28 



The Florists^ Review 



DCCIHBBR 14. lilt. 



SANTA CLAUS PUBLICITY MAN. 



Catching the Spirit of the Day. 



On the day the newspapers told of 

 Europe 's mobilization of troops, a Bos- 

 ton shoe merchant came out with a large 

 newspaper advertisement, with this 

 headline in heavy, black type: "We are 



mobilizing " Underneath this 



headline, in lighter type, the sentence 

 continued: "6,000 pairs of smart shoes 

 for tomorrow's sale." This advertiser, 

 by employing a clever catchline, en- 

 hanced the attention-winning quality 

 of his sale announcement. The people's 

 appetites were whetted for war litera- 

 ture, and this advertisement, with a 

 headline related to the approaching war, 

 undoubtedly was read by many people 

 who would never have stopped to read 

 had "Shoes tomorrow at $3" been the 

 leading display. In advertising par- 

 lance, the shoe dealer was said to have 

 "borrowed" some of the publicity 

 given the war. By injecting current 

 news interest into his advertisement, 

 the shoe advertiser cashed in on the 

 spirit and public interest of the day. 



Getting Astride Current Events. 



Then came the battle of Wilson ver- 

 sus Hughes — the race between the don- 

 key and the elephant. The quadrennial 

 political stage play of the G. O. P. and 

 the Democrats was on the boards. Straw 

 votes, election bets and mud-slinging 

 were the order of the times. Just be- 

 fore the election, a Chicago wholesale 

 florist had as the display feature of his 

 trade journal advertisement three let- 

 ters, "G. O. P.," in large, black type. 

 In smaller-sized type, instead of saying 

 something about the Republican party, 

 the readers were solicited to "Give Or- 

 ders to Py f er 's ' '—hence the " G. 0. P. " 

 On election day an eastern newspaper 

 ad reported that "Chalmers carries New 

 England by a large majority." What 

 Chalmers? The Chalmers automobile, to 

 be sure. These are two fair examples of 

 advertising in which a subject of cur- 

 rent interest to the masses was utilized 

 to strengthen the first fundamental prin- 

 ciple of all advertising — attraction. 



Along the same lines many other cases 

 under different circumstances could be 

 related. During the recent infantile 

 paralysis scare a chemical company 

 manufacturing efScacious disinfectants 

 created an enormous sale of its old line 

 of goods by playing up the ravages of 

 the then present plague and recommend- 

 ing the use of its products as a preven- 

 tive measure. During the so-called baby 

 week, when motion pictures, magazines 

 and newspapers featured "bigger, bet- 

 ter babies," department and specialty 

 stores devoted windows tc elaborate dis- 

 plays of baby clothes, cradles, toys, 

 baby carriages, children 's nurseries, 

 etc., hoping thereby to catch the atten- 

 tion of mothers interested in the baby 

 welfare movement. i 



Santa Claus Delivers Flowers. 



And now the Christmas spirit is here. 

 The season of merry gift-giving and 

 good cheer has come again. How may 



advertisers make a stronger bid for the 

 Christmas shopper's attention? One 

 answer is easy — use Santa Clans to at- 

 tract the children and the parents will 

 come along. The idea is not new. Old 



Did you esQV siop 

 io IhinkKowhappj 

 you could itiakc 

 some -pcxsp old ($oul 

 wiih a "few 

 .flowers \ I 



lioni 



each year have Santa Claus in the toy 

 sections, but it remained for a Kansas 

 City florist, the George M. Kellogg Flow- 

 er & Plant Co., to press Santa Glaus 

 into the delivery service. The accom- 

 panying illustration shows the Kellogg 

 delivery, auto and Santy delivering a 

 box of flowers. If this was not excellent 

 publicity, it at least was good public- 

 ity. Grown-ups^ as well as children, 

 can be attracted by Santa Claus— every- 

 body is interested in masquerade. 



In speaking of this advertising stunt, 

 which was used Christmas, 1915, the 

 Kellogg Flower & Plant Co. said: 



"We decorated the car with frieze, 

 Christmas roping and wreaths, and used 

 Santa Claus to deliver all packages. 

 This certainly made a hit with the pub- 

 lic. Many customers stated that they 

 made purchases just in order to have 

 Santa Claus deliver the package of 

 plants or cut flowers at their houses, 

 for the sake of their children." 



It is apparent that the Kellogg Santa 

 Claus is an advocate of rapid transit 

 and service first to customers. The high 

 cost of feeding has made the modern 

 Santa Claus turn loose his reindeer and 

 abandon the sleighbells' jingle for the 

 auto 's honk. 



A Christmas Suggestion via the Movies. 



Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children 

 and dispenser of gifts on Christmas eve, 

 has been turned to advertising account 

 many times before. Department stores 



MOVIE SHOW ADVEBTISING. 



Those who claim to know assert that 

 one person out of every four families in 

 the United States attends a moving pic- 

 ture show at least once a day. In 

 crowded centers the average is said to 

 be much higher; probably one member 

 out of every family in your localities 

 attends once a day. 



Ohfi^iA^ (fiifl^ 



"At Near to You at the Nearest Phon^ 



/^IFTS— the kind that will be 

 ^-•highly appreciated — a beautiful 

 Blooming or Foliage Plant — a Basket 

 Bouquet or Corsage of fresh, fragrant Cut- 

 Flowers — Wreaths of all kinds — a sprig of 

 Mistletoe— in fact, you will find here everything to 

 help you make this Christmas the happiest that you 

 have ever enjoyed. 



Violets Orchids Valley 

 Roses Carnations Amer. Beauties 



Poinsettias Narcissus Lillies 

 Sweetheart Rose Sweet Peas 

 Corsages De Luxe 



You can, place your order now for delivery to any address 

 at any time — simply call 40«6 — both phones. 



The Rosery Flower Shop 



11 Ntfrth Sixth Street 



A Good Stock Design Made by Someone Who Had Access to The Review. 



