ASSOCIATION OF FAIR MANAGERS, 



221 



Secretary Downing: I don't think there is much room for discussion 

 on Mr. Blackstock's paper, but I would like to emphasize one feature of 

 it, and that is the value of newspaper advertising. I have got to thd point 

 where I believe fairs ought to be advertised in the newspapers exclu- 

 sively. I think the day of posters and lithographs has passed and gone. 

 That used to be effective before newspaper reading became so general, 

 before rural routes were established all over the country; but in this day 

 and age we can, I think, rely wholly and solely upon newspaper adver- 

 tising. If I Jiad my way about the matter I would eliminate all posters 

 and lithographs from the advertising list; especially in view of what the 

 circus people have done recently. The circus people have arrived at the 

 conclusion that it is a useless expense to spend so much money in large, 

 flaming posters and bills; and I see from the papers they have agreed not 

 to use any of tliat kind of paper in the future. I think that is all right. 

 A man who has not time to read the newspaper has not time to hunt up 

 a billboard when he wants to know what is going on. 



In going over our expense account I find we have been expending for 

 the past ten years about three or four thousand dollars yearly for posters 

 and lithographs and about a thousand dollars for newspaper advertising. 

 This last year I cut down the billposter's list about a thousand dollars and 

 added that to the newspaper advertising account. I found it very much 

 more effective. The results seem to bear me out in that. Everybody 

 talked about the State fair this year because everybody read the news- 

 papers. I feel sure I am right in my point of view. I have never heard 

 of a man who wanted to see what was going on at the theaters who 

 would, after he had gone home in the evening, put on his rubber boots 

 and his overcoat and go out on the streets to get that information from 

 the posters. He always digs up the newspapers, looks through the amuse- 

 ment columns and reads the criticisnjs of the plays. I know 1 do that; 

 I never think of looking at a billboard to find out what is going at the 

 theaters. I tliink that is true of fair advertising. There is a hardly a 

 place in the State where the people can not be reached by newspapers. In 

 my county, with a population of from twenty-five to twenty-eight thou- 

 sand, nearly every home is reached by one of the three newspapers pub- 

 lished in Hancock County. If that is so, and if you get your advertising 

 matter in the papers In good sliape, everybody is bound to see it. People 

 who come to the city on trolley lines these days do not stop at the cross 

 roads to see what is posted there; they do not stop long enough when they 

 are driving into town to see what is posted there. They drive into town, 

 get their newspapers, talie tliem home and read them. They rely alto- 

 gether upon the newspapers. 



In advertising the State Fair I found it very advantageous to have a 

 good press agent. We employ a press agent for a mere pittance, forty or 

 fifty dollars a year. He begins the work about four or five weeks before 

 the fair. We furnish him material for his write-ups, and he gets the 



