OCR Text |
Show About three years ago the Individual bicycle companies of the country were merged into one concern, known as the American lllcycle Company. The organization stinted with a great nourish nour-ish of trumpets. It enjoyed n monopoly monopo-ly ot the bicycle business, and Jubilantly Jubi-lantly announced that It would probably prob-ably earn twenty per cent, on Its com-iuoii com-iuoii stock. Then It proceeded to perfect per-fect plans for rolling up dividends. One of the "plans" was the practical elimination or advertising. Previously, Previous-ly, the voluino ot advertising done by the Individual manufacturers was something enormous, and the bicycle was a stupendous proposition as a money-maker, llut the great heads of the new coiporatlon decided that they might as well save the money. They saved It. And It was about all they did save. It came to pass that a bicycle bicy-cle advertisement was rarely seen lu the magazines or newspapers, thu Inevitable In-evitable result being that the public veiy rarely bought a bicycle, and thu twenty per cent, dividends, like Shakespeare's u Itches, vanished in thin air. lu fact, the company couldn't even pay the Interest on Its bonds. Finally, the American lllcycle Company failed, with large liabilities and small assets, it Is all decidedly suggestive, observes Profitable Advertising. Adver-tising. Could a more decisive object hyson lu the value or publicity be had? Is It not conclusive evidence thnt ad-vertlslng ad-vertlslng Is absolutely essential to modei'iv liuslmss, whether that bust-nctM bust-nctM I controlled by a tru.il or not? |