Advertising, to these men, has never attained its full significance. They have never recognized in it a real sales force. They frequently regard all adver tising as an expensive necessity forced on them by competitors.
Advertising designed merely as publicity for a trade-mark may be conducted sporadically without material disadvantage. But advertising for educa tion, for the development of public taste, or for the actual sale of the product—the kind of advertising that must be done today. to drive the public thru the doors of a retail dealer—needs to be carefully planned and carried out. Each advertisement, and each de tail of each advertisement must contribute to the exe cution of a complete argument.
The planning of the modern advertising campaign, then, becomes a matter of primary importance, usu ally involving more care and pains than the writing of the copy or the preparation of illustrations.
The analysis of conditions on which the plan must be built becomes a •broad and thoro search into the entire history and present status of the company, its business, the product to be advertised, and the con ditions of the market which it is to reach. This analysis falls into nine main divisions which are dis cussed in the present chapter. The careful student will bear in mind that none of these sections is a com plete statement of all that needs inquiry, but rather are designed to suggest the kind of inquiry that should be made.
12. Groundwork of plan.—In mapping out the plan of the advertising campaign, an analysis should be made of the following factors: (1) policy of the firm; (2) the product itself; (3) the present market; (4) the potential market; (5) competitive products; (6) mode of distribution; (7) the sales department; (8) history of past advertising; (9) study of similar problems.
13. Policy of the firm.—A complete history of the firm, with that of the ideals and personalities of the owners as well as of their business and financial policy should be known by the writer of the advertise ment in order that he may have the proper back ground for the presentation of the product. When was the business started, and by whom? 1Vhat has been its rate of growth? What changes have been made in the product, or in the business policy of the firm? Can the management be relied upon to follow out the plan consistently after approving it? Are the margins of profit large enough to warrant a thoro going advertising campaign? Has good judgment been used in setting the retail price? Each of these questions may be of material importance in the mak ing of the finished sales plan.
What is to be the specific object of the advertising? Is it designed to introduce a new product or primarily for the insurance of the firm's good-will and invest ment? Not only should the nature of the copy be different in these two cases, but the advertising me diums to be selected will also be different.
14. The product is the nature of the product? On what basis of individuality can it claim distinction? Is it really the best thing on the market at its price? "What is its design, construction, style? Of what material is it made? What are the best sources of technical information on the subject of this product? What would be the ideal product for the service to be rendered, and how nearly does this particular article approach that ideal? Is the cost of production sub ject to change so as to make it likely that the present price to consumers cannot be maintained? This is necessary to a complete understanding of the product; 15. Present market.--What is the present market of the product? By what class of people is it used? In what sections of the country? Is it bought by men or by women? Has it universal consumption, or is its use limited to those with incomes higher than $1,500 per year, for instance? Does it appeal equally to the educated and uneducated classes? What are the territorial variations in its consumption? Is it used as extensively in the North as in the South; in the city as in the country? Is the unit made for the individual or for the family? What are the pres ent seasonal variations in the market? Frequently the advertiser's problem is based almost entirely on this question of territorial limits. Many products are first introduced into one or two large cities, and after they have gained a foothold there, a campaign in other cities is planned. A careful study for the purpose of determining just where the product has been most successfully introduced, and what ele ments contributed to its success, furnishes the best possible basis for planning the campaign to introduce it into other cities.