442  Advertising. 
Turning  our  attention  to  the  various  methods  of  advertising,  we 
find  that  the  majority  of  people  limit  themselves  to  newspapers, 
programs,  circulars,  placards  and  widow  displays.  To  the  average 
pharmacist,  especially  in  the  larger  cities,  newspaper  advertising  is 
not  only  prohibitive  because  of  its  expense,  but  is  actually  useless 
because  of  the  fact  that  he  has  to  pay  for  large  circulation  in  order 
to  reach  a  relatively  limited  few  within  his  business  radius. 
It  is  not  my  intention  at  this  time  to  enlarge  upon  the  advantages 
or  disadvantages  of  newspaper  advertising,  nor  will  I  take  up  those 
other  forms  of  advertising  which  involve  an  outlay  of  money. 
These  methods  are  valuable  and  when  properly  employed  are 
bound  to  yield  rich  returns. 
I  shall  limit  myself  to  that  class  of  advertising  which  is  prac- 
tically free  from  expense,  readily  at  the  disposal  of  every  pharma- 
cist, and  which  not  only  is  sure  to  yield  a  rich  harvest  in  direct 
returns  but  which  also  has  cumulative  effect,  bringing,  as  it  were, 
compound  interest.  We  can  classify  these  methods  under  four 
main  headings:  (i)  show  windows,  (2)  arrangement  of  the  store 
interior,  (3)  personal,  that  is  individual,  direct  advertising,  (4) 
service. 
A  casual  glance  at  the  average  drug  store  window  will  convince 
the  observer  that  pharmacists,  with  very  few  exceptions,  are  philan- 
thropists of  a  high  order,  Is  there  anyone  in  this  audience  who  is 
willing  to  contradict  me  when  I  say  that  any  man  is  a  philanthropist 
who  spends  at  least  25  per  cent,  of  annual  store  rental  for  the  noble 
purpose  of  helping  along  the  poor  ( ?)  and  deserving  (  ?)  manu- 
facturer of  proprietary  medicines? 
It  is  true  that  in  return  for  the  use  of  your  store  window  and 
store  front,  the  manufacturer  is  kind  enough  to  supply  you  with 
the  dummies  and  signs  for  display,  and  will  even  go  as  far  as  allow- 
ing you  to  make  a  10  per  cent,  gross  profit,  occasionally,  on  his 
goods,  provided  you  buy  enough  at  one  time  to  last  you  forever  and 
a  day,  and  provided  also  that  your  neighbor  on  the  next  corner  does 
not  get  ahead  of  you  and  bestow  upon  the  dear  public  that  10  per 
cent,  gross,  which  means  about  15  per  cent,  minus,  in  order  to  create 
the  impression  that  you  are  a  highway  robber. 
There  are  many  articles  in  the  store  which  readily  lend  them- 
selves for  window  display  purposes.  Every  pharmaceutical  journal 
has  published  volumes  of  information  on  that  subject,  and  I  shall 
Arti.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1919. 
