance is degree of absorption in the idea 
 presented to you. 
 
 The flash of a diamond ring or scarfpin may take 
 your attention entirely off of what a man is saying 
 to you. The chic and style of a new gown may 
 keep you from seeing what kind of woman is wear- 
 mg it. An inharmonious picture in a room, or an 
 ugly spot on the wall paper or carpet may be to 
 you the most dominating impression from the 
 whole ensemble. 
 
 Dominance is not merely the amount of space 
 used up to get an impression— dominance is the 
 impression. You get it or you don't get it. For 
 instance, a few years ago 16 pages were used in one 
 number of a well-knowTi national magazine for one 
 advertisement, and outside the circles of advertis- 
 ing men you can wager not one man in a hundred 
 will recall the advertisement if you ask about it. 
 Advertising men would remember, of course, be- 
 cause it is one of the literary curiosities of the pro- 
 fession. 
 
 Dominance is not a physical but a mental effect. 
 They who know the laws of the human eye can 
 
 A 
 
 A. 
 
 I 1 
 
 trick it into an impression of size or area or height 
 
 or breadth entirely at variance with the actual 
 
 measurements. 
 
 Fig. 1, for instance, shows exactly 
 
 the same square block of space, but 
 
 handled in four different ways to pro- 
 duce different delusions. A looks 
 
 taller than B, because of the long 
 
 lines, whereas the horizontal panels 
 
 of B increase the breadth of the space 
 
 (apparently) . But if you fill in these 
 
 upright lines with close stripes, as in 
 
 C, the space immediately looks wider 
 
 because the eye runs quickly down 
 the fine lines but is halted at every 
 step when it sweeps across the lines. 
 Thus D looks much taller than C. 
 
 Or, take Fig. 2— the same horizontal 
 line is altered in its optical effect very 
 greatly by small diagonal lines at each 
 end— the same length lines in every 
 case for figure A and figure B, but by 
 their direction they alter the judgment of the eye 
 completely. 
 
 Color also creates delusions of size— a room 
 
 C, 
 
 FIG. 1 
 
 Color 
 
 Contributes 
 to 
 
 Dominance 
 
100 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Restless 
 Designs 
 
 <r 
 
 > 
 
 > 
 
 B. 
 
 Fig. 2 
 
 < 
 
 papered in blue seems 
 larger than one papered 
 in red, because blue is a 
 receding color, whereas 
 red advances. Or sup- 
 posing it were papered (Fig. 1) in a very light blue 
 and then in a very dark blue— the effect of the 
 lighter shade, although both are blue, is to make 
 the room apparently very much larger. 
 
 Still another factor in judging size is the extent 
 to which the design is cut up or cluttered up in the 
 space area— the same size treated with broad open 
 spaces gives an effect of bigness, which is partly 
 the result of effect on the eye but also very 
 much the effect of the mental impression it gives 
 you. 
 
 Japanese art shows this conspicuously. Seem- 
 ingly no space Hmitation was too small for worth- 
 while results, in the hands of those artist-craftsmen 
 who applied decorations to the ancient lacquer of 
 Japan; or for those inspired brush-men who 
 painted the kakemono strips only 10 inches wide, 
 or the 5-inch "post hiders," giving visions of all 
 outdoors. The effect from space all depends on 
 how you handle it. 
 
 I 
 
 THE FETISH OF "SIZE" 
 
 101 
 
 Munsterberg has called attention to the fact that 
 a full page in a small sheet magazine gives more 
 dominance than a half page in a magazine which is 
 actually three times as large, though the half page 
 measures a larger area than the full page. The 
 impression of size depends on the space limits to 
 which the mind has adjusted itself. 
 
 But even arguing solely from the point of view 
 of what the manufacturer himself gets out of it, let 
 us consider: 
 
 The most selfish purpose the manufacturer has 
 in view is Brand emphasis. 
 
 The reason he wants size is because he thinks 
 size is synonymous with emphasis. 
 
 A central window cutout not too large, flanked 
 by auxiliary smaller pieces which repeat the brand 
 suggestion, makes a better and more adaptable 
 display than one huge display piece. 
 
 Furthermore, the smaller cutout plus auxiliary 
 material is more economically distributed and 
 easier to install. Frequently the dealer can use 
 two medium-size cutouts in one window. In the 
 case of small units, he will take a half dozen and 
 pattern them, as it were, throughout his window 
 which almost invariably catches the eye, which 
 
 Size Is 
 Relative 
 
 Brand 
 Emphasis 
 Not Matter 
 of Size 
 
Danger in 
 Manufac- 
 turer's 
 Viewpoint 
 
 How Size 
 AflFects Use 
 by Dealers 
 
 102 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 traveling from unit to unit gets the brand name 
 committed to memory almost unconsciously. 
 
 The manufacturer usually favors the largest 
 possible size in his dealer display. This is because 
 he takes the natural but wholly illogical view that 
 the purpose of the display is to serve his interests 
 purely-thus, here is a certain amount of space, let 
 me therefore use it for all I am worth, to the end 
 that I shall get the greatest possible pubhcity value 
 from it. 
 
 The manufacturer fails to reckon with the other 
 fellow, the dealer, who also is actuated by his own 
 self-interest, according to his lights. 
 
 The primary thing to remember about display 
 
 space at the dealers is this-^V does not exist for you 
 
 until it is granted you. It can only he granted hy the 
 
 Savor 0/ the dealer, Therefcrre cater to the dealer view 
 
 of it. 
 
 Size— like every other element in dealer display 
 —must be considered from the standpoint of the 
 dealer. 
 
 After taking actual measurements of dealer 
 stores, in all lines and in cities of various sizes, in 
 many different parts of the country, in 1912-13 
 the writer was forced to accept what was then an 
 
 THE FETISH OF "SIZE" 
 
 103 
 
 entirely new viewpoint in the matter of size, and 
 realized that many manufacturers had been wast- 
 ing huge sums by supplying displays which the 
 average dealer found too large for the space avail- 
 able. In order to get display cooperation it is 
 necessary to fit the material to the average win- 
 dows into which the display is to go. 
 
 This may be astounding to many manufacturers, 
 for there are many manufacturers whose first de- 
 sire in their display material is sheer bigness. 
 However, this is getting to be more and more 
 the mark of the inexperienced. Experience teaches 
 year after year that no matter how big and attrac- 
 tive the manufacturer's display, it loses out if the 
 dealer can't or won't use it. 
 
 Smaller material has proved in practice the bet- 
 ter investment for the manufacturer. Here are 
 some of the reasons : 
 
 1. Larger distribution possible, since all dealers 
 
 can utilize it. 
 
 2. More adaptable to the peculiar needs of the 
 
 large dealers, who give emphasis to the 
 merchandise itself, when trimming win- 
 dows, using manufacturer's display ma- 
 
 ,' 
 
 ■' 
 
 Smaller 
 Material 
 More 
 
 Practical in 
 Most Cases 
 
104 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 terial as accessory to their merchandise 
 layouts. 
 
 3. More economical to produce. 
 
 4. In case dealer has selected a special color 
 
 scheme for window, there is less likelihood 
 of small material proving out of harmony, 
 whereas a huge display has its own insistent 
 color scheme. 
 
 5. More likehhood of material being used inside 
 
 for ledge or counter display, when it has 
 served its purpose in the window, thus add- 
 ing life to the material. 
 
 6. Easier to distribute to the dealer. 
 
 7. More economical to transport. 
 
 Small and medium-sized material can have all the 
 dominating effect of much larger material if the 
 artist uses the proper care in color and design 
 arrangement. 
 
 (' 
 
 t 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 PICTURES MAKE THE MIND ACT 
 
 PSYCHOLOGISTS tell us "There is probably 
 no fact in the whole of psychology that is 
 more significant and profound than the 
 one that shows us the Imagination as the source 
 and starting point of all our actions. Every 
 thought or concept that is conceived bears in it a 
 potential energy that leads inevitably to expression 
 of some kind." * 
 
 Modern advertising has for its problem: How 
 best to stimulate this faculty of Imagination in 
 such way as to lead to some act desired from the 
 Public. Its object is to arouse a mental image in 
 each mind favorable to the product advertised, and 
 to do this in the way and under the circumstances 
 which will lead most easily and naturally to ex- 
 pression — i.e., action. 
 
 Pictures in the mind are what make sales for all 
 of us. 
 
 •Elizabeth Severn, "Psychology of Behaviour," p. 135. 
 
 105 
 
 
 fi 
 
 Importance 
 
 ef 
 
 Imagination 
 
Pictures 
 Stimulate 
 the Desired 
 Reaction 
 
 I 
 
 Study 
 Motives 
 
 106 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 A common aphorism is "Pictures teach better 
 than words." This is true because (1) A picture 
 gets attention quicker and (2) Stimulates the 
 Imagination more completely — i. e., the result to 
 the mind is a clearer cut, sharper mental image 
 than if the mind is left to build its own image from 
 words only. 
 
 The degree of sharpness of the mental image is 
 what gives vividness and reality and on this sense 
 of reality hinges action. 
 
 Hence, if you want to get action via dealer dis- 
 play: Plant a picture which will register with 
 vividness and reality in the mind of the consumer. 
 
 How can you do this.^ By learning to analyze 
 motives from the consumer's point of view. 
 
 The right picture in dealer display, as with all 
 advertising, hinges on getting the motive which 
 offers the most powerful appeal. 
 
 Indeed, Advertising Men must take a leaf from 
 the lawyers and learn to look jcyr motives, if they 
 hope to solve the riddle of human acts. 
 
 But motives — luckily — are no longer the mys- 
 tery we once supposed. The practical psychology 
 of the past twenty years has made us all familiar 
 with the simple reactions of the human mind It 
 
 < 
 
 PICTURES MAKE THE MIND ACT 107 
 
 is possible to chart motives. There is no human 
 act which cannot be traced for its origin back to 
 some one of the nine recognized impelling motives 
 Gain Pride 
 
 Caution Justice 
 
 Fear Hate 
 
 Sentiment Reason 
 
 Ambition 
 
 Says W. F. Barnard: "Effective advertising 
 is aimed at impulse and motive. . . . The 
 process is one of finding the line of least resist- 
 
 ance. 
 
 >» 
 
 In other words, determine the right appeal, 
 whether to 
 
 Gain — of property, security, or self-gratification 
 Caution — forethought, inhibition, timidity 
 Fear — human weakness, distrust, apprehension 
 Sentiment — love of children, love of family, love 
 
 of brother man, love of home 
 Ambition — desire for power, for achievement, for 
 
 recognition 
 Pride — of appearance, love of show, of applause 
 
 of others 
 Justice — sense of duty, honesty, love of the right 
 
 Motives 
 Explained 
 
Complex 
 Origin of 
 Motives 
 
 108 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Hate — destruction 
 
 Reason — logic, judgment, truth 
 
 Under self-gratification which falls in the classi- 
 fication of Gain comes satisfaction of appetite. This 
 motive is mentioned in particular as it has been 
 played up to very successfully by distributors of 
 food products and even in the promotion of the sale 
 of articles other than food, as for example, tobacco. 
 
 It is a recognized fact that picturization of food 
 such as steaming ham, succulent greens, luscious 
 lemon pie, crisp salads, and refreshing lemonade 
 acts upon the gastronomic desires and works an 
 appeal as effective to-day under the influence of 
 civilization as was the appeal of food to man in his 
 early savage state.* 
 
 Action follows on the appeal to the right motive; 
 and the motive is determined for the individual by 
 a complex of many things resulting from the triple 
 roots of Heredity, Environment and Originality. 
 See the chart page 109. 
 
 ♦Compare Reinach in his "History of Art Throughout the Ages": "It is in fact to be 
 noted that all the animals represented by quaternary art (a period ending some 
 10,000 to H.OOO years before Christ) are of the comestible kinds, wbifh savages en- 
 graved or painted in order to attract them by a sort of magic sympathy. Civilized 
 man mik.-s b3rperbolic use of the exprersion 'the magic of art.' The primitives act- 
 u;llv belii"ved in it." 
 
 PICTURES MAKE THE MIND ACT 109 
 
 Heredity 
 
 X 
 
 Environment 
 
 Originality I 
 
 z 
 
 INDIVIDUAL 
 
 MOTOR IMPULSES 
 
 ANALYSIS OF IMPELLING MOTIVES 
 
 This chart demonstrates the large field covered by the major im- 
 pulses and their expressions. It shows the angles of influence through 
 which approaches may be devised to carry any commodity through 
 the whole gamut of publicity. 
 
Importance 
 
 of 
 
 Emotion 
 
 Chance for 
 Inhibitions 
 
 110 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Quoting again from Barnard : " Who has failed 
 to observe that his fellow beings do not as a rule 
 express any one of the elements (Feeling, Will, and 
 Intellect), purely and by itself, but that emotion 
 (Feeling) is qualified by judgment— (Intellect)— 
 and vice versa while often judgment is held in 
 check by Will or determination?"* 
 
 Emotion dominates human conduct and "both 
 intellect and will are chiefly used to give force and 
 direction to objects of emotion or desire." . . . 
 "The appeal to feelings and emotions carries the day. 
 The advertising lure may make much of reason, 
 but it will appeal to reason, if it does appeal, 
 mainly through the agency of pride, ambition, love, 
 faith, fear, or some other motive force.''* 
 
 The plain fact is that this appeal to the emotions 
 is the whole secret of advertising which arouses 
 desire. 
 
 And particularly is this true of dealer display 
 where action on motor impulse is intended to follow 
 immediately. Emotional action is quick action, 
 held back only by Determination or Judgment— 
 what the psychologists call Inhibition. If the 
 emotional appeal is strong, it tends to dominate all 
 
 ♦Barnard's "The Buying Impulse," 
 
 PICTURES MAKE THE MIND ACT 111 
 
 contrary influences — unless the individual has rare 
 self-discipline, or is in the grip of circumstances 
 which render action impossible at the time. 
 
 For example — a mother sees a pretty dress on 
 display and instantly pictures the dress on her 
 daughter. The appeal is to emotion (specifically 
 the sentiment of parental love). But the child for 
 some reason needs the discipline of denial and the 
 mother determines to resist this appeal to her emo- 
 tion. Result, no sale. Or, another negative in- 
 fluence arises, the fact that the daughter already 
 has all the dresses she needs, or the fact that the 
 dress is too expensive for the purse of the mother. 
 The mother then exercises Judgment. In other 
 words, the Motor Act has been inhibited — result, 
 no sale is made. 
 
 It follows inevitably that the longer the time that 
 elapses between the arousing of the Emotion and the 
 Act, the more chances there are that inhibition will set 
 in — or that the emotion of itself will subside and 
 actually fade out of the customer's mind. But here 
 again, remember that no idea ever really disappears 
 but leaves its "scar" in the substance of the brain, 
 to be jolted to fresh activity if ever again the right 
 reminder reaches the brain. Herein lies the whole 
 
 Reflection 
 
 Retards 
 
 Action 
 

 Action on 
 Impulse 
 
 112 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 basis for General Publicity, which seeks to impress 
 the consumer's mind again and again with the 
 Brand name, so that when the time of need comes 
 around eventually these old "scars" will uncover 
 themselves and the consumer will tend to select that 
 specific brand. It is an immutable theory. And 
 it works out in practice. But it takes time — and 
 time — just t-i-m-e is your element of greatest ex- 
 pense in Advertising! 
 
 The virtue of dealer display is that it provides 
 every condition to hasten Action — and thereby 
 
 (1) Reduces the chance for negative influences. 
 
 (2) Cuts down the expense factor of Time in get- 
 
 ting results from the Advertising. 
 
 In other words, it capitalizes on the working 
 methods of the human mind to the advantage of 
 the Advertiser. 
 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 ANALYZING A PRODUCT FOR DISPLAY 
 
 PICTURIZATION must be vivid if it is to 
 make the mind act. 
 Vividness or emphasis comes from stress- 
 ing "the big idea" and making all else subordinate 
 to that. 
 
 It calls for elimination even where this means 
 sacrifice — ^like the pinching off of many buds in 
 order to insure one perfect fruit or flower. 
 
 Art, w^e know, consists in producing unity out of 
 multiplicity of impressions — and the rapid-fire art 
 of display needs this even more than "art for art's 
 sake" needs it. 
 
 For the proper unmistakable emphasis of the one 
 biggest thing in the display, all the other factors 
 must be re-appraised, and the relatively less im- 
 portant put where they Vvill be after-beats of 
 attention, or repetitions of suggestions, thus sup- 
 porting the one big or main idea. 
 
 Some things will have to be eliminated totally, 
 
 113 
 
 The **Big 
 Idea" 
 
m. 
 
 il 
 
 Must 
 Make 
 Sacrifice 
 
 Peculiar 
 Needs of 
 Display 
 
 114 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 not because they have no value, but because their 
 very value will tend to distract and compete with 
 the main theme or big idea. 
 
 These sacrifices are often painful, but none the 
 less necessary. A really good display idea which 
 originated with the manufacturer himself should be 
 turned over to the expert for adaptation for display 
 before going too far with specifications, or results 
 may prove disappointing. 
 
 Display has its own needs and when an advertiser 
 has not been accustomed to thinking along the lines 
 of display requirement, he is too apt to assume 
 that the laws of layout and rules of art which have 
 served so admirably in magazine and newspaper 
 space are all that is needed for display material for 
 store or window. 
 
 Dealer Display is no side-line in Advertising. 
 
 Thinking in terms of window display is a differ- 
 ent practice from thinking in terms of magazine 
 space. Some of the things learned by window 
 dressers can be adapted to the uses of lithographed 
 ready-made displays, and all of the established rules 
 of art on the subject of design, contrast, and color 
 are indispensable. But having reached this point 
 the path of Display follows a course unto itself. 
 
 M 
 
 < 1 
 
 
 THIS DISPLAY COMBINES TWO FUNCTIONS 
 
 (1) Dominates the window as a Wright & 
 Ditson display and 
 
 (2) Provides a picture suggestion to appeal 
 to lovers of athletics. 
 
114 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Must 
 Make 
 Sacrifice 
 
 Peculiar 
 Needs of 
 Display 
 
 not because they have no value, but because their 
 very value will tend to distract and compete with 
 the main theme or big idea. 
 
 These sacrifices are often painful, but none the 
 less necessary. A really good display idea which 
 originated w ith the manufacturer himself should be 
 turned over to the expert for adaptation for display 
 before going too far with specifications, or results 
 may prove disappointing. 
 
 Display has its own needs and when an advertiser 
 has not been accustomed to thinking along the lines 
 of display requirement, he is too apt to assume 
 that the laws of layout and rules of art which have 
 served so admirably in magazine and newspaper 
 space are all that is needed for display material for 
 store or window. 
 
 Dealer Display is no side-line in Advertising. 
 
 Thinking in terms of window display is a differ- 
 ent practice from thinking in terms of magazine 
 space. Some of the things learned by window 
 dressers can be adapted to the uses of lithographed 
 ready-made displays, and all of the established rules 
 of art on the subject of design, contrast, and color 
 are indispensable. But having reached this point 
 the path of Display follows a course unto itself. 
 
 Tins DISPLAY COMBINES TWO FUNCTIONS 
 
 (1) Dominates the window as a AVright & 
 Ditson display and 
 
 (2) Provides a picture suggestion to appeal 
 to lovers of athletics. 
 
ANALYZING A PRODUCT 
 
 115 
 
 THIS DISPLAY FULFILLS TWO MAIN FUNCTIONS 
 
 (1) Brand domination 
 
 (^) Selling argument with a hint of 
 
 (3) Environment in the tile effect and sanitary 
 suggestion of the blue-and- white color scheme. 
 
 On the one hand, a display is not a magazine 
 page eighteen inches from the consumer's eye — 
 neither is it the blank side of a building or a bill- 
 board. A dealer display can't "do as it pleases," 
 for it has no rights save those accorded it by the 
 dealer. It is essentially a guest and must behave 
 with that same sense of decorum. 
 
 A display for the dealer has three possible func- 
 tions and can only be successful when it fulfils some 
 one of the three, although far better to combine all 
 three functions. Thus: 
 
 1. Dominate the window — Feature the brand 
 
 name or package or the seasonable sugges- 
 tion. The brand name should be con- 
 spicuous without offending good taste. 
 
 2. Emphasize the selling argument — bearing in 
 
 mind the need to make some one particular 
 argument stand out; as otherwise the 
 strength of impression is vitiated by strad- 
 dling attention. 
 
 3. Set off the merchandise — providing an en- 
 
 vironment, whether of (1) Suggestion, (2) 
 Color interest, or (3) Inviting arrangement 
 of design. 
 
 Display 
 Space 
 
 Differs from 
 Other Space 
 
 Three 
 Functions 
 of Displ^ 
 
IS-. 
 
 ANALYZING A PRODUCT 
 
 115 
 
 THIS DISPLAY FULFILLS TWO MAIN FUNCTIONS 
 
 (1) Bniiid (loiuiiuitiou 
 
 (•2) Selling argimu'ut with a hint of 
 
 (3) Environment in the tile effeet and sanitarv 
 suggestion of the blue-and-white color scheme. 
 
 m 
 
 On the one hand, a display is not a magazine 
 page eighteen inches from the consumer's eye — 
 neither is it the blank side of a building or a bill- 
 board. A dealer display can't "do as it pleases," 
 for it has no rights save those accorded it by the 
 dealer. It is essentially a guest and must behave 
 with that same sense of decorum. 
 
 A display for the dealer has three possible func- 
 tions and can only be successful when it fulfils some 
 one of the three, although far better to combine all 
 three functions. Thus: 
 
 1. Dominate the window — Feature the brand 
 
 name or package or the seasonable sugges- 
 tion. The brand name should be con- 
 spicuous without offending good taste. 
 
 2. Emphasize the selling argument — bearing in 
 
 mind the need to make some one particular 
 argument stand out; as otherwise the 
 strength of impression is vitiated by strad- 
 dling attention. 
 
 3. Set off the merchandise — providing an en- 
 
 vironment, whether of (1) Suggestion, (2) 
 Color interest, or (3) Inviting arrangement 
 of design. 
 
 Display 
 Space 
 
 Differs from 
 Other Space 
 
 Three 
 Functions 
 of Displ^ 
 
Established 
 Character 
 of Display 
 
 Determine 
 
 Dominant 
 
 Idea 
 
 i^ 
 
 Hi 
 
 116 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 But now, knowing the function, what is the next 
 step in planning a display? 
 
 Clearly the next thing is to establish its Charac- 
 ter. This is a twofold problem, for the character 
 must fit not only the (1) Product but the (2) Kind 
 of Dealer. 
 
 If a display is "out of character" on either 
 point, it is no good commercially. 
 
 With the Function and Character of the display 
 material clearly in mind, as outlined above, the 
 next consideration is the Dominant Idea. 
 
 Out of the mass of possible ideas must be selected 
 the one most fruitful idea, i. e., the idea best cal- 
 culated to attract attention or induce the desired 
 action or create an unforgettable impression, ac- 
 cording to the specific object in view. 
 
 But get this: 
 
 A dominant Idea does not always have to be a 
 selling idea, although as a matter of practice it 
 usually is the principal selling argument. The 
 following are all possible considerations in the 
 search for the Dominant Idea for a given display : 
 
 1. Principal sales argu nent. 
 
 2. Some novel sales arr^ument. 
 
 1 
 
 ANALYZING A PRODUCT 
 
 117 
 
 3. Timeliness of appeal 
 
 4. Quality Suggestion 
 
 5. Dominant representation — of name or pro- 
 
 duct 
 
 6. Catering to the dealer. 
 
 The Dominant Idea may partake of the nature 
 of one or more of the above, but it must essentially 
 be a single idea. No window was ever large 
 enough for two ideas although it is possible to 
 "get by" with several ideas if all but one are 
 forcibly subordinated. Ideas have an insistent 
 way about them and they actually fight for exist- 
 ence ! It must be a case of the survival of the most 
 fit. 
 
 Of course, in all Advertising, the greatest thing 
 is to find something different to advertise. It's 
 the difference that distinguishes the branded steer 
 from the common herd. Take a product in your 
 hand and consider it for display. Immediately 
 it starts a chain of thought — a lot of varied ideas 
 shoot by, but these are only way-stations until 
 you come to the one different idea which distin- 
 guishes that brand. Immediately your train of 
 thought slows up and you halt at the Station-of-a- 
 
 The 
 
 * 'Different" 
 
 Idea 
 
' 
 
 Simplicity 
 
 and 
 
 Eliminatioii 
 
 118 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Different-Idea. All the other ideas are suppressed 
 as they pass in review, leaving you finally alone 
 with the one most fruitful idea. The diagram on 
 page 119 shows this. 
 
 Simplicity is the keynote of window advertising 
 that is successful. 
 
 Simplicity and its partner Elimination work as 
 one. 
 
 The display must tell an interesting story and 
 tell it quickly. 
 
 Simple windows sell the most goods. 
 
 The principal test of a good display is what you 
 leave out, rather than what you put in. 
 
 Experience proves this is so. 
 
 But sometimes new advertisers find it hard to 
 see the need to sacrifice some part of the selling 
 story ! 
 
 ANALYSIS FOR DISPLAY 
 
 Name of Produci:.l>C.U.^l€<^.What is it-fe!^-^5-i?. 
 Points to consider For possible appeal to consumer. 
 
 USE? 
 
 QUALITY ? 
 
 PRICE ? 
 
 -Gu 
 
 <«- 
 
 ^ 
 
 caj^Y^-^-^-tL 
 
 s-o-a-tk^ 
 
 
 H'VO 
 
 PRESTIGE ? 
 
 CLIENTELE? 
 
 NOVELTY ? 
 
 APPEAR^NCE? 
 
 NAME? 
 
 ^^ 
 
 •VVo 
 
 _<JL.»* ■■<CfcL»- 
 
 -^-"-^ 
 
 -vv-vJCdULx- 
 
 clX-c*--!>-^ 
 
 -v^xHp^-« 
 
 
 
 ,>-4t"«.'*->% 
 
 Conclusiort: 
 
 m 
 
 119 
 
IM 
 
 Sympathetic 
 
 Artist 
 
 Essential 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE ART SIDE OF IT 
 
 WHEN it is once settled what kind of dis- 
 play will (1) get the dealer's window and 
 (2) tell the advertiser's story, you are 
 then ready to call in the artist and put your trust 
 in his power and genius. 
 
 Here we meet one of the big stumbling blocks — 
 for unless the problem at this stage arouses the 
 interest of the artist, it is almost hopeless to get a 
 satisfying result — for unless that vital quality 
 shines out in the finished sketch, the thing will not 
 strike fire when it is viewed by the dealer and con- 
 sumer. 
 
 A dub artist can't make a good display, no mat- 
 ter how conscientiously he labors. 
 
 The best artist in the world can't execute a 
 worth-while display unless he gets in sympathy 
 with the subject and understands the purposes and 
 psychology of window and store display. He must 
 recognize the limitations or he can't defeat them. 
 
 120 
 
 THE ART SIDE OF IT 
 
 121 
 
 I 
 
 From the time of Sir John Millais and his famous 
 picture of the Royal Academy Exhibition, "Bub- 
 bles," subsequently sold to Pear's Soap for $11,000 
 there has gradually developed a new function for 
 real Art, namely adapting it to the practical uses of 
 Advertising. 
 
 Art has always had its Patron — specifying what 
 it must teach, but giving, beyond that, as wide as 
 possible latitude for execution. From the earliest 
 graven images up to the culminating art of Rubens 
 and Michelangelo, of the mediseval Church, Art 
 had a religious function. Then as patronage was 
 transferred to the hands of kings and nobles, Art 
 developed new motives of culture and historical 
 representation. From kings and nobles that pat- 
 ronage passed to the public, who to-day are the 
 great arbiters of Art. 
 
 This new Patron, the great Public, cannot be 
 reached by individual canvasses, hence first of all 
 Art to-day calls for successfvl reproduction — ^that 
 inherent vigor and virtue of color and line and idea 
 which survives endless multiplication. The great 
 thing for the artist to-day is to make something that 
 can be successfully reproduced. 
 
 There is nothing to prevent the individual artist 
 
 Art vs. 
 Commerce 
 
 Public the 
 Real Patron 
 of Art 
 To-day 
 
Technique 
 of Display 
 Art 
 
 122 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 from continually striving for new development, 
 new accomplishment, but it is natural that some of 
 this effort is bound to fall beyond the powers of 
 appreciation of the real Patron, the Public. 
 
 This is far from being a criticism of too-futuristic 
 or too-cubistic or too-mauvistic modern effects — 
 it is simply a caution that they are not — as yet — 
 ready for the uses of ordinary Advertising, because 
 the great mass of the Public is not ready for them. 
 
 Surely we who are studious of all that enters into 
 Advertising — i. e., influencing human minds — can 
 afford to keep a watchful eye on what modern art 
 is attempting to demonstrate for us and use such 
 factors and effects in it as have a value for our pur- 
 poses. 
 
 In my opinion, Commercial Art as it exists to- 
 day calls for more genius and a higher degree of 
 technical skill than any previous patron ever re- 
 quired of the artist — without exception. 
 
 If an artist is "above the business" in Commer- 
 cial Art, he simply isn't up to it, and results prove 
 it. 
 
 From the art side. Display has its own technique 
 and this also must be learned. 
 
 A large number of factors enter into Display Art 
 
 1! 
 
 1« 
 
 
 ■vH' -wss^^w 
 
 -^'^i?^"-^^>^t^ 
 
 i;«h-^ 
 
 *N, It 5. SI 
 
 till. 
 Iillis » SI 
 
 ZMSl 
 
 silt 
 
 
 111 
 
 I— I 
 Q 
 
 < 
 
 iM 
 
 w 
 
 Q 
 Q 
 
 O 
 
 K 
 a: 
 
 < 
 
 I 
 
 a 
 
122 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Technique 
 of Display 
 Art 
 
 from continually striving for new development, 
 new accomplishment, but it is natural that some of 
 this effort is bound to fall beyond the powers of 
 appreciation of the real Patron, the Public. 
 
 This is far from being a criticism of too-futuristic 
 or too-cubistic or too-mauvistic modern effects — 
 it is simply a caution that they are not — as yet — 
 ready for the uses of ordinary Advertising, because 
 the great mass of the Public is not ready for them. 
 
 Surely we who are studious of all that enters into 
 Advertising — i. e., influencing human minds — can 
 afford to keep a watchful eye on what modern art 
 is attempting to demonstrate for us and use such 
 factors and effects in it as have a value for our pur- 
 poses. 
 
 In my opinion, Commercial Art as it exists to- 
 day calls for more genius and a higher degree of 
 technical skill than any previous patron ever re- 
 quired of the artist — without exception. 
 
 If an artist is "above the business" in Commer- 
 cial Art, he simply isn't up to it, and results prove 
 it. 
 
 From the art side. Display has its own technique 
 and this also must be learned. 
 
 A large number of factors enter into Display Art 
 
 
 
 L 
 
 H ™ 
 
 
 s 
 
 %iml 
 
 & 
 
 w 
 
 ^3bII 
 
 
 rj 
 
 ^Hl ^ 
 
 
 ffi 
 
 
 < 
 
 1. 
 
 K 
 Q 
 
 
 5* S. 
 
 8 
 
 <§' > ^ !m 
 
 J. 
 < 
 
 
THE ART SIDE OF IT 
 
 123 
 
 
 4; 
 
 22 
 
 S 
 
 which do not figure, or figure in less degree of im- 
 portance, in other kinds of Commercial Art. 
 
 Where the artist in other lines deals with a set 
 space and single plane, the Display Artist works in 
 several planes, each bounded by its own irregular 
 outline and he must fit his vision to the actual 
 construction imposed by the display's require- 
 ments. 
 
 Moreover, he should work— first— for attention 
 —that "arresting quality" which automatically 
 settles the fate of every piece of display with the 
 dealer and public (and should settle it with the 
 manufacturer). 
 
 The Display Artist should know that the two 
 indispensable virtues are Simplicity and Legibility 
 — i. e., understandableness of the display, both in 
 copy and picture. For a display is not a thing to 
 be studied by the public or the dealer. It demands 
 quick reaction. 
 
 The Display Artist must recognize the need for 
 elimination, the inexorable law of "Less detail!" 
 
 He must get attention by the sheer force of mass 
 and line and the right use of space to set off his 
 panel of copy or picture. 
 
 He must know the value of color, both physical 
 
THE ART SIDE OF IT 
 
 123 
 
 Y 
 
 Y 
 
 wliicli do not figiirv, or fi<^iire in less dr^rre of iin- 
 portancc, in oilier kinds of ("onniicrcial Art. 
 
 Where llie artist in oilier lines deals with a set 
 space and single plane, I lie Display Artist works in 
 several planes, each bounded hy its own irregular 
 outline and he nuist fit his vision to the aelual 
 construction imposed by tlie display's reriuire- 
 ments. 
 
 Moreover, he sliould work— first— for attention 
 —that "arresting quality" wliieli autoniatieallv 
 settles the fate of every piece of disj)lay with the 
 dealer and public (and sliould settle it with the 
 manufacturer). 
 
 The Display Artist should know that the two 
 indispensable virtues are Simplicity and Legibility 
 — i. e., understandableness of the display, l)oth in 
 copy and picture. For a display is not a thing to 
 be studied by the public or tlie dealer. It demands 
 quick reaction. 
 
 The Display Artist must recognize the need for 
 elimination, the inexorable law of "Less detail!" 
 
 He must get attention l)y the sheer force of mass 
 and line and the right use of space to set off his 
 panel of copy or picture. 
 
 He must know the value of color, both physical 
 
124 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 effect on the eye and unconscious effect on the 
 mind. He must study interesting combinations. 
 
 For whatever the idea, it must be brought out in 
 terms of window display art and worked out ac- 
 cording to the known laws of successful Dealer 
 Display practice. 
 
 
 
 CRIPTER XIX 
 
 VALVE OF POSTER TREATMEST IS DEALER DISPLAY 
 
 IT WOULD be foolish to make dogmatic asser- 
 tions upholding the supremacy of any one 
 particular art style as best adapted to window 
 purposes, because primarily every factor in dealer 
 display must be considered from the point of view 
 of the individual problem. 
 
 At the same time, this general survey of window 
 and store advertising as it exists to-day would be 
 noticeably incomplete without some specific em- 
 phasis on the value of poster treatment. 
 
 The poster is "an impression, a flash of line, a 
 snap of color— all that can be told in the passage 
 of an instant." 
 
 It is distinctly a "first -glance" .\rt. deliver- 
 ing its message mstantly both in picture and 
 copy. 
 
 True poster treatment must be striking and 
 simple, not only as to design but as to colors. As 
 soon as the design of the display becomes too in- 
 
 1^5 
 
 Poster 
 Principles 
 
 -5= 
 
Secret of 
 
 Poster 
 
 Power 
 
 Origin of 
 Poster 
 
 126 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 volved for quick recognition and appreciation it 
 ceases to be good poster treatment. 
 
 A true poster must be decorative — worked out 
 in flat surfaces, with little or no perspective, as 
 little detail as possible— but in its whole technique 
 marked by the greatest possible breadth and sweep 
 and simplicity. 
 
 The advantage of poster style for display pur- 
 poses is that it creates an atmosphere around itself 
 which successfully sends away from it all other 
 crowding objects. It is this which has made it 
 primarily the art of outdoor advertising and the 
 very same quality makes it useful in dealer display 
 because it separates itself from its surroundings and 
 for the moment exclusively holds the complete 
 attention— draws the eye from a long, long 
 way. 
 
 The poster— although as old as civilization- 
 dates its modern development in France with book 
 posters by Lalance (1836 circa) followed by many 
 others. An entirely new impetus was given to it in 
 England by the famous "Woman in White" poster 
 designed by Fred Walker in 1871 to advertise the 
 book by Wilkie Collins, then at the height of his 
 popularity. This first modern poster set a new 
 
 I 
 
Secret of 
 
 Poster 
 
 Power 
 
 I 
 
 Origin of 
 Poster 
 
 126 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 volved for quick recognition and appreciation it 
 ceases to be good poster treatment. 
 
 A true poster must be decorative — worked out 
 in flat surfaces, with little or no perspective, as 
 little detail as possible— but in its whole technique 
 marked by the greatest possible breadth and sweep 
 and simplicity. 
 
 The advantage of poster style for display pur- 
 poses is that it creates an atmosphere around itself 
 which successfully sends away from it all other 
 crowding objects. It is this which has made it 
 primarily the art of outdoor advertising and the 
 very same quality makes it useful in dealer display 
 because it separates itself from its surroundings and 
 for the moment exclusively holds the complete 
 attention— draws the eye from a long, long 
 way. 
 
 The poster— although as old as civilization- 
 dates its modern development in France with book 
 posters by Lalance (1836 circa) followed by many 
 others. An entirely new impetus was given to it in 
 England by the famous "Woman in White" poster 
 designed by Fred Walker in 1871 to advertise the 
 book by Wilkie Collins, then at the height of his 
 popularity. This first modern poster set a new 
 
 t ^ id 
 
 W ,-* r* 
 
 ^ 6 c 
 
 ■"to s 
 
 £: o 2 
 
 .2 S <y 
 
 C = = 
 
 c s. 
 
h l, 
 
 I 
 
 51- 
 
 V3 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 c 
 a 
 
 -^ .S 
 
 ■^ .2 
 ^ ^— • 
 r- »- 
 
 -^ eS 
 
 c .2 
 
 O C 
 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 -a 
 
 c 
 
 
 =3 "S 
 
 53 t-i 
 
 O (U) 
 
 F o 
 
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 > :5 
 
 i 
 
 < o 
 
 VALUE OF POSTER TREATMENT 127 
 
 style, showing the significance of line and mass 
 as opposed to "impressionistic" lighting. 
 
 There is a notion in the minds of advertisers that 
 poster art is distinctly a German style of art. 
 Nothing could be further from the truth although 
 German advertisers were perhaps the first to see 
 the commercial possibilities in the poster's sledge- 
 hammer strength. German poster art so-called is 
 a notable development of poster art, taking its cue 
 from France originally, just as France probably 
 took it from the Japanese prints or Ukioye Art of 
 Japan. Modern Poster Art developed simulta- 
 neously in England and on the continent, and 
 most rapidly in the last five years of the 19th 
 century, culminating in a distinct German type of 
 poster, conspicuous for startlingness, whereas the 
 French poster had aimed more at a certain nicety 
 of taste. The German style had in it vigorousness 
 and daring originality. Still another distinct in- 
 fluence, first considered curious only, but now ar- 
 tistic, came with the Russian stage and costume 
 designer, Bakst. 
 
 In America the development hardly gained 
 much headway until ten years after all these in- 
 fluences were recognized in Europe. Book pub- 
 
 European 
 Posters 
 
 Poster in 
 America 
 

 Mj 
 
 
 X 
 
 
 
 V3 — 
 
 - X 
 
 -Si -^ 
 
 C be 
 
 X 
 
 X = 
 
 = 1 
 
 c -^ 
 
 S Si 
 c 
 < o 
 
 VALUE OF POSTER TREATMENT 127 
 
 style, showing the significance of line and mass 
 as opposed to "impressionistic" h'ghting. 
 
 There is a notion in the minds of advertisers that 
 poster art is distinctly a German style of art. 
 Nothing could be further from the truth although 
 German advertisers were perhaps the first to see 
 the commercial possibilities in the poster's sledge- 
 hammer strength. German poster art so-called is 
 a notable development of poster art, taking its cue 
 from France originally, just as France probably 
 took it from the Japanese prints or Ukioye Art of 
 Japan. Modern Poster Art developed simulta- 
 neously in England and on the continent, and 
 most rapidly in the last five years of the 19th 
 century, culminating in a distinct German type of 
 poster, conspicuous for startlingness, whereas the 
 French poster had aimed more at a certain nicety 
 of taste. The German style had in it vigorousness 
 and daring originality. Still another distinct in- 
 fluence, first considered curious only, but now ar- 
 tistic, came with the Russian stage and costume 
 designer, Bakst. 
 
 In America the development hardly gained 
 much headway until ten years after all these in- 
 fluences were recognized in Europe. Book pub- 
 
 European 
 Posters 
 
 Poster in 
 America 
 
 
t 
 
 New 
 
 Impetus to 
 Advertising 
 Art 
 
 128 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 lishers during the mad era of "Best Sellers " applied 
 poster art to their covers and advertising jackets. 
 
 By 1915 the effects of poster influence became 
 very conspicuous in the United States, in the maga- 
 zine covers and decorations first of all, but quickly 
 penetrating to the advertising pages also. During 
 the war, the poster in all its forms became the 
 great power of appeal to the pubhc. Wliether we 
 knew it or not our whole public attitude toward 
 the picture and design was being altered by many 
 influences, furthered by the fact that the best 
 artists of the world turned their talents to appeal 
 not to the cultured few but to the general public. 
 The standards of public taste were actually 
 changed during the European War period — need- 
 less to say for the better. 
 
 Advertising Art could no more remain untouched 
 by these influences than could other Art. 
 
 As a matter of fact, it didn't, and a comparison 
 with any magazine to-day with one, say, of ten 
 years or even five years back, shows an astounding 
 improvement in grace and color and attention 
 quality. The old wooden attitudes and paucity of 
 imagination from which Advertising Art suffered 
 in yesteryears is happily gone forever. Advertis- 
 
 VALUE OF POSTER TREATMENT 129 
 
 ing design now calls for brilliant and striking effects 
 undreamed of a very short time ago. 
 
 To-day, some of the best art in the world is serv- 
 ing commercial purposes. There is no doubt 
 about it. Better art work pays. 
 
 Some form of poster treatment is no doubt 
 adapted to your individual message, but must be 
 planned to meet the specific problem. Some mes- 
 sages require delicacy of detail and multiplicity of 
 colors, others require vigorous, strong handling. 
 
 You are the winner every time if you use poster 
 art for your display — because poster treatment 
 economizes the three great expenses in all adver- 
 tising — the investment of Space, Time, and Effort. 
 
 Whether one individually likes or does not like 
 poster art is not germane to the discussion, the only 
 question being, what makes for the best display. 
 
 All advertisers make one mistake sometimes, and 
 they are lucky indeed if they dont make it all the time 
 — namely, judging the appeal to the public by what 
 appeals to them individually. 
 
 And nowhere is this truer than in the matter of 
 style of art treatment ! 
 
Function 
 of Color 
 
 K 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 COLOR AS RELATED TO DISPLAY 
 
 RT has been said to have but three simple 
 requisites — 
 
 Quality of line 
 
 Contrast 
 
 Color 
 
 The habit of the eye is to follow lines — but lines 
 in Nature are merely the edges of color areas. 
 Color is what the eye sees before it sees lines. 
 
 In other words, Color attracts. 
 
 The primary function of color is to distinguish 
 one thing from another. It focusses attention. It 
 makes things findable. 
 
 Every color has some attention value. Observa- 
 tion shows that Nature uses certain colors sparingly 
 and others lavishly over large areas — masses of 
 green foliage or brown earth, or blue spaces of sky 
 or water — but red and yellow sparingly — in spots 
 
 130 
 
 
 
 COLOR AS RELATED TO DISPLAY 131 
 
 or dabs or streaks of vivid color, or floods of evanes- 
 cent glow. 
 
 Nature never "paints the whole town red" as it 
 were. She discriminates. 
 
 Moreover, Nature actually uses color to attract 
 attention, just as the modern advertiser. Scient- 
 ists point out that it is not an accident that flowers 
 and fruit are vivid to the eye — it is a provision of 
 Nature to serve her purpose. The spots and streaks 
 and shadings of color on the flower are merely sign- 
 marks to the bee to point the way to gather honey 
 — and in turn fertilize the flower for Mother Na- 
 ture. In just such way the Modern Advertiser 
 uses color to serve his purposes of fructification. 
 
 Fine discrimination in the use of Color is the very 
 essence of the law of Display material. 
 
 But how discriminate.^ Is it then a matter of 
 individual taste, a sort of tact which does the right 
 thing instinctively but knows no laws.'^ 
 
 Far from it. Color is one of the most scientific 
 things in the universe, a science in its infancy so 
 far as man's study is concerned. But even the 
 little the world knows about color science proves 
 how immutable and unvarying it is in obeying 
 its own laws. 
 
 Need for 
 Discrimina- 
 tion 
 
 Scientific 
 Use of 
 Color 
 
132 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Physical 
 Basis of 
 Color 
 
 Color — scientifically speaking — is a nerve sensa- 
 tion, hence its unconscious effect upon us. 
 
 Color is merely the difference in sensation pro- 
 duced by wave length, the larger the wave length 
 the quicker it reaches the eye — i. e., it gets our 
 attention more readily. 
 
 The following table shows the difference in wave 
 length of common colors and their relative atten- 
 tion value, purely on this physical basis: 
 
 VNl 
 
 i COLOR DISTIN- 
 
 WAVE length 
 
 
 GUISHED BY EYE 
 
 ] 
 
 IN MM. 
 
 1 
 
 Red 
 
 .000656 
 
 Called 
 
 2 
 
 Orange 
 
 . 000608 
 
 Advanc- 
 
 3 
 
 Golden Yellow 
 
 .000574 
 
 ing 
 
 4 
 
 Yetj-ow 
 
 .000567 
 
 Colors 
 
 5 
 
 Green Yellow 
 
 .000564 
 
 
 6 
 
 Blue Green 
 
 .000492 
 
 Called 
 
 7 
 
 Blue 
 
 . 000490 
 
 8 
 
 Indigo Blue 
 
 . 000464 
 
 Colors 
 
 9 
 
 Violet 
 
 . 000433 
 
 As a matter of fact, scientists estimate that the 
 human eye is sensitive to only about 20 per cent, of 
 the total light sensations! Moreover, full appre- 
 ciation of even this 20 per cent, varies with different 
 
 COLOR AS RELATED TO DISPLAY 133 
 
 individuals. At the same time advertisers need 
 not worry about what is called color blindness, 
 since only 50 men out of a thousand see colors 
 falsely, and women are even more dependable, 
 being 99.6 per cent, color exact, only 4 out of 1,000 
 being color blind. 
 
 Color has thus a practically universal appeal and 
 its study is indispensable to the Advertiser. 
 
 Now then : Color being a nerve sensation, it is 
 a feeling. Color makes you feel and not merely see. 
 And a feeling, according to the most modern psy- 
 chology (tests of Prof. Paul Thomas Young, Ph. D., 
 of Cornell, reported in the American Journal of 
 Psychology), is never confused or "mixed," but 
 must register one thing or the other — pleasure or 
 pain. This leads up to a very interesting study of 
 what effect pure color has on the mind. 
 
 Elementally, we know that all colors fall into two 
 opposing classifications — 
 
 Warm colors — Red, Orange, Yellow (Advancing 
 Colors) 
 
 Cool colors — Green, Blue, Violet (Receding 
 Colors) 
 and thus we come to the following commonly ac- 
 cepted associations: 
 
 Color 
 
 Excites 
 Feeling 
 
134 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Red— excites nerves, arouses feelings, motor 
 impulses 
 
 Orange — 
 
 Yellow— ^^^*^°^' especially orange 
 
 Green— restful, soothing, neither warm nor 
 cool but neutralizing 
 
 Blue— cooling, quieting, expresses serenity, 
 spirituality, etc. 
 Lavender — tran quil 
 
 Purple— Stateliness, solemnity, richness, 
 royalty 
 
 White— Purity, quality of spiritual superiority 
 or physical immaculateness 
 
 We could not venture to assert, as many have, 
 that these are laws of association with color— i. e, 
 invariable effects. But we do know that they are 
 common associations, and the different colors do 
 tend to these mental suggestions. ProL Alvah 
 Parsons* states that these effects are the result of 
 association with the face of Nature, red being ex- 
 citing, stimulating, because it is the color of blood, 
 the color of fire, etc. In the sa«ie way, blue is 
 peaceful, composing, and purity-inspiring, because 
 of the b lue of the heavens. Green is cooling, sooth- 
 
 •Parsons, "Principles of Advertising ArrangemeiiL'" 
 
 COLOR AS RELATED TO DISPLAY 135 
 
 ing, because it is the color of Nature's enfolding 
 and protecting investitures. 
 
 We do know that Color has a mental side as well 
 as a purely physical. It is because Color can "ex- 
 cite the imagination and extend ideas"* that it 
 demands that earnest study necessary to make it 
 most productive for the uses of Advertising. 
 
 Positive, strong, dark colors increase the sugges- 
 tion of strength. Pale light colors increase the 
 suggestion of delicacy, airiness, and spaciousness. 
 WTien you want to increase the apparent space use 
 light areas for background. When you want ricli- 
 ness, weight, and depth in your backgrounds- 
 use dark fields to set off brilliant foregrounds or 
 to obtain striking contrasts. 
 
 Pastel tints and shades are feminine, clinging, 
 soft, appealing, ingratiating. They are not direct 
 but subtle in their intimations, hence their witch- 
 ery when in keeping with the suggestion of the 
 subject which happens to be linked up with femi- 
 nine qualities in some way, such as display for 
 toilet goods, for example. 
 
 All colors have this quality of Suggestion — an 
 effect on the mindy as well as an effect on the retina 
 
 •Lukeish, "The Language of Color," p. 71. 
 
 Light 
 VS. 
 
 Dark 
 Colors 
 
 Suggestion 
 by Means 
 of Color 
 
Physical 
 
 PuUof 
 
 Color 
 
 Relative 
 Area a 
 Factor in 
 Color 
 Effect 
 
 136 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 of the eye. Blue and white puts you in a different 
 mind attitude from rose pink. Orange and black 
 is commanding, challenging — never wistful or ap- 
 pealing. 
 
 Color attracts, and just in proportion to its pull 
 on the eye theartist's hand must restrain, and give to 
 the most powerful color the smallest area, ]\xsi as Nature 
 does. Being the strongest emphasis in the display 
 or picture, the bright color should be conserved 
 where it is most wanted and not smeared all over. 
 
 Color can be used to give accentuation and to 
 make a given part of the display leap to the front. 
 
 When color is used for emphasis it must not be 
 used so liberally as to destroy all emphasis — a 
 common failing with printers and advertisers. 
 
 Emphasis is relative. It can't be anything but 
 relative — 
 
 In fact, you cannot talk about colors just as 
 colors — you must consider their area. 
 
 Lukeish quotes some tests from Le Courier der 
 Len showing the effect of colors on legibility. 
 When viewed from considerable distance, the best 
 combinations were as follows: 
 
 1. Black on Yellow 
 
 2. Green on WTiite 
 
 I 
 
 ' 
 
 
 i 
 
 COLOR AS RELATED TO DISPLAY 137 
 
 3. Red on White 
 
 4. Blue on \Miite 
 
 5. White on Blue 
 
 6. Black on White 
 
 Black on yellow is best for distance, because 
 yellow by its luminosity is best fitted to make that 
 distant space stand out, thus attracting the eye to 
 the space limits containing the message. But it 
 would be very easy to make a mistake in this com- 
 bination, for the lettering might be black yet so 
 thin that the actual area of blackness would be 
 swallowed up by the swimming yellow background, 
 so that you would see the yellow — but not the 
 message. Color must always be considered with 
 regard to its ability to hold its own with surround- 
 ing area. Distance must always be taken into 
 account as well as competing objects for attention. 
 
 For convenience, however, the following Visi- 
 bility table for colors may be useful : 
 
 Yellow 12 times the visibility of purple 
 
 9 times the visibility of purple 
 7 times the visibility of purple 
 5 times the visibility of purple 
 3 times the visibility of purple 
 Lowest in visibility 
 
 ORA.NGE 
 
 Green 
 Red 
 
 Blue 
 Purple 
 
 Visibility 
 of Colors 
 
Color in 
 
 Dealer 
 
 Display 
 
 I 
 
 " 
 
 Quality in 
 Display Not 
 Dependent 
 on Many 
 Colors 
 
 138 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Color has more freedom in dealer display than 
 in any other form of Advertising. 
 Color can give 
 
 INDIVIDUALITY 
 POWER 
 
 DOMINANCE 
 to any product. 
 
 Color does not mean any cohr—hui rather wise 
 discrimination. Color does not mean all the colors 
 in the rainbow— but a few colors carefully selected 
 and ably handled by an artist skilled in window 
 effects. 
 
 When your eye happens to fall on a striking dis- 
 play and you burst out with "Gee, but that's 
 good!" just try to analyze your own sensations. 
 You'll find every time the effect is produced be- 
 cause the first flash of colors surprise and please 
 you. 
 
 Many advertisers buy displays just because they 
 abound in many colors. This is dangerous because 
 often many colors have blinded them to the real 
 message the display is intended to convey. The 
 qualities of surprise and please are important in 
 dealer display. As a matter of fact, you can get a 
 big idea across readily by "playing" with just a 
 
 COLOR AS RELATED TO DISPLAY 139 
 
 few colors, but knowing their possibilities inti- 
 mately. A good design of five colors in proper 
 contrast and area is frequently far more effective 
 than the same pictorial fact worked out in elabo- 
 rate detail. 
 
 "Through the elimination of detail," says 
 Henry R. Poore, A. N. A.,* "the work is sifted to 
 its essence and we then see it in its bigness— if it 
 has any— and if not we discover this lack." 
 
 In display advertising it pays to do things in 
 some different and dominating way. 
 
 As Gibbs Mason put it in Printing AH— 
 "Only the 'exceptional' in Advertising attracts 
 particular notice and admiration. People are 
 getting *fed up' on the average run of cheap ad- 
 vertising." 
 
 Color attracts the eye in a physical way as 
 follows : 
 
 1— By rarity— arousing mental interest, instinc- 
 tive curiosity by novelty. 
 
 2— By area— sheer weight pulls the eye around. 
 
 3— By startling— challenge of physical shock to 
 the optic nerve. 
 
 How 
 Color Acts 
 
 ♦Poore, "Pictorial Composition.' 
 
 Jill 
 
140 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 ilfi 
 
 4 — By pleasing — disposing the mind to settle in 
 contemplation, quite apart from appeal to 
 intelligence. 
 5 — ^By offending — inducing a feeling of discom- 
 fort, and immediate effort to get away. 
 Yet some think that because ugliness 
 "attracts" it must be good advertising! 
 One could analyze any given design space to 
 show how much is in the power of art to assist the 
 advertiser's message. The intention here is merely 
 to drive home the fact that unconsciously color and 
 line affect the human eye, not merely the eye of the 
 artist but the eye of the public, your eye, my eye. 
 This effect is entirely independent of copy story or 
 known subject! 
 
 Why not capitalize on this and really v^e art's 
 aid in Advertising.'^ 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 THE COPY BURDEN 
 
 THERE is nothing accidental about this 
 chapter heading — for that is exactly what 
 copy always is to a Display — a burden, 
 though a necessary burden. 
 
 The Display must carry the load. 
 
 But a great many displays — when you get the 
 message all in — refuse to carry. The load is piled 
 on — it won't move ! 
 
 There is only one thing to do — lighten the bur- 
 den. 
 
 The odd part of it is that — ^however necessary 
 that mass of copy may look at first — once you 
 make up your mind to throw it overboard, you do 
 not miss it ! You have a sense of completeness and 
 unity and conviction because your proposition 
 stands alone. 
 
 Naturally there's a limit to the number of ideas 
 you can get across. 
 
 Crowding results only in confusion— with the 
 
 141 
 
 The 
 
 Copy 
 
 Load 
 
 li 
 
Reducing 
 Copy 
 
 |! 
 
 142 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 chance that not even one idea will get safely 
 through because of the mix-up on the threshold cf 
 attention. 
 
 You must not try to tell it all — that is the pur- 
 pose of your descriptive literature and catalogue. 
 Selling value in a window depends not on the 
 multiplicity of things shown — whether merchan- 
 dise or selling arguments — but on the degree cf 
 emphasis. Solid slabs of copy on display material 
 mean only one thing — the amateur. ' If you feel 
 the need of a long, heart-to-heart talk with each 
 individual consumer, mail him a booklet or use a 
 double-page spread in The Saturday Evening 
 Post 
 
 Nine times out of ten the burden heaped on a 
 Window Display is unnecessary. For, after all, 
 the chief thing to do is to name or identify the 
 product and then back it up with some striking 
 suggestion or powerful sales argument. 
 
 Having reduced the burden of copy, therefore, 
 to the point where it is physically possible to get it 
 all in, there are a number of practical points to 
 consider in the method of handling it. 
 
 In the first place — recognize that times have 
 changed. 
 
 •C^ 
 
 OCO S i M I 
 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 X 
 o 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 H 
 
I 
 
 Reducing 
 Copy 
 
 142 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 chance that not even one idea will get safely 
 through because of the mix-up on the threshold cf 
 attention. 
 
 You must not try to tell it all — that is the pur- 
 pose of your descriptive literature and catalogue. 
 Selling value in a window depends not on the 
 multiplicity of things shown — whether merchan- 
 dise or selling arguments — but on the degree cf 
 emphasis. Solid slabs of copy on display material 
 mean only one thing — the amateur. ' If you feel 
 the need of a long, heart-to-heart talk with each 
 individual consumer, mail him a booklet or use a 
 double-page spread in The Saturday Evening 
 Post 
 
 Nine times out of ten the burden heaped on a 
 Window Display is unnecessary. For, after all, 
 the chief thing to do is to name or identify the 
 product and then back it up with some striking 
 suggestion or powerful sales argument. 
 
 Having reduced the burden of copy, therefore, 
 to the point where it is physically possible to get it 
 all in, there are a number of practical points to 
 consider in the method of handling it. 
 
 In the first place — recognize that times have 
 changed. 
 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 o 
 
( 
 
 THE COPY BURDEN 
 
 143 
 
 11 
 
 Here again the war has revolutionized things, 
 the best artists of the world have bent their talents 
 to public posters, cartoons, etc., and all publicity 
 has come to be stamped with a higher ideal so that 
 old-fashioned commonplaceness no longer answers. 
 Public taste has an eye to new effects — and nowhere 
 is this more noticeable than in the methods of han- 
 dling copy and lettering of all kinds, both with re- 
 gard to the style of lettering and its placing. 
 
 Modern lettering avoids crude scrolls and elabo- 
 rated shadings and lettering on meaningless curves, 
 such as have been identified with old-fashioned 
 label designing. 
 
 Instead it calls for grace and sweep that make 
 for strength, interest, and readability — spontaneous 
 rather than labored effects. Instead of the old- 
 time shaded letters, outlined and ornamented with 
 scrolls, the modern display signs or cards in favor 
 to-day are made with a simple, single stroke or 
 "quick brush" lettering effect— which is artful in 
 its very artlessness. 
 
 It looks so simple — often careless — but never 
 clumsy or commonplace ! 
 
 Modern lettering is a living part of the design 
 and not merely "reading matter" plastered over it. 
 
 Modem 
 Layouts 
 Help Copy 
 
 Modem 
 Style of 
 Lettering 
 
144 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Compact 
 
 Copy 
 
 Area 
 
 Easy 
 
 Reading 
 
 Style 
 
 
 It has compactness, holding itself aloof in blocks 
 or panels set oflF by plenty of blank space or con- 
 trasts and actually gains in emphasis though re- 
 duced in area. 
 
 Modern lettering aims for Legibility with Char- 
 acter — the meaningful, not the meaningless.* 
 
 Lower case letters which can be quickly grouped 
 into syllables and unconsciously grasped by the 
 mind make the message fluent — with just enough 
 use of capitals to give contrast and emphasis. 
 Lines should be short and few because the eye does 
 not easily read long lines of text matter. The 
 human attention has a fluttering, wavering quality 
 at best and follows the lines of least effort always. 
 
 The more lines, the more compact and regular 
 the lettering must be. The burden of copy isn't 
 always settled by merely reducing the quantity of 
 it. It must be considered also with regard to its 
 place in the artist's design — for like the writer of 
 newspaper headlines, the display copy writer must 
 figure on balance and space and the effect of words, 
 as well as their dictionary meaning. 
 
 •Science of optics shows that one third of all brain energy is used up by the 
 visual centres. Any abnormal strain of legibility, etc., increases this draft. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 CONSTRUCTION AN ALL-IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN 
 SUCCESS OF DISPLAYS 
 
 NEW and original design in the matter of 
 cardboard display material has the same 
 fascination for the dealer that new ideas 
 in fixtures have for the professional window dresser. 
 
 Just as the conventional pattern metal-base 
 T-stand, etc., so long in use by window dressers, 
 gave way before the newer wood and wicker stands, 
 racks, frames, and plateaux which have lately come 
 on the market, in the same way you will find the 
 average dealer at once keenly interested in your 
 cardboard displays if they happen to have some 
 ingenious points of construction. This of itself 
 gives the material an air of novelty and up-to- 
 dateness. 
 
 How tired we all get of the same old threadbare 
 ideas used over and over! 
 
 A dealer would not consciously reject your dis- 
 play solely because it was just a flat card with 
 
 145 
 
 Dealer 
 Looking for 
 New Ideas 
 
146 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Street Car 
 Cards 
 
 Meet 
 
 Dealer's 
 
 Viewpoint 
 
 square corners, but it's safe to say that in a ques- 
 tion of two displays and which to use, a deciding 
 factor would be novelty or some little knack of 
 construction. 
 
 The unusual is always a drawing card with the 
 dealer. 
 
 Street car cards for window use have this big 
 objection. Yet large quantities of street car cards 
 are sent out every season in place of material spe- 
 cifically designed for the dealer and many of these 
 cards are thus wasted. Another criticism of car 
 cards is that they are absolutely the wrong shape 
 for most trims. Where the dealer is not particular 
 he does not notice this, but you will find that most 
 dealers and the better class of stores will not use 
 car cards, as they do not make good displays. 
 Moreover, the copy on car cards is often too gen- 
 eral, and the dealer wants merchandise points 
 whenever possible. Sending car cards to dealers 
 as window displays is largely a waste of money. 
 
 Of course with all display material you do want 
 your brand name to stand out, as that connects the 
 display with your national advertising or news- 
 paper or other local campaign in the territory. 
 But avoid giving the dealer the idea that you only 
 
 CONSTRUCTION ALL IMPORTANT 147 
 
 want his store space to advertise yourself at his 
 expense. Naturally such an impression reduces 
 cooperation and cuts down the effectiveness of your 
 material. Somebody has said "To preserve the 
 efficiency of the individual dealer he must be treated 
 as an individual" and his store point of view fully 
 respected. Of course an obvious disadvantage 
 with street car cards in windows is that they have 
 to be propped up, not having any backbone of 
 their own. 
 
 The sameness of such cards — uniform dimen- 
 sions of 11 X 21— and their lack of individual 
 fitness for window purposes make them the less 
 desirable from the standpoint of the dealer. 
 
 Hangers from time immemorial have been 
 furnished dealers, and doubtless always will be 
 the first thought of some manufacturers. The 
 objections to them are their commonness and lack 
 of distinction. Not being made for any specific 
 space or purpose, but just to hang somewhere — 
 anywhere— they are usually stuck on the first 
 nail or projection without regard to location. 
 They represent displays de convenance and not 
 true purpose. And of course a hanger is covered 
 up by the next hanger that comes along. If a 
 
 The Old- 
 time 
 Hanger 
 
 ) 
 
Show 
 Cards 
 
 Counter 
 Stands 
 
 148 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 hanger is desired, however, and there are times 
 when it is the most logical display unit, the manu- 
 facturer should (if hanger is made of cardboard) 
 fit it with a collapsible easel, so that it can be 
 used on the counter or in the window without 
 toppling over. Dealers like material that will 
 stand. 
 
 Show cards — The small show card is always a 
 practical type for the dealer, useful in various 
 ways, as accessory m.aterial in the window and as 
 the attention getter in small unit trims arranged 
 on counter or ledge inside the store. Avoid the 
 common square flat card as much as possible. Work 
 out some novel construction which makes the card 
 self-supporting without an added easel. Or where 
 an easel card is desired, it is best to give it some 
 individual character such as a die-cut effect to 
 take away the plain, flat square card suggestion. 
 The dealer likes it better, and the display at- 
 tracts more attention. 
 
 Counter Display Stands — In the case of small- 
 package goods, almost always it is better to devise 
 a display stand which will hold the actual product, 
 rather than rest content with a flat show card. 
 Even in cases where you cannot put the actual 
 
 CONSTRUCTION ALL IMPORTANT 149 
 
 goods on the counter, or corner of the window, you 
 do not have to limit yourself to a show card or easel 
 card, but can work out some clever and novel col- 
 lapsible construction which will lift your advertis- 
 ing out of the flat plane and give it a third dimen- 
 sion. 
 
 Counter Display Containers — A certain class of 
 products, small-package and small-price goods for 
 the most part, can best secure dealer space on the 
 counter if packed in a well-designed, properly con- 
 structed display container which automatically fur- 
 nishes both show-card advertising and display of a 
 quantity of the actual merchandise. These display, 
 containers must of course be specially designed 
 otherwise they lack individuality and the dealer is 
 less likely to utilize the container. 
 
 Three-panel Screens lend themselves so effectively 
 to decorative effect that practically every manu- 
 facturer gets out a three-panel screen display 
 sometime or other. Their main objection is 
 commonness. If a three-panel screen proves, 
 after all, to be the best construction for a given 
 display, by all means stick to it. But the trouble 
 is that three-panel screens are not usually selected 
 because they are best but because they are the 
 
 Counter 
 Containers 
 
 Three- 
 panel 
 Screens 
 
II 
 
 Value of 
 
 Novel 
 
 Construction 
 
 150 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 easiest to think of and easiest for the artist to 
 work out! They save gray matter— but adver- 
 tising was never helped by this kind of saving! 
 On the other hand, a little ingenuity in working 
 out a construction that is novel in itself and at 
 the same time fits the display idea or picture 
 will go a long way toward influencing dealer 
 cooperation. 
 It's worth this extra effort. 
 A good rule is never to decide on a three-panel 
 effect until you have rejected some alternate 
 constructions and the three-panel proves the best 
 for your purpose. In other words, use it because 
 it is best— and not because you don't want to 
 bother. Professor Clark of Chicago University said 
 something when he uttered his caution never to 
 accept your first thought but reject it at once and 
 think up something else with which to compare 
 it— since the first idea is almost sure to be the 
 **cork in the bottle" and until it is out of the way 
 it stops everything else from flowing. 
 
 Novel construction for cutouts, window dis- 
 plays, and counter displays are numerous, but not 
 all of them practical. If necessary get hold of a 
 real display man and let him work for you. Re- 
 
 14 
 
 CONSTRUCTION ALL IMPORTANT 151 
 
 member that the whole business of display is still 
 in its infancy and there are many, many unex- 
 plored possibilities waiting for the advertiser who 
 is willing to let some creative and experienced mind 
 evolve something new and original. 
 
 New ideas cost more and they are worth more. 
 
 The retailer is on the lookout for something new 
 if he can get it. 
 
 He knows what gets attention and what gives 
 his store prestige. The retailer always welcomes 
 a new hind of window display. He knows it's 
 good business for its own sake, regardless of 
 what it advertises. You can get good dealer co- 
 operation in the face of all sorts of trade handi- 
 caps — such as cut-price situation, no-profit line, 
 staple, or even trade ill-will, if you are just for- 
 tunate enough to get hold of something absolutely 
 new in display for the dealer. 
 
 Change has a tonic effect on all of us. It's an 
 alterative treatment, and in that respect good for 
 whatever ails us. 
 
 In fact, one of the prime things in display man- 
 agement is to consider well in advance all the 
 probabilities to be met with and when there is a 
 prospect of less than normal cooperation, the 
 
 ■'II 
 
 ;l 
 
Be Sure 
 Novel 
 
 Construction 
 Is Practical 
 
 152 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 thing to do is not to neglect it on that account 
 but use that much more effort and ingenuity to 
 solve the problem. 
 
 Now, then, admitting the value of construction 
 as a factor in inducing display cooperation, the 
 question is how to get it. 
 
 This is one of the interesting sides of display 
 planning because it calls for a certain ingenious 
 type of mind, plus a childlike joy in "playing" 
 with a sheet of cardboard to see what it can be 
 coaxed to do. Practical construction requires a 
 knowledge of the laws governing the nature of the 
 raw material (cardboard) such as grain of the 
 stock, warping, coatings, mounting, pasting, scor- 
 ing, cutting. Moreover, it calls for engineering 
 knowledge of stresses and strains and weights 
 which can be supported, plus an architectural 
 sense of proportion and harmony and what will 
 coordinate best with the needs of the artist, plus 
 — an acquired commonsense as to what is and 
 what is not practical in cardboard. 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 TEE MODERN USE OF DISPLAY CONTAINERS 
 
 ON PAGE one hundred and forty-nine 
 mention was made of a certain class of 
 products, put up in small packages and 
 of popular selling price, which are not only logical 
 goods for the dealer to place on top of showcase or 
 counter, but which physically lend themselves to 
 merchandising via a special display container. 
 
 For instance, in the grocery line, small package 
 confection line, toilet-goods, and drug specialty 
 and drug sundry lines are to be found many, many 
 worthy products which the dealer can be in- 
 duced to place directly on the counter instead of 
 distributing them in stock on shelves or in drawers 
 or bins under the counter. 
 
 Obviously, if the manufacturer does succeed 
 in getting the retail store to thus display a partic- 
 ular small-package product, the movement of the 
 goods is speeded up and both the dealer and the 
 manufacturer are benefited. 
 
 153 
 
 Limited to 
 Certain 
 Slinds of 
 Goods 
 
II 
 
 Obstacle 
 to Be 
 Overcome 
 
 Goods 
 Selected 
 for Counter 
 
 154 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 The problem sifts down to this: How to do it? 
 
 Take a moment and look back over the years 
 and see first of all what is the natural way of 
 treating a particular kind of merchandise when 
 received by the dealer: He opens it up, mentally 
 classifies it, and more or less automatically assigns 
 it a certain place in stock, the choice of this place 
 depending on the one big thought of convenience 
 — convenience in handling or storing until called 
 for, convenience of finding when wanted. 
 
 Once assigned to its "proper" shelf, bin, drawer, 
 cabinet, or box, the product is practically "out of 
 sight and out of mind" until it is called for. 
 
 From time immemorial this has been the 
 natural way of dealing with items of stock — 
 the storekeeper of his own initiative from time 
 to time selecting specific items for display, being 
 activated by one of three personal motives: 
 
 — unusual attraction in the goods themselves, so 
 that dealer takes pride in showing them off for 
 stock; 
 
 — discovery that he is "stuck" with the goods 
 and must deliberately exert himself to "push" them; 
 
 — convenience — goods being unusually salable 
 they are placed where they are easiest to see. 
 
 
 EXAMPLES OF MODERN DISPLAY CONTAINERS 
 
 This type of container is recommended where display is desired, but where 
 the customer does not necessarily help himself 
 
 n ■ 
 
 I 
 
Obstacle 
 to Be 
 Overcome 
 
 
 Goods 
 Selected 
 for Counter 
 
 154 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 The problem sifts down to this: How to do it? 
 Take a moment and look back over the years 
 and see first of all what is the natural way of 
 treating a particular kind of merchandise when 
 received by the dealer: He opens it up, mentally 
 classifies it, and more or less automatically assigns 
 it a certain place in stock, the choice of this place 
 depending on the one big thought of convenience 
 —convenience in handling or storing until called 
 for, convenience of finding when wanted. 
 
 Once assigned to its "proper" shelf, bin, drawer, 
 cabinet, or box, the product is practically "out of 
 sight and out of mind" until it is called for. 
 
 From time immemorial this has been the 
 natural way of dealing with items of stock — 
 the storekeeper of his owti initiative from time 
 to time selecting specific items for display, being 
 activated by one of three personal motives: 
 
 — unusual attraction in the goods themselves, so 
 that dealer takes pride in showing them off for 
 stock; 
 
 — discovery that he is "stuck" with the goods 
 and must deliberately exert himself to "push" them; 
 
 — convenience — goods being uimsually salable 
 they are placed where they are easiest to see. 
 
 ^ 
 
 '^^A 
 
 
 M.^^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 EXAMPLES OF MODERN DISPLAY CONTAINERS 
 
 This type of container is recommended where display is desired, but wliere 
 the customer does not necessarily help himself 
 
i 
 
 i. 
 
 Crisp and Flaky 
 
 GOODRICH 
 
 u *. 
 
 ITS THE BORAX IN THE SOAP 
 : THAT DOES THE WORK 
 
 GombiMrtiMiRMMirSlwct 
 
 m^mmmm 
 
 GOODRICH 
 
 Crtirtkindtion Rtji^ir Slkeel 
 
 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF THE COUNTER CONTAINER 
 
 The elevation of the box, and the rigidly supported display card, are 
 
 important features of this type 
 
 USE OF DISPLAY CONTAINERS 
 
 155 
 
 Counter space, being recognized as the most 
 valuable selling space in the whole store, is always 
 at a premium. Space competition is keen. Nat- 
 urally that product has the most likely chance 
 for the counter which is 
 
 — superior in attraction 
 
 — profitable for dealer to sell. 
 
 Keep in mind that we are talking now of 
 strictly small-package goods, of popular appeal 
 and popular price. The dealer recognizes these 
 largely as "impulse goods" since purchases are 
 almost entirely unpremeditated when the customer 
 enters the store. 
 
 Some manufacturers first tried the plan of packing 
 their dozens or half dozens in good quality outside 
 cartons so that the dealer could place these nicely 
 printed boxes open on the counter. This served 
 the purpose of holding the httle packages together, 
 but the inverted box cover with letters upside 
 down had absolutely no sales or advertising value 
 on the counter. The dealer had to make a httle 
 card lettered with the product's name and stick 
 it in top of the open box — or simply trust to the 
 little packages advertising themselves. Before 
 long it came to be seen that the printing of these 
 
 Display 
 Box Im- 
 practical 
 
 I 
 
Goodrich 
 
 Rubber Cement 
 
 c-s'A" Bars 
 
 Crisp And Ftaky 
 
 GOODmCH 
 
 BMMirShfMt 
 
 ITS THE BORAX IN THE SOAP 
 : THAT DOES THE WORK 
 
 I 
 
 GOODRICH 
 
 Combination 
 
 Rfi>.«ir Sheet 
 
 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF THE C'OrXTEK COXTAINER 
 
 The elevation of the hox, and the rigidly supported display card, are 
 
 important features of this type 
 
 USE OF DISPLAY CONTAINERS 
 
 155 
 
 Counter space, being recognized as the most 
 valuable selling space in the whole store, is always 
 at a premium. Space competition is keen. Nat- 
 urally that product has the most likely chance 
 for the counter which is 
 
 — superior in attraction 
 
 — profitable for dealer to sell. 
 
 Keep in mind that we are talking now of 
 strictly small-package goods, of popular appeal 
 and popular price. The dealer recognizes these 
 largely as "impulse goods" since purchases are 
 almost entirely unpremeditated when the customer 
 enters the store. 
 
 Some manufacturers first tried the plan of packing 
 their dozens or half dozens in good quality outside 
 cartons so that the dealer could place these nicely 
 printed boxes open on the counter. This served 
 the purpose of holding the httle packages together, 
 but the inverted box cover with letters upside 
 down had absolutely no sales or advertising value 
 on the counter. The dealer had to make a little 
 card lettered with the product's name and stick 
 it in top of the open box — or simply trust to the 
 little packages advertising themselves. Before 
 long it came to be seen that the printing of these 
 
 Display 
 Box Im- 
 practical 
 
What Is 
 a Display 
 Container? 
 
 '^ 
 
 n 
 
 156 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 handsome boxes was waste — they did not prompt 
 the dealer to give the goods counter space, and he 
 merely shucked them off the goods and dumped 
 the little packets in the most convenient bin or 
 cabinet or drawer, the same as before. 
 
 Necessity is the mother of invention. Out 
 of this growing need of advertisers of small-package 
 products came the modem display container. 
 
 A display container is not merely a packing 
 carton for small goods. 
 It is not merely a handsome box. 
 It is a folding carton so devised that it answers 
 the purpose at the factory of a secure container 
 for holding a given quantity of goods, but at the 
 same time converts itself into a counter display 
 ready-packed with the goods, when the container 
 is opened up by the dealer. 
 
 It is, in fact, an "original package" taking the 
 place of the usual straw-board or printed card- 
 board box, but it is more than that as soon as it 
 reaches the dealer, because it is a self-display. 
 The dealer opens this "original package" and 
 — presto, it changes form in his hands and he 
 sees before him a complete attractive display 
 unit for his counter. 
 
 USE OF DISPLAY CONTAINERS 157 
 
 The evolution of these folding display containers 
 is one of the interesting things in advertising and 
 merchandising. 
 
 There are on the market to-day several styles 
 which have proved extraordinarily successful. 
 An immense amount of ingenuity has been ex- 
 pended on this one problem of perfecting the idea 
 of a self-display container, which everybody ad- 
 mitted v/as a valuable idea. Like all ideas it had 
 to be disciplined to make it behave and particu- 
 larly to make it stand up in actual practice. 
 
 The picture shows a group of different style 
 patented containers, representing the most pop- 
 ular kinds on the market. 
 
 The question may well be asked — WTiat makes 
 a good display container.^ 
 
 The answer depends on the kind of product. 
 
 A display container must suit the nature of the 
 small package and also the quantity the manu- 
 facturer uses as unit of sale. It m.ust hold the 
 unit, protect the goods, facilitate handling in 
 shipping, jobbing, etc., provide identification 
 throughout all distributing agencies, and it must 
 arrive safe and sound with the goods at the 
 dealer s. Having got that far its function now 
 
 I 
 
 Various 
 
 Types 
 
 Available 
 
 Features to 
 Consider 
 
 ' ♦ 
 
• ( 
 
 158 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Merchan- 
 dising 
 Value of 
 Containers 
 
 changes to one of service for the retailer. What 
 was apparently a mere package becomes a display 
 for the counter. It now proves its individual use- 
 fulness not only as a container for the merchandise 
 but as a silent salesman. 
 
 Containers are like people and have their own 
 characteristics. Some can't stand the gaff, get 
 wobbly, and go out of existence. Some lack in- 
 dividuality at the very start, or can't hold up 
 their heads or are otherwise bashful in pushing 
 their product. 
 
 Not all products are adapted for counter con- 
 tainer display. 
 
 But where the product fits into this distinctly 
 most modern method of merchandising the manu- 
 facturer has everything to gain. It keeps the goods 
 and the display together and it insures actual use 
 of display because it is easier for the dealer to use 
 the goods as they arrive than it is to discard the 
 novel folding container. Moreover, the display 
 survives on the counter until the last packet is 
 sold. 
 
 Of course it increases the individual dealer's sales 
 — counter display will always do that for a product. 
 
 Many of the big spectacular successes in recent 
 
 HI 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 C r= 
 
 f. 
 
 H^ 5 
 
 O 
 
 >• 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 D 
 C 
 
 w 
 
 en 
 
 1^ o 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 J2 
 
158 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 i 
 
 Merchan- 
 dising 
 Value of 
 Containers 
 
 changes to one of service for the retailer. What 
 was apparently a mere package becomes a display 
 for the counter. It now proves its individual use- 
 fulness not only as a container for the merchandise 
 but as a silent salesman. 
 
 Containers are like people and have their own 
 characteristics. Some can't stand the gaff, get 
 wobbly, and go out of existence. Some lack in- 
 dividuality at the very start, or can't hold up 
 their heads or are otherwise bashful in pushing 
 their product. 
 
 Not all products are adapted for counter con- 
 tainer display. 
 
 But where the product fits into this distinctly 
 most modern method of merchandising the manu- 
 facturer has everything to gain . It keeps the goods 
 and the display together and it insures actual use 
 of display because it is easier for the dealer to use 
 the goods as they arrive than it is to discard the 
 novel folding container. Moreover, the display 
 survives on the counter until the last packet is 
 sold. 
 
 Of course it increases the individual dealer's sales 
 — counter display will always do that for a product. 
 
 Many of the big spectacular successes in recent 
 
 
 ^ s 
 
 X 
 
 r- 
 
 
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 X 
 
 
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 ^'^ *■ 
 
 v"^ ZZ 
 
 X - 
 
*n 
 
 USE OF DISPLAY CONTAINERS 159 
 
 years have owed a big part of their results to this 
 device of getting dealers to put the new product 
 up on the counter where it could be seen by the 
 public— "Life Savers" and "Charms" are good 
 examples of quick and fast work based on this 
 fundamental method of merchandising. 
 
 Without specially devised display containers in 
 which the goods reached the dealer all ready for 
 use as display there would have been no way of 
 getting universal cooperation from the thousands 
 of big and little stores, newsstands, lobbies, etc., 
 where "Life Savers" and "Charms" were sold. 
 
 Specific individual tests have shown how various 
 products react in sales when they are packed in a 
 display container which the dealer places on his 
 counter. A few of these are appended. 
 
 Flavoring Extract: Sales rose from 68 bottles 
 
 to 154 bottles or 126 per 
 cent. 
 
 Dental Cream: ^ Sales rose from 160 tubes to 
 
 417 tubes or 165 per cent. 
 Sales rose from 72 to 125 or 
 
 74 per cent. 
 Sales rose from 358 pack- 
 ages to 1,074 packages, or 
 180 per cent. 
 
 Spark Plug; 
 Candy: 
 
 Sales 
 
 Increased 
 
 by 
 
 Containers 
 
( 
 
 r 
 
 Small- 
 town 
 Consumers 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 IMPORTANCE OF THE SMALL-TOWN DEALER 
 
 THE assertion has been made that 82 per 
 cent, of all goods sold through retail stores in 
 the United States find their outlet through 
 dealers in small towns. 
 
 Certainly the small-town field represents a 
 tremendous factor in the marketing of any trade- 
 marked product. According to Census figures the 
 rural population of the country represents half 
 the total — 
 
 1910 Census 53.7 per cent, rural 
 1920 Census 48.1 per cent, rural 
 
 But the small-town market includes more than 
 this rural population. It is necessary to bear in 
 mind that the Census classifies as rural population 
 in towns up to 2,500; and all above that as urban, 
 whether in large or small towns. On the other 
 hand, the advertiser includes in his "small-town 
 field" all towns of below 10,000 population— a 
 
 160 
 
 THE SMALL-TOWN DEALER 161 
 
 total which approximates 57,000 separate and 
 distinct distribution points on the map for na- 
 tional advertisers to consider. 
 
 The classification of buying communities in the 
 United States, according to 1910 figures (those for 
 1920 not being yet available), was as follows: 
 
 51,192 towns under 1,000 population 
 2.926 1,000—2,500 
 
 1»073 2,500—5,000 
 
 536 5,000—10,000 
 
 S29 10,000—25,000 
 
 111 25,000—50,000 
 
 58 50,000—100,000 
 50 100,000 and over 
 
 Later figures will affect the larger town classifi- 
 cations more particularly, hence will not materially 
 alter these statements. 
 
 In towns not exceeding 5,000 population it has 
 been estimated there are approximately fifty-four 
 million people whose every-day wants are served 
 by the following; 
 
 141,724 general stores 
 33,131 grocery stores 
 8,733 dry goods stores 
 
 Most Towns 
 Are Small 
 Towns 
 
 SmaU- 
 
 town 
 
 Dealers 
 
"Main 
 
 Street" 
 
 vs. 
 
 WaU Street 
 
 
 Surprising 
 Volume 
 
 162 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 3,035 shoe stores 
 25,870 drug stores 
 
 1,474 men's furnishing stores 
 
 9,200 clothing stores 
 21,143 hardware stores 
 12,463 jewelry stores 
 
 It is these facts which lead one magazine writer 
 to exclaim back in March, 1915, "The really big 
 business is not done in the big cities or near Wall 
 Street. It is done on Main Street— the principal 
 business thoroughfare of the little cities, the towns, 
 and the villages— the street where the leading shops 
 of the place are." 
 
 "Main Street," said Edward James in To-day's 
 Magazine, March, 1915, "is the longest street in 
 the United States, the richest and most substan- 
 tial, the most vital to the commercial life of the 
 whole country. The business that goes on in 
 Main Street day and night, week in and week out, 
 would make the popular conception of big business 
 look like a drop in a bucket if the two aggregates 
 could be compared." 
 
 Magazines like System have cited interesting 
 cases of big business built up by individual enter- 
 
 THE SMALL-TOWN DEALER 
 
 163 
 
 prise of some small-town dealer — in spectacular 
 cases running from a half milHon to a million-dollar 
 volume. Such successes are exceptional. But do 
 they not point a moral to the story and show how 
 vastly business in small towns can be augmented 
 by simple attention to modern merchandising 
 methods.^ As for the average volume of business, 
 it undoubtedly is higher than the average for the 
 same type of store in the big cities. In the town 
 of Blanchester, O., of less than two thousand popu- 
 lation, reports by Walter W. Manning of Woman'' s 
 World, in 1915, showed that four dry goods stores 
 shared an annual business of $110,000 from this 
 community, the three hardware stores had a com- 
 bined volume of $120,000, and the ten grocery out- 
 lets totalled $140,000. 
 
 All this in a strictly "rural" community as 
 classed by the Census enumerator, namely, a town 
 under 2,000 population. 
 
 The dealer in the small town is almost sure to be 
 a leading spirit in the community. His individual 
 influence is something to consider, even more than 
 is that of the big city distributor. He comes in 
 close everyday contact with his public. He cannot 
 bank on the shiftings and changings of new trade. 
 
 Closer to 
 Community 
 

 Needs of 
 
 Small-town 
 
 Dealer 
 
 164 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 he must make good with his permanent public. 
 He is the dealer who most needs help from the 
 manufacturer, and as a general thing he responds 
 to help most readily, if properly put to him by the 
 manufacturer. His faults are almost wholly due 
 to lack of breadth of view — or, in other words, lack 
 of experience. His heart is all right— namely, in 
 his future business success. He can therefore be 
 approached from this angle, and if intelligently 
 handled is more than grateful for the help which 
 one of greater merchandising acumen and advertis- 
 ing experience can give him. 
 
 Clearly it is up to the manufacturer to supply 
 whatever the handicapped small-town dealer lacks 
 in the way of initiative and experience. 
 
 Dealer-display plans offer the most practical 
 cooperation for the dealer on Main Street. To 
 quote from Walter M. Manning's survey, the small- 
 town dealer almost invariably "feels a pride in his 
 windows, he would like to have them look well to 
 please himself; but the larger idea of realizing their 
 sales value and putting the pep into them in such 
 a way that they will not only look attractive but 
 sell goods and keep the best trade in town by creat- 
 ing desire, is a few steps beyond his imagination." 
 
 THE SMALL-TOWN DEALER 
 
 165 
 
 Out of 631 retailers in small towns interviewed 
 by the Woman's World in 1915 in towns of from 
 750 to 3,000 population, practically an overwhelm- 
 ing majority showed willingness to cooperate with 
 National Brand advertising as follows: 
 
 Question No. 1 Do you like to have manu- 
 facturers send you win- 
 dow trims. f^ 
 
 Answer: 553 said Yes 
 39 said No 
 39 no answer 
 
 Question No. 2 Do you like to carry adver- 
 tised goods if they show 
 you a profit on cost of 
 doing business .f' 
 
 Answer: 532 said Yes 
 62 said No 
 37 no answer 
 
 In these one-street towns, containing perhaps 
 fifty, seventy -five, or a hundred stores, the main 
 business street is sure to be a promenade and a 
 really good display gets practically 100 per cent. 
 
 Potency of 
 Displays 
 
4 '1^ 
 
 **Passersby" 
 in Small 
 Towns 
 
 166 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 attention-^ccasionally a mention in the social 
 column of the local paper. Everybody sees it-^ 
 and half of everybody is very likely to comment 
 on it, so that a good display earns additional word- 
 of-mouth advertising. Moreover, with the least 
 effort, it can be made to earn something even 
 more tangible than this-for if the display is 
 featured to the small-town dealer as a store sell- 
 ing plan for him individually, it is very easy to get 
 him not only to use the display but to spend his 
 own money in the local papers to run electros or 
 other advertising furnished by the manufacturer. 
 In fact, there are limitless opportunities for add- 
 ing considerable of "unearned increment" to the 
 advertising investment for cooperation of the 
 small-town dealer. 
 
 In small towns it is safe to estimate that from 
 300 to 500 persons pass the average dealer's store 
 m a day. These passersby are "circulation" 
 just as readers for a magazine constitute its cir- 
 culation. The circulation for a small-town dealer's 
 window is somewhat different from that of the 
 big cities— it is a circulation more select in 
 quality because the passerby has more time 
 to look, has a more positive attitude toward 
 
 THE SMALL-TOWN DEALER 
 
 167 
 
 (hat individual dealer, so that the advertising is 
 associated with the store selling the goods per- 
 manently. In most cases, also, the ability to buy 
 compares more favorably. 
 
 That manufacturers owe more attention to the 
 small-town dealer cannot be questioned. The 
 small-town dealer is the logical victim of the new 
 disease of "mail-order buying" which is a product 
 of faulty present distribution methods. What- 
 ever helps distribution will help the small-town 
 dealer. More complete small-town distribution 
 will make it easier for the consumer to get what he 
 wants without the trouble and risk of "sending 
 off for it." And one of the best aids in lining up 
 small-town distribution, and at the same time one 
 of the best guarantees of "keeping the home trade 
 at home" after distribution is secured, is to furnish 
 the small-town dealer with a ready-made store 
 display selling plan. 
 
 More and more advertisers appreciate this fact. 
 
 The turning point has undoubtedly been reached, 
 and the next five years will see tremendous im- 
 provement in using to 100 per cent, efficiency the 
 waiting machinery for small-town distribution — the 
 more than a quarter billion retail outlets to transact 
 
 Help 
 Needed 
 
Selected 
 Dealer or 
 Mass of 
 Dealers? 
 
 168 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 business on more than fifty thousand "Main 
 Streets." 
 
 One common failing with many advertisers is 
 to think of their dealers in terms of the ultra se- 
 lect, in big cities. Subconsciously, they measure 
 all display material with the challenge "Will 
 Macy, will Altman use it.?" "WTiat will Wana- 
 maker do.?" In considering dealer display as a 
 medium, the advertiser must learn to think in 
 mass, in volume of display windows. It is not the 
 exceptional but the average he must consider. 
 Important as the big independent store may be 
 for prestige or actual sales for the product, do not 
 confuse this issue with the broad general problem 
 of dealer cooperation— the use of displays by the 
 great mass of dealers, big and little stores, which 
 constitute your national distribution. No na- 
 tional advertiser measures his national copy to 
 fit exactly Macy or Wanamaker, but to fit the 
 average dealer wherever located. It is the aver- 
 age dealer that produces, in total, the big volume 
 of business. 
 
 1/ 
 
 CHAPTER XXV 
 
 HOW DISPLAYS MAY BE USED TO EDUCATE DEALER 
 
 AND CLERKS 
 
 A WELL-KNOWN psychologist comments 
 on the fact that it is physically impossible 
 for the average man or woman to keep 
 in mind the name and special arguments for more 
 than a half dozen brands of a given commodity — 
 whereas there might be running full tilt some 
 twenty to forty conspicuous advertising cam- 
 paigns in that one line. 
 
 Even a seasoned advertising man who has been 
 studying Brand Advertising for over a decade 
 will find it something of a poser to clearly and 
 accurately set down the specific arguments differ- 
 entiating each of three or four brands from one 
 another. 
 
 Isn't it folly, then, for some manufacturers to 
 rail at the dealer and more particularly the dealer's 
 clerk for the fault of not "appreciating" selling 
 arguments.? 
 
 169 
 
 Retailer 
 Unable to 
 Remember 
 EverjTthing 
 
t|j,; 
 
 Customer 
 
 Knowledge 
 
 vs. 
 
 Dealer 
 
 Knowledge 
 
 170 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 The druggist carrying more than three thousand 
 separate items in regular stock, and the grocer 
 carrying from a thousand to two thousand 
 may be excused for lapses in merchandise knowl- 
 edge. 
 
 The truth is that the Modern Advertiser has 
 started something which now he must finish— 
 and he cannot finish it until he bridges the gap 
 between the General Publicity and the Consumer- 
 Ready-to-Buy at the dealer's. 
 
 Just as small-town merchants learned to their 
 sorrow that mail-order houses could coach the 
 customer to a point where the customer would 
 know a great deal more about the goods than did 
 the merchant himself, just so dealers in general 
 are face to face with the problem of dealing in 
 Brands, whereas the consumer is sold on some 
 specific argument. 
 
 Reason Why advertising is foolish if the Ad- 
 vertiser does not guard against the breakdown of 
 argument when the customer sizes up the goods 
 at the dealer's. It is putting a pretty long strain 
 on General Publicity to expect it to stretch over 
 time and spac^-often months and miles away 
 from the actual sale. Many a customer who has 
 
 EDUCATE DEALER AND CLERKS 171 
 
 been worked up to enthusiasm and loyalty for a 
 Brand is discouraged by the cold attitude of the 
 clerk or dealer who knows only the name and price 
 of the commodity. It is dangerous to trust that 
 consumer enthusiasm will in time "educate" those 
 back of the counter. The dealer's coldness may 
 quench more than the consumer's desire can 
 warm — and so another sale is lost. 
 
 Out of this situation has arisen a real and dis- 
 tinct function for display material— to serve first 
 of all as a sales coach and prompter for the retailer. 
 A piece of display material can be made to fur- 
 nish the merchandise facts essential to closing 
 the actual sale, and do this without losing its es- 
 sential display value. In other words, a dealer 
 display occupies a middle ground between a bill- 
 board and a magazine or newspaper advertisement 
 -—and for that reason frequently permits of more 
 copy than the former, though always less than the 
 latter. These bits of copy, however, should never 
 be spread over the main display, but kept as com- 
 pact as possible— entirely subordinate to the 
 main domination. 
 
 Suppose, for instance, you are a manufacturer 
 of a dental cream and your dealers carry in stock 
 
 Display 
 Should 
 Coach the 
 Dealer 
 

 Keeping 
 Track of 
 Merchandise 
 Facts 
 
 172 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 on an average some twenty different well-known 
 brands of tooth paste. Your national advertis- 
 ing is doing well if in addition to giving your name 
 dominance it interests the customer in your 
 selling argument. But isn't it too much to expect 
 that the average dealer or clerk will instantly 
 recall that argument or be able to classify the 
 twenty different brands that happen to be in 
 stock, according to the facts which serve to 
 differentiate one dentifrice from another? For 
 instance. 
 
 Which dentifrices advertised are friction clean- 
 ers? 
 
 WTiich dentifrices cleanse by saponification? 
 AATiich dentifrices have quahty of antisepsis or 
 
 other medication? 
 A^Tiich dentifrices have bleaching action? 
 ^Miich dentifrices have been on market longest 
 
 and how do they rank in seniority? 
 WTiich dentifrices have exclusive or spectacular 
 
 sales argument? 
 
 Safe to say there are a good many men on the 
 road selling tooth paste who could not pass such 
 
 EDUCATE DEALER AND CLERKS 173 
 
 an examination. Then why the mere clerk? 
 Even dentists with a professional interest in the 
 varied arguments would in many cases confuse 
 some well-advertised names with other well- 
 advertised arguments. This is simply because 
 both the salesman and the dentist, like the 
 dealer and the clerk, are human beings first of all, 
 and the human mind tends to fuse together a 
 multiplicity of impressions. 
 
 This is just an example. The same situation 
 applies to many everyday articles which seek to 
 distinguish themselves through brand emphasis 
 and striking arguments. 
 
 The right kind of display material will do more 
 than anything else tG set the store on the right 
 track as regards a particular dentifrice— or face 
 cream, flavoring extract, house paint, or cocoa. 
 It is the next best thing to a heart-to-heart talk 
 from your own personal representative calling on 
 the dealer, and it has the advantage of talking 
 to the clerk when not too busy to listen, also of 
 being right there for timely help when the sale is 
 about to be made. 
 
 Moreover, on the back of the cutout or counter 
 display or display container there is always space 
 
utaizing 
 
 Display to 
 
 Educate 
 
 Dealer 
 
 174 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 available for "educating" the clerk. This is 
 the best of all space for direct dealer copy- 
 particularly that on the back of display stands or 
 containers which are up on the counter and there- 
 fore continuously before the clerk or dealer. This 
 space should be utilized, preferably in some con- 
 crete way, with specific helpful suggestions. 
 With cutouts or window material some sort of 
 letter or circular illustrated with suggestive dia- 
 grams or picture should be sent to the dealer. 
 Often the best way is to paste this right on the 
 back of the display. 
 
 In this way displays may be used to educate 
 the retailer and establish more intelligent co- 
 operation. Of course never ask the unreasonable. 
 Entirely too little study has been given to this 
 educative function of display material. 
 
 In many, many cases a display pays for itself 
 even before the dealer receives it, in that he sees a 
 sample of it or a picture of it at the time his order 
 is solicited, whether by personal salesman or 
 folder, and this helps to concentrate his attention 
 on the real selling arguments. 
 
 The manufacturer who is investing in display 
 material and not at the same time using that 
 
 EDUCATE DEALER AND CLERKS 175 
 
 material first of all to help educate the prospective 
 dealer, and to reach the dealer who has already 
 bought, likewise the clerk back of the counter, is 
 surely blindfold to a valuable function of display 
 material. He is cheating himself of an opportu- 
 nity. 
 
Plan for 
 Series of 
 Displays 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 CONTINUITY IN PLANNED DEALER DISPLAY 
 
 UP TO this point practically all discussion 
 of dealer display has been with respect 
 to the single problem of individual dis- 
 play — what a certain display should be, how to 
 get it used, what could be expected of it, etc. 
 
 But there is still untouched a vast new field of 
 study in the power of continuity in planned dealer 
 display. Not one "lucky strike" dealer display 
 campaign, but a real continuous utilization of 
 dealer display as a regular medium. 
 
 Just as there was a time when manufacturers 
 bought so-called displays piece by piece, as fancy 
 or emergency dictated, with no real purpose or 
 plan as to how the individual "dealer help" would 
 fit in and have an integral part in the whole selling 
 proposition — just so even now, while all wide- 
 awake advertisers are alert to the importance of 
 planning before rather than after they have bought 
 the display material, it is indeed the exception for a 
 
 176 
 
 
 CONTINUITY IN DEALER DISPLAY 177 
 
 manufacturer to work out — carefully in advance- 
 
 a real schedule or series of displays which will give 
 to his product continuity of display at the dealer's. 
 
 Continuity in Advertising is a principle which 
 no man will dispute. But it still remains to apply 
 this principle to dealer display advertising. 
 
 The value of cumulative returns for all other 
 forms of advertising is something no longer de- 
 batable. What advertising man would counte- 
 nance the old-time ignorance of publicity laws 
 which resulted in the timid advertiser who de- 
 nounced advertising because he "tried it once — 
 it didn't pay." 
 
 The only orthodox view is reflected in the oft- 
 repeated warning — "The one-time Ad almost 
 never pays." 
 
 But with dealer display it has paid and it al- 
 ways will pay, because display is a selling method 
 as well as an advertising method. This only 
 goes to show that there are some things which 
 differentiate Dealer display advertising from all 
 other mediums. It always will have certain 
 differences. It is these differences that require 
 study in order to get success from the use of dis- 
 play material. And yet it is none the less true 
 
 Cumulativ* 
 Value of 
 Series 
 

 Few Manu- 
 facturers 
 Awake to 
 Value of 
 Series 
 
 178 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 that dealer display advertising, just like other 
 forms of advertising, grows as it goes, like a snow- 
 ball rolling up and accreting to itself a vast 
 power in proportion to its steady use and growth. 
 Continuity in dealer display practically does 
 not exist in the advertising world to-day, if you 
 except those permanent forms of dealer reminder 
 or identification consisting of painted signs on 
 store fronts, permanent window transparents, etc., 
 which are necessarily limited to mere brand 
 publicity, as distinct from salesmanship. The 
 value of this permanent chain-store link up or 
 identification, first made famous by the United 
 Cigar Stores and later adopted by nationally ad- 
 vertised products such as Pillsbury's Flour, Coco 
 Cola, Firestone Tires, and many others, cannot be 
 questioned, whether considered purely from its 
 billboard value based on passerby traffic, or the 
 specific announcing where the goods are for sale. 
 But naturally there are limitations as to the kind 
 of products that could get such store identifica- 
 tion, whereas these very same advertisers have 
 open before them the broad field of opportunity 
 of using time after time, at stated selling seasons, 
 both window and counter space. 
 
 CONTINUITY IN DEALER DISPLAY 179 
 
 Early in the memorable year of 1920 — when knit 
 goods was one of the first lines to feel the tendency 
 to slackened demand which made a debacle of the 
 entire famous "Sellers' Market" — one of the leading 
 manufacturer advertisers in that field turned to 
 dealer display in the effort to boost up sales. He 
 felt satisfied that if dealers could be persuaded to 
 make a feature of his particular brand of under- 
 wear, displaying it more than they had ever done 
 before — if there was some way to get them to con- 
 tinually show that particular merchandise, putting 
 it in the window for display again and again and 
 keeping it on display inside the store a large part 
 of the time — that each dealer would sell far more 
 than he would if he did nothing more than he had 
 been accustomed to doing in other years. The 
 question was : Could this manufacturer get dealers 
 to push the Brand harder than ever and in that 
 way more than make up slack business.'* Would 
 the dealer be willing to do this — would he fall in 
 line with the program if inaugurated.'* Obvi- 
 ously the only person who could answer that ques- 
 tion was the individual dealer — so a carefully 
 worded letter was sent to a list of dealers, by the 
 manufacturer himself, with absolutely no attempt 
 
 Dealers 
 Ready for 
 Series 
 
Manufac- 
 turer 
 
 Multiplied 
 Trade's 
 Cooperation 
 
 180 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 to specify the particular kind of display or to " sell " 
 the dealer on the value of display material. The re- 
 plies were obtained by mail and showed over 67 per 
 cent, were ready and willing to fall in line with this 
 manufacturer's program, which called for a series 
 of three different and complete displays, each 
 consisting of its own specific cutout and auxiliary 
 window material, together with a connective dis- 
 play inside the store on the counter. 
 
 In other words, this manufacturer proved to him- 
 self not only that his dealers would cooperate in 
 using dealer help material but that they would give 
 three times as much cooperation as the manufacturer 
 had ever asked before. 
 
 Similarly in the paint field: One very large 
 manufacturer had just furnished a new complete 
 window display for his dealers, when he was urged 
 to follow this up with a letter in order to check 
 how many dealers used the display, and at the same 
 time to find out whether these same dealers could 
 utilize more displays for other specialties in this 
 same family of products. This was only a mail 
 test but it likewise showed that a lot of possible 
 cooperation was being wasted because it wasn't 
 asked for: 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 
 Q 
 
 H 
 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 O 
 
 a 
 z 
 
 < 
 
 as 
 S5 
 
 > . 
 
 < 
 
180 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 ^ 
 
 Manufac- 
 turer 
 
 Multiplied 
 Trade's 
 Cooperation 
 
 to specify the particular kind of display or to " sell " 
 the dealer on the value of display material. The re- 
 plies were obtained by mail and showed over 67 per 
 cent, were ready and willing to fall in line with this 
 manufacturer's program, which called for a series 
 of three different and complete displays, each 
 consisting of its o^vn speciiSc cutout and auxiliary 
 window material, together with a connective dis- 
 play inside the store on the counter. 
 
 In other words, this manufacturer proved to him- 
 self not only that his dealers would cooperate in 
 using dealer help material but that they would give 
 three times as viuch cooperation as the manufacturer 
 had ever asked before. 
 
 Similarly in the paint field: One very large 
 manufacturer had just furnished a new complete 
 window display for his dealers, when he was urged 
 to follow this up with a letter in order to check 
 how many dealers used the displa3%and at the same 
 time to find out whether these same dealers could 
 utilize more displays for other specialties in this 
 same family of products. This was only a mail 
 test but it likewise showed that a lot of possible 
 cooperation was being wasted because it wasn't 
 asked for : 
 
CONTINUITY IN DEALER DISPLAY 181 
 
 72.2 per cent, of these dealers wanted more 
 
 frequent cooperation 
 64.6 per cent, of these dealers wanted other 
 
 products worked up in displays 
 
 For a long, long time it has been the fashion to 
 berate the dealer for lack of cooperation. 
 
 For a long, long time advertisers have vied with 
 each other as to who could tell the most scandalous 
 tale of waste of help material by dealers. Stories 
 of the roaring furnace which dealers keep fired 
 with manufacturers' expensive advertising material 
 are getting to be like old witch tales — part of the 
 legendary lore of the childhood of advertising. 
 
 "Efficiency higher up" is a pretty good rule to 
 work by. More efficient use of display material 
 will come when advertisers learn to plan with the 
 dealer motives in view — and more efficient use of 
 the untouched and undreamed-of display coopera- 
 tion will come when manufacturers study this 
 question from the ground up, from first-hand in- 
 formation, rather than taking for granted that 
 they cannot get efficient backing of the particular 
 selling campaign by the individual dealer. 
 
 You never know till you try — that's certain. 
 
 Manufac- 
 turers 
 Overlook 
 True 
 Situation 
 
CONTINUITY IN DEALER DISPLAY 181 
 
 72.2 per cent, of these dealers wanted more 
 
 frequent cooperation 
 64.6 per cent, of these dealers wanted other 
 
 products worked up in displays 
 
 For a long, long time it has been the fashion to 
 berate the dealer for lack of cooperation. 
 
 For a long, long time advertisers have vied with 
 each other as to who could tell the most scandalous 
 tale of waste of help material by dealers. Stories 
 of the roaring furnace which dealers keep fired 
 with manufacturers' expensive advertising material 
 are getting to be like old witch tales — part of the 
 legendary lore of the childhood of advertising. 
 
 "Efficiency higher up" is a pretty good rule to 
 work by. More efficient use of display material 
 will come when advertisers learn to plan with the 
 dealer motives in view — and more efficient use of 
 the untouched and undreamed-of display coopera- 
 tion will come when manufacturers study this 
 question from the ground up, from first-hand in- 
 formation, rather than taking for granted that 
 they cannot get efficient backing of the particular 
 selling campaign by the individual dealer. 
 
 You never know till you try — that's certain. 
 
 Manufac- 
 turers 
 Overlook 
 True 
 Situation 
 
Scheduled 
 Plan 
 
 Needed for 
 Displays 
 
 Practise 
 Forethought 
 
 182 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Manufacturers plan their schedules for other 
 advertising— why not plan dealer display a year in 
 advance? What more logical than to provide for 
 connective dealer material right along with the 
 campaign? The advantages would be manifold, 
 insuring not only closer tie-up with other scheduled 
 advertising according to season, but greater unity 
 in the material. Some economies might even be 
 effected, for example, by planning colors and sizes 
 for a combination run. One common weakness 
 would automatically be overcome—the material 
 would be sure to be ready in time for incorporating 
 it in the salesman's canvas, and it would take its 
 place as a definite house policy, a factor in the 
 whole season's selling plan. 
 
 Such a method of handling dealer display would 
 surely result in better cooperation all down the 
 line— salesmen, jobbers, and dealers. The series of 
 displays, flashing out in timed season at the dealers, 
 would tighten the grip of national advertising on 
 each specific community, making it far more pro- 
 ductive. 
 
 There has been too much of the "afterthought" 
 in display material. What it needs is forethought, 
 the same as any other advertising. Thinking for 
 
 CONTINUITY IN DEALER DISPLAY 183 
 
 the future compels close study and serious analysis, 
 where thinking pop-out-of-the-box tends to half- 
 baked ideas, impractical constructions, hasty exe- 
 cution, and inefficient distribution. 
 
 A few careful advertisers have led the way. 
 
 But eventually this truth will be recognized by 
 all advertisers, that there can be no scientific man- 
 agement of dealer display without thinking con- 
 nectively, planning not one but a series of displays 
 over a period of time, providing for continuity at 
 the dealer's. 
 
IS! 
 
 II 
 
 Types of 
 
 Permanent 
 
 Signs 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 PERMANENT DISPLAY AT THE DEALER'S 
 
 A DISTINCTION was drawn in the pre- 
 ceding chapter between continuity in 
 L dealer display and permanent identifica- 
 tion at the dealer's. 
 
 Permanent identification includes all the varied 
 forms of advertising signs which admit of being 
 applied directly to the store front, with the in- 
 tention of remaining there indefinitely. The fol- 
 lowing are the most common: 
 
 Painted signs across the top of dealer's windows. 
 
 Metal signs nailed below the window or on side 
 
 of building. 
 
 Transparencies running across the top of the 
 
 dealer's window. 
 
 Small transparencies applied to the window pane 
 
 or door pane. 
 
 Decalcomania or transfers applied to the win- 
 dow or door pane. 
 
 ^ 
 
 PERMANENT DISPLAY AT THE DEALER'S 185 
 
 Enameled, white or gold letters applied directly 
 
 to window or door pane. 
 
 Mention has already been made (page 178) 
 of the successful use of permanent store identi- 
 fication. It is customary to give credit for the 
 first systematic use of this plan to George Whelan 
 of the United Cigar Stores, and he definitely 
 demonstrated in a spectacular way the advertis- 
 ing possibilities of the store front by painting the 
 name boldly across the top of the window. 
 
 The famous Douglas $3 shoe adopted the plan of 
 identifying and unifying the local store with the 
 general publicity by a similar method or plan of 
 treating the store front window pane. There 
 are many others but like Douglas, Atlantic 
 Pacific Tea Co., United Cigar Stores, etc., all of 
 these concerns distributed their products through 
 their own branch stores. It remained for na- 
 tional advertisers to go this plan one better and 
 apply the same principle to the thousands of stores 
 where the advertised products were on sale. 
 
 Coca Cola was one of the very first to appropri- 
 ate this idea and adapt it to its own requirements. 
 One of the dominating principles of S. C. Dobbs, 
 who was largely responsible for the growth of Coca 
 
 Success 
 
 in 
 
 Use 
 
 Coca 
 Cola 
 
■J» 
 
 186 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Cola, was to cultivate the dealer and keep the 
 trade mark prominent wherever Coca Cola was 
 for sale. He recognized one great advantage 
 possessed by dealer help material— namely, that 
 it connected up with the national campaign and 
 quickly brought home to the passerby the fact 
 that the dealer's store was the place where the 
 desire, created by national advertising, could be 
 satisfied. 
 
 At first. Coca Cola adopted the plan of painting 
 the brand name at the top of their dealers' win- 
 dows. The expense and slowness of this method 
 proved to be a decided disadvantage in view of the 
 fact that their distribution was universal. The 
 result was that a large number of their distributors 
 were supplied with large transparent signs run- 
 ning across the top of the dealers' windows. 
 
 Considerable experimenting was required to 
 make these signs so they would fit widely differ- 
 ent store fronts, but the problem was solved by 
 reason of careful investigation and analysis and 
 the results have been highly satisfactory. This 
 marked the first departure from the long estab- 
 lished small transparent signs, which were so popu- 
 lar with advertisers for many years. 
 
 IHLLinUrS \ 
 
 m.m[ 
 
 DRUGS: 
 
 SQDA 
 
 ENEII@ 
 
 CIGARS 
 
 THE DRY CLEANER 
 
 
 HOW COCA COLA USES THE DEALEr's WINDOW FOR 
 
 PERMANENT DISPLAY 
 
 PERMANENT DISPLAY FOR SIMOiNDS SAWS ON 
 H A R D W ARE WIN DOW 
 
41' 
 
 186 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Cola, was to cultivate the dealer and keep the 
 trade mark prominent wherever Coca Cola was 
 for sale. He recognized one great advantage 
 possessed by dealer help material— namely, that 
 it connected up with the national campaign and 
 quickly brought home to the passerby the fact 
 that the dealer's store was the place where the 
 desire, created by national advertising, could be 
 satisfied. 
 
 At first. Coca Cola adopted the plan of painting 
 the brand name at the top of their dealers' win- 
 dows. The expense and slowness of this method 
 proved to be a decided disadvantage in view of the 
 fact that their distribution was universal. The 
 result was that a large number of their distributors 
 were supplied with large transparent signs run- 
 ning across the top of the dealers' windows. 
 
 Considerable experimenting was required to 
 make these signs so they would fit widely differ- 
 ent store fronts, but the problem was solved by 
 reason of careful investigation and analysis and 
 the results have been highly satisfactory. This 
 marked the first departure from the long estab- 
 lished small transparent signs, which were so popu- 
 lar with advertisers for many years. 
 
 now COCA COLA USES THE DEALEr's WINDOW FOR 
 
 PERMANENT DISPLAY 
 
 PERMANENT DISPLAY FOR SIMO.NDS SAWS ON 
 HARDWARE WINDOW 
 
PERMANENT DISPLAY AT THE DEALER'S 187 
 
 ] 
 
 f 
 
 The space at the top of the dealer's window is 
 very valuable space and it can be procured if the 
 dealer is properly approached. 
 
 One method of procuring this most valuable 
 space is to feature the dealer, not only the adver- 
 tised product, as shown on the plate opposite. 
 
 You can secure very large dominant space at 
 the top of the dealer's window for your product 
 if you remember that the dealer as well as the 
 manufacturer must benefit. This is most valu- 
 able space and it can be secured absolutely free 
 and for a long time by the proper attention to 
 planning. Do not forget that it is the dealer's 
 window, and that you are getting most valuable 
 space, and the dealer, therefore, must be consid- 
 ered—it cannot be a one-sided proposition adver- 
 tising your product only. 
 
 Small transparencies and transfers (decalco- 
 manias) have proved very popular with advertis- 
 ers and dealers alike. These small signs when 
 properly designed have been well received by 
 dealers, and being very light and easily handled, 
 salesmen, when properly sold and instructed, can 
 very frequently put them on the window while 
 making their regular rounds, and the signs remain 
 
 Careful 
 
 Planning 
 
 Necessary 
 
 Success 
 of Small 
 Signs 
 
XJnusual 
 Advantages 
 
 
 Decalco- 
 manias and 
 Transparent 
 Signs 
 
 188 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 there permanently. These signs have not only 
 reminder value, linking up with other advertising, 
 but they have also a cumulative value of their own! 
 Permanent store-front publicity is without ques- 
 tion a medium that insures circulation at a lesser 
 cost per thousand than any other known adver- 
 tising medium. Furthermore, the advertising is 
 done where the goods are sold, and there is less 
 opportunity for forgetting because of the reminder 
 on the window. 
 
 The manufacturer must bear in mind that this 
 space is available and has been secured and can 
 be secured when the sales force is properly in- 
 structed. If for any reason the sales force is not 
 to be used, or cannot be used to place these signs, 
 it is well worth while to put on a special man or 
 crew, and even with this added cost, permanent 
 store-front publicity is a most economical and 
 worthwhile investment. 
 
 A distinction should be drawn between trans- 
 fers (decalcomanias) and transparencies. WTiile 
 these are used for the same purpose, the process of 
 manufacture and results are entirely different. 
 The decalcomania sign is the development of a 
 process that was originated and used for many 
 
 PERMANENT DISPLAY AT THE DEALER»S 189' 
 
 years for decorating pottery, china, glassware, 
 and other products. Decalcomanias are made 
 with a paper backing and the design which is 
 lithographed on this paper backing is transferred 
 to the glass or other substance and at the proper 
 time the paper backing, loosened by moisture, is 
 removed. 
 
 If this is done carefully, the design, barring 
 accidents, remains on the glass, but is opaque be- 
 cause it is backed up by a heavy coating of white 
 which holds the various colors or pigments to- 
 gether. 
 
 The transparencies are applied to the window 
 or door pane just as they come. There is no back- 
 ing to be removed and when laid on the wet glass 
 they adhere to it close'y. All that is required 
 is rubbing the sign in close contact with the glass 
 in a manner similar to that employed in applying 
 the transfer or decalcomania sign. 
 
 There is a marked economy in the use of trans- 
 parencies as compared to decalcomania because 
 of the greater ease in mounting the transparency, 
 due to the fact that there is no backing to be 
 peeled off, which often, when done by amateurs, 
 will destroy or deface the transferred design. 
 
190 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Long Life 
 — Beauty — 
 Utility 
 of Such 
 Signs 
 
 
 Returns 
 
 on 
 
 Investment 
 
 Both decalcomania (transfers) and transpar- 
 encies have the advantage that once up, they re- 
 main up indefinitely. A decalcomania sign is 
 readable from the outside of the glass only, because 
 of the fact that the sign is opaque, whereas the 
 transparency shows from either side and as it is 
 not backed up with a white coating, permits the 
 light to pass through the sign day and night. 
 
 There is no question as to the very important 
 part the dealer's own store front may be made to 
 play in the manufacturer's plan of advertising. 
 
 In addition to being the least costly of all meth- 
 ods of linking up the dealer with general adver- 
 tising, whatever its nature, the sign on the dealer's 
 window also has a definite billboard value. No 
 matter what the type of s'gn, the dollar spent in 
 this kind of publicity on the dealer's store front is 
 without doubt the busiest dollar and the longest 
 lived dollar. Permanent store-front publicity 
 should not be overlooked in any advertising cam- 
 paign. 
 
 o 
 &^ 
 
 a, 
 
 < 
 
 03 
 
 < W 
 
 H 
 O 
 
 .0. 
 
 o 
 
 H 
 
 ►J 03 
 5 ^ 
 
 J/: 
 
 H 
 < 
 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 
190 
 
 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 Long Life 
 — Beauty — 
 Utility 
 of Such 
 Signs 
 
 Returns 
 
 on 
 
 Investment 
 
 • 
 
 f 
 
 Both decalcomania (transfers) and transpar- 
 encies have the advantage that once up, they re- 
 main up indefinitely. A decalcomania sign is 
 readable from the outside of the glass only, because 
 of the fact that the sign is opaque, whereas the 
 transparency shows from either side and as it is 
 not backed up with a white coating, permits the 
 light to pass through the sign day and night. 
 
 There is no question as to the very important 
 part the dealer's own store front may be made to 
 play in the manufacturer's plan of advertising. 
 
 In addition to being the least costly of all meth- 
 ods of linking up the dealer with general adver- 
 tising, whatever its nature, the sign on the dealer's 
 window also has a definite billboard value. No 
 matter what the type of s'gn, the dollar spent in 
 this kind of publicity on the dealer's store front is 
 without doubt the busiest dollar and the longest 
 lived dollar. Permanent store-front publicity 
 should not be overlooked in any advertising cam- 
 paign. 
 
 o 
 
 •X 
 
 ON 
 
 < 
 
 
 O 
 
 
 h^ 'Ji 
 
 
 < 
 
 O 
 
V fJ 
 
 CHAPTER XXVin 
 
 DEALER DISPLAY AS A BUSI\ESS FORCE 
 
 UNTIL about twenty years ago, no at- 
 tempt had been made to use dealer dis- 
 play according to any carefully devised, 
 systematic plan. 
 
 A large proportion of brand advertisers were 
 using display material of one kind or another, but 
 display at the dealer's had no integral place in ad- 
 vertising and it was not regarded as one of the 
 recognized mediums for publicity. In 1903, when 
 Professor Walter Dill Scott, the first scientific 
 mvestigator of advertising principles and practice, 
 fixed the estimate of $600,000,000 for the annual 
 cost for advertising in this country, he listed all 
 the then-recognized mediums, but failed to include 
 dealer-display material anywhere in the budget. 
 These same figures were quoted as late as 1911 by 
 Printers' Ink-with no mention of dealer display 
 and in the same issue on the page facing was this 
 
 191 
 
 !! 
 
 Infancy of 
 
 Display 
 
 Advertising 
 
 Appro- 
 priations 
 
 If 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 DEALER DISPLAY AS A BUSINESS FORCE 
 
 UNTIL about twenty years ago, no at- 
 tempt had been made to use dealer dis- 
 play according to any carefully devised, 
 systematic plan. 
 
 A large proportion of brand advertisers were 
 using display material of one kind or another, but 
 display at the dealer's had no integral j,lace in ad- 
 vertising and it was not regarded as one of the 
 recognized mediums for publicity. In 1903, when 
 Professor Walter Dill Scott, the first scientific 
 mvestigator of adv -rtising principles and practice, 
 fi-xed the estimate of $600,000,000 for the annual 
 cost for advertising in this country, he listed all 
 the then-recognized mediums, but failed to include 
 dealer-display material anywhere in the budget. 
 These same figures were quoted as late as 1911 by 
 Printers' Ink—mth no mention of dealer display 
 and in the same issue on the page facing was this 
 
 191 
 
 Infancy of 
 
 Display 
 
 Advertising 
 
 Appro- 
 priations 
 
192 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 excerpt from Thos. A. Bird in Johnson's "Library 
 of Advertising " which sounds almost like prophecy : 
 
 "This branch of advertising and selling is in its 
 infancy, so far as the national advertiser is con- 
 cerned. 
 
 "Some enterprising manufacturers have seen 
 the possibilities that lie in the show window and 
 have taken advantage cf them. They have gone 
 into the thing with the careful preparation and 
 thoroughness that characterizes the big advertiser 
 of to-day. These, however, have been few — so 
 few, indeed, that they can easily be counted on the 
 ten fingers, with several figures to spare. Others 
 have gone in for window advertising in a haphaz- 
 ard, desultory way. But by far the greater num- 
 ber have entirely neglected this fruitful field. This 
 will not always be so. In a few years every manu- 
 facturer whose goods are handled by the depart- 
 ment store will have learned the tremendous selling 
 power of the combined show windows of the stores 
 that sell his goods. He will make it easy and prof- 
 itable for the merchant to put his goods in the 
 
 windows. 
 
 "The show window is a force that must be reck- 
 oned with by the national advertiser of the future. 
 
 DEALER DISPLAY AS A BUSINESS FORCE 193 
 
 It has a "circulation" comparing favorably with 
 that of any publication, and in addition it has di- 
 rectness of appeal that no printed matter can ever 
 have." 
 
 Up to 1911, then, it may be fairly claimed that 
 dealer display was not fully appreciated as a busi- 
 ness force. The change in attitude is strikingly 
 shown by the following: 
 
 1910 Printers' Ink contained 1 article on Win- 
 dow Display. 
 
 1911 Printers' Ink contained 12 articles on 
 Window Display. 
 
 1912 Printers' Ink contained 21 articles on 
 Window Display. 
 
 1913 Printers' Ink contained 27 articles on 
 Window Display. 
 
 1914 Printers' Ink contained 42 articles on Win- 
 dow Display. 
 
 Since 1914 Printers' Ink has had something of 
 importance on dealer display in nearly every issue. 
 It has become an important factor with nearly 
 every advertiser, and in the year 1920 it was esti- 
 mated that upward of $25,000,000 was spent 
 in this form of brand advertising. To-day it is 
 no longer a question of ar^juing the need of dealer 
 
 Growth 
 in 
 
 Apprecia- 
 tion 
 
Need 
 of 
 
 Coordination 
 
 194 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 cooperation— that point is conceded. Adver- 
 tisers know that dealer display has an extraordi- 
 nary influence in any advertising campaign, and 
 the question now is how can it be better coordi- 
 nated with other mediums. 
 
 Certain well-known national mediums— -Good 
 Housekeeping Magazine, McClure pubHcations, 
 etc.— were the first to attempt this coordination 
 and preach it to all advertisers, and their efforts 
 were followed by the newspapers seeking to de- 
 velop large national accounts. 
 
 In 1915 the newspapers put out their own inde- 
 pendent campaign, known as the International 
 Newspaper Window Display Week. This plan 
 was featured in 385 important cities with nearly 
 500 newspapers participating. In 1916 they re- 
 peated their plan with even greater success, in 
 424 cities, with over 600 newspapers participat- 
 ing and soliciting dealers to make special brand 
 displays. 
 
 The idea of securing a large number of windows 
 all over the country at the same time, and con- 
 necting this up with newspaper or other pub- 
 licity, has proven very valuable. 
 
 "National Weeks" such as "Canned Goods 
 
 DEALER DISPLAY AS A BUSINESS FORCE 195 
 
 Week," "Pineapple Week," "Coffee Week," 
 "Hot Point Week," "Paint-up Week," "Onyx 
 Hosiery Week," "Dress-up Week," etc., have 
 proved successful and have been repeated by many 
 associations and manufacturers. 
 
 "Eveready Drive," which was featured in the 
 fall of 1915, was an adaptation of the national week 
 idea. It was conducted in connection with a 
 sixty-day campaign with the result that they se- 
 cured simultaneous showing in 18,500 windows, 
 and 1,000 dealers made entry in the prize contest. 
 
 An important detail of the "Eveready" cam- 
 paign was featuring the actual display in the 
 window, by means of illustrations appearing in 
 the national medium, which created a very desir- 
 able impression for the dealer and connected up 
 dealer and "Eveready" products with their 
 national advertising. A full report of the 
 "Eveready" drive may be found in Printers' Ink 
 for December 16, 1915. 
 
 All special week campaigns necessarily must 
 have reminders at the dealers, and these special 
 campaigns can be conducted most economically 
 and most effectively by means of window and 
 store-display material, at a cost far less and re- 
 
 Special 
 
 Week 
 Campaigns 
 
 Economy 
 of Store 
 Display 
 Plan 
 
Circulation 
 Value 
 
 Strategic 
 Value 
 
 196 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 suits far superior to those that might be obtained 
 by means of general publicity. 
 
 As a matter of fact, dealer display is the one 
 form of publicity that can b? used without gen- 
 eral publicity and without other media. This is 
 by reason of its very nature, advertising the goods 
 on the spot where the goods are for sale. It does 
 not scatter broadcast, as is unavoidable with 
 general publicity. It directs the money and the 
 effort right where there is actual distribution. 
 
 Window and store-display material considered 
 on the purely circulation basis (i. e., general pub- 
 licity) actually costs far less than the same thou- 
 sand circulation would cost in other mediums, and 
 what is more the circulation is most desirable 
 because it reaches the right buying public at ex- 
 actly the psychological moment when it is easy 
 to purchase the article for which a desire or want 
 has been produced. 
 
 Window and store display is without doubt the 
 most effective weapon against competing lines 
 and substitution. A certain amount of sales re- 
 sistance opposes every article of merchandise. 
 Every advertiser and manufacturer must over- 
 come the sales resistance that he is sure to experi- 
 
 DEALER DISPLAY AS A BUSINESS FORCE 197 
 
 ence from competing goods— from old buying 
 habits of the public— from attitude of retailers— 
 from indifference of clerks, from indifference of 
 the jobber's salesmen— from indifference of his 
 own sales force. That resistance is greatest right 
 at the point where sales are made, and 
 PROPER DISPLAY AT THAT POINT IS 
 THE REIVIEDY. 
 
 Display by its very nature makes it easy for the 
 customer to buy. It helps to overcome previous 
 buying habits, and one must not overlook the fact 
 that the average human being, making an aver- 
 age purchase, follows the line of least resistance 
 and either buys what he has purchased before or 
 buys according to the last suggestion or impression 
 made on the mind. 
 
 The attitude of dealers themselves is something 
 which can be diplomatically handled through the 
 medium of proper displays, and this point should 
 not be overlooked when planning any kind of dis- 
 play material. Window and store-display ma- 
 terial when properly planned can be used to inspire 
 good-will. It will overcome dealer and clerk in- 
 difference, which must be reckoned with. It must 
 never be forgotten that while the advertiser adver- 
 
 Dealer 
 Must 
 Be 
 Considered 
 
198 WINDOW AND STORE DISPLAY 
 
 tises to make the sale, the sale is made at the deal- 
 er's and by the dealer. 
 
 A reminder at the dealer's is very necessary 
 and in fact most essential, if your product is not 
 to be forgotten. 
 
 And finally— Window and Store Display when 
 rightly planned and rightly used can be made by 
 far the most productive and most practical of all 
 advertising mediums. 
 
 THE END 
 
 i I 
 
 i 
 
 INDEX 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 INDEX 
 
 
 Advertising Agencies, shaping of 
 mediums, 5, 6. 
 
 Advertising expenditures, in pub- 
 leations, 1899, 4; in publica- 
 oTo\\^^^' ^' ^" ^" °»ediums, 
 
 1903-11, 191; in dealer display, 
 1920, 193. ^ 
 
 Advertising mediums, a product 
 of growth, 6, 56. 
 
 A. N. A. M., 32, 34. 
 
 Analysis for display, 113. 
 
 Appropriations for display, 57 
 59, 191, 193. ^ ' 
 
 Art, importance of picture, 105 
 
 Art and display, 113, 120. 
 
 A.ito Supply Stores, number in 
 ^- o., 31; attitude toward dis- 
 plays, 41; display tests, 91. 
 
 Bakeries, sell via display, 82. 
 iJakst, art influence of, 127 
 Barnard, W F., quoted, 107, 110. 
 Big Idea, perception of, 113, 
 116. 
 
 Billboards, 30, 48, 52. 
 
 Brand Advertising, problems of, 
 4, 32. 
 
 Campaign, evolution of modern, 
 
 6, 14; plan of display, 19. 
 Candy Stores, number in U S 
 30; sell via display, 82; display 
 tests, 90, 159. ^ 
 
 Cardboard, has its laws, 73, 152 
 Cigar Stores, number in U. S., 30 
 Circulation, made dependable, 6; 
 danger of impeded, 17; applied 
 to windows, 23, 24; imoort- 
 ance of kind, 27; that interests 
 
 ^nJ^^^' '^^' ^^ windows, 188, 
 193, 196. 
 
 Clark, Professor, quoted, 150. 
 
 169-^ "m^"^ ^^ ^'^^^^^' ^^' 
 
 Code of DealerDisplay, 60. 
 
 Color, effect of, 99, 100, 123- 
 as a poster factor, 125; as re- 
 lated to display, 130-140. 
 
 Commercial Art, 121-124. 
 
 Construction, importance of, 73- 
 76, 145-152 
 
 Consumer, helped by identifi- 
 cation, 14; theory of con- 
 sumer demand, 15; needs prod- 
 ding, 18, 83, 197. 
 
 Continuity of display, 176, 184 
 
 Cooperation, dealer's side of, 37- 
 reasons for failure, 47; corner- 
 stone of, 50; best methods for. 
 63. 
 
 Copy, as a display factor, 141- 
 144. 
 
 Counter, display on, 74, 75, 77- 
 
 84, 86-90. 
 Counter display stands, 148. 
 Counter display containers, 149 
 
 153. 
 
 Crews, for distributing dealer 
 material, 33, 59, 63, 188. 
 
 Cutouts, novelty of, 10; con- 
 struction and life, 76; small 
 vs. large, 101; compared with 
 screen displays, 149-152. 
 
 Data, needed by manufacturer, 
 
 11,12,57,102,103. 
 Dealer motives, 43. 
 
 201 
 
II 
 
 202 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Dealer Service Bureau, 34. 
 
 Decalcomania, 184, 187, 188. 
 
 Dental cream, sales test, 159; 
 distinguishing brand argu- 
 ments, 172. 
 
 Department Stores, number in 
 U. S., 31. 
 
 Design, effect of, 100, 123; as a 
 poster factor, 125; copy a 
 part of, 144. 
 
 Display stand, construction im- 
 portant, 74, 75. 
 
 Distribution, of display ma- 
 terial, 62-71;" favored by 
 smaller material, 101, 103. 
 
 Dominate, how to, 49, 97, 98, 
 100. 
 
 Drug Stores, number in U. S., 30; 
 in small towns, 161; attitude 
 toward displays, 41; display 
 test, 86. 
 
 Drygoods stores, in small towns, 
 161. 
 
 Educating dealer, 20, 169. 
 Enamel letters, 185. 
 
 Flavoring extracts, sales test, 
 
 159. 
 Furniture Stores, number in 
 
 U.S., 31. 
 
 General Publicity, must con- 
 nect with dealer, 17, 19, 196- 
 198. 
 
 General Stores, number in U. S., 
 30; in small towns, 161. 
 
 German poster art, 127. 
 
 Giant reproductions, 49, 
 
 Glass, unknown in ancient shops, 
 2; influence on trade, 3. 
 
 Grocery Stores, number in U. S., 
 30; in small towns, 161; atti- 
 tude toward displays, 41-82; 
 small unit displays placed by 
 salesmen, 59; display test, 88. 
 
 Haberdasher Stores, number in 
 
 U. S., 31; in small towns, 161*. 
 
 display tests, 91. 
 Hangers, 9, 147. 
 Hardware Stores, number in 
 
 U. S., 31; in small towns, 162; 
 
 attitude toward displays, 41. 
 Hoover, Herbert, quoted, 19. 
 
 Illiteracy and display, 2, 3. 
 
 Imagination, as factor in selling, 
 105. 
 
 Investigation, need of, 12; first 
 attempt at, 35; should be 
 made by manufacturer, 52; on 
 increase of sales, 85; method 
 of sales tests, 92, 95; of dealer 
 window measurements, 102. 
 
 James, Edward, quoted, 162. 
 
 Japanese art, lesson from, 100; 
 influence on poster art, 127. 
 
 Jewelry Stores, number in U. S., 
 30; in small towns, 162; atti- 
 tude toward displays, 41. 
 
 Jobbers, and display distribu- 
 tion, 33, 58. 
 
 Lettering in modern display, 143. 
 Life of display material, 72. 
 Lukeish on color, 136. 
 
 Magazine circulation, 23, 29. 
 
 Magazine space, 101. 
 
 Manufacturer's motives one 
 sided, 102. 
 
 Mason, Gibbs, quoted, 139. 
 
 Medicine, sales tests, 86, 87. 
 
 Mediums of Advertising, dis- 
 play of merchandise the oldest, 
 1; comparisons with dealer 
 display, 27, 29; future of dis- 
 play, 191. 
 
 Metal signs, 184. 
 
 Middle Ages, signs used in, 2. 
 
 Millais, Sir John, 121. 
 
 •1 
 
 INDEX 
 
 203 
 
 Motives, of dealers, 43, 44; 
 
 of manufacturers, 48, 102; 
 
 which make sales, 106. 
 Munsterberg, quoted, 101. 
 
 National Advertisers, attitude 
 toward display in 1914, 58; 
 need of dealer display, 20, 192- 
 198. 
 
 National Weeks, 194, 195. 
 
 Nature, lesson from, 130, 131. 
 
 Newspapers, early advertising 
 in, 3; evolution as a medium, 
 23; compared with dealer dis- 
 play, 29; cooperate with Na- 
 tional Brands, 194. 
 
 Notion Stores, attitude toward 
 displays, 41. 
 
 Optical eflPects, 98, 99. 
 "Over-production" fallacy, 19. 
 Painted Signs, 184, 186. 
 
 Paper window material, 74. 
 
 Parsons, Prof. Alvah, quoted, 
 134. 
 
 Patent Medicine Era of Adver- 
 tising, 8. 
 
 Paying for cooperation, 63, 64. 
 
 Periodical space systematized, 
 56. 
 
 Permanent display, 184-190. 
 
 Pictures, stimulate consumer's 
 mind, 15; must be vivid, 113, 
 importance in display, 105- 
 112;113-118, 123. 
 
 "Pretty Picture" Advertising, 8. 
 
 Pompeii, wall signs of, 2. 
 
 Poore, Henry R., quoted, 139. 
 
 Population, comparison, 160-161. 
 
 Posters, origin of name, 3; in 
 dealer display, 125. 
 
 Prestige, importance to dealer, 
 151. 
 
 Printers' Ink, articles on Window 
 Display, 193. 
 
 Prize Contests, 63, 64, 195. 
 Psychology of domination, 98, 
 100; and sales, 105. 
 
 Roman shop signs, 2. 
 Rowell, Geo. R., 5. 
 
 Salesman, and display coopera 
 
 tion, 64. 
 Sales and mental pictures, 15, 16 
 Sales increased by display, 85, 159 
 Screen panel displays, 149. 
 Selling Act, implies control, 14 
 
 shifts to mahufacture, 32. 
 Shoe Stores, number in U. S., 30, 
 
 in small town, 161; attitude 
 
 toward displays, 41. 
 Show cards, 9, 10, 148. 
 Size as a display factor, 10, 97, 
 
 102. 
 
 Small towns, importance of, 160, 
 170. 
 
 Soup, sales test, 89. 
 
 Space, as an advertising com- 
 modity, 6, 24; in dealers' win- 
 dows estimated, 30; handling 
 for display diflfers, 114, 123. 
 
 Spark Plug, sales test, 159. 
 
 Street car cards, 30, 146. 
 
 Trade Marks, growth of, 4, 5; 
 promotion, 6. 
 
 Transfers, compared with trans- 
 parencies, 188. 
 
 Transparencies, 184. 
 
 Turnover, speeded by display, 20. 
 
 Visibility of colors, 137. 
 
 Waste, of waiting cooperation, 
 40, 176; due to ignorance, 68; 
 through WTong planning, 43, 48. 
 
 Wrigley, William, quoted, 19. 
 
 Young, Prof. Paul Thomas, 
 quoted, 133. 
 

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