swered at once, “The newspaper groups? They’re not getting anywhere. We never use them. We have our own plans, our own sources of information, and we are independent of such efforts.”
But these men did not compose the ma
Furthermore, the “Wisconsin Newspaper League,” as it is called, is a pioneer in movements of this kind, and is today taking the most vigorous and progressive steps toward obtaining more foreign advertising for its members.
The latest, and by all odds the most
jority of those I interviewed, nor were they, in my estimation, the most intelli gent of the lot. The more thoughtful of the space buyers-—those who could see
important venture of the Wisconsin league, is the creation of a merchandis ing department, with a manager of long experience in such work, the purpose of which is, to use the words of their own
the situation outside of their own job— answered something like this: “I believe
in these groups. Most of them are new and are yet floundering a bit, trying to find the best way of obtaining results. But they are making a distinct impres
publicity, “to merchandise the state of
sion.
forming the league, to collect statistical material, make trade investigations, se
Wisconsin.” This means, of course, to promote in every way possible the in
terests of advertisers in the newspapers
It is true that we rarely, if ever,
use a group in its entirety. But the group commands attention where the in dividual would not. The most important
cure dealer cooperation, obtain window displays, assist salesmen to cover the ter
ritory, check up on results, and aid in every other way possible.
work that the group can do is in the way of promotion. We, as advertising men, are just as responsive to good publicity as anyone else. If a group puts over a
This undertaking is simply an attempt
to do for a group what has been done, and with very great success, by great metropolitan papers. It is too early to
vigorous publicity campaign, it has a very measurable efiect on the agency men. A group can get farther than the individual members of the group acting independent
say what success has attended the at tempt so far. It may be—p1-obahly will
ly. Yes, I believe in them.” An exception to the statement that groups are rarely used in their entirety is found in the “Ohio Select List.” This organization, composed of larger cities in a compact territory, is a favorite “trying out” ground for marketing and advertising efiorts. Its nearness to a
be—that a year or two may pass before the plan has proved itself. This much seems sure: the principle is sound; and if the principle is sound, failure can come
only through mismanagement or failure of the newspapers to cooperate. The latter, according to the secretary of the League, who has been identified with the
great distributing center (Chicago), com bined with a uniformity of conditions, makes it an ideal field for testing a new product with the merchandising and ad
organization from the beginning, and is largely responsible for its success, is more likely to occur than the former. It is far easier to find a successful manager
vertising plans that have been formulat ed for its sale. The association that presents the best example, perhaps, is that of the Wis consin group. The conditions surround ing this group, including the size of the
than it is to keep a large group of news paper publishers working in peace and harmony.
communities and the general economic and social character, are more like those
The undertaking
of
the
Wisconsin
League is a highly important experiment.
The writer of this article is himself in tensely interested in it, and will be glad to keep the newspaper men of Oregon in
in Oregon than are those in other groups
formed of such developments as they may
of which the writer has some knowledge.
appear.
[2]
