Читать книгу Andy Blake in Advertising - Edward Edson Lee - Страница 5

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Andy Blake had lived in Cressfield all his life; and always, as far back as he could remember, he had shared with his mother the little vine-covered cottage that now came into view as he turned from Main Street into Channery Court.

One of Andy’s earliest recollections was the whir of his mother’s sewing machine. The flashing nickeled parts, the thump! thump! of the treadle, the flopping of the belt spelt action to his receptive mind and fascinated him. He liked to be near to watch. As he grew older he came to know the vital part this sewing machine played in the simple life of the little family, and with the knowledge a determination grew up within him to get a job, not beyond the strength of a small boy, so that he would be earning some money and thereby shorten the hours of his mother’s daily toil.

Andy had no recollection of his father. Mrs. Blake rarely spoke of her husband, and the boy sensed, as he grew older, that his mother’s life had not been wholly happy. His father, it seems, had been by nature a rover, always uneasily conscious of the greener grass on the more distant hill. It was his life insurance that had paid for the little cottage a few months before Andy was born.

Mrs. Blake was in the front yard gathering a bouquet when Andy reached home. She smiled happily when he dashed through the gate and up the walk.

“I’ll bet you’re as hungry as a bear,” she said, running her fingers through his curly hair.

“I’ll say I’m hungry,” returned Andy. With an arm about his mother’s waist he kept step with her until they reached the kitchen door. “Something smells awfully good,” he sniffed.

“Pshaw! You brag of my cooking so often it’s getting to be a habit,” joked his mother.

“As though you aren’t the best cook and the bulliest mother in the whole town,” returned Andy proudly.

Two days later Andy hauled a couple of big boxes from the freight house to the store and when he opened the boxes he was astonished to find that they were both filled with rolls of ribbon. There seemed to be hundreds of the rolls, of many colors and widths. He could not understand why his employer had purchased such an enormous quantity of the material.

“What the divil—” exclaimed Denny Landers when Andy called his attention to the contents of the boxes. “Sure, am I dreamin’ or is it ribbons I see by the millions of yards? Divil take the man who says I ordered all these ribbons. Wait a minute, Andy, while I take a peek at the order.” A moment later he returned with a copy of the order the salesman had left with him. His face was the picture of dismay. “Sure, Andy, it’s a big mistake I’ve made. The order calls for rolls and it ought to be yards. There’s more stuff here than we can sell in two years. Sure, we’ll send the whole shootin’-match back to the wholesale house and have them send on another shipment. That’ll be easier than tryin’ to pick out what we need and checkin’ up everything.”

Andy knew very little about ribbons but he was impressed by the beauty of the material in the two boxes. He unrolled a few feet from several of the spools and let the ribbons dangle over his coat sleeves.

“Jingo! Aren’t they pretty, though? And wouldn’t the girls go crazy over the stuff? I wonder—” The thought that flashed into his mind caused him to catch his breath.

“Gee-miny! Why can’t we have a ribbon sale? That would be better than sending the stuff back. I could fix up an ad for the Gazette; and we could have a ribbon display in the window just like it tells about in the little book the salesman gave me.”

When Denny Landers heard Andy’s proposition he scratched his head thoughtfully.

“Sure, Andy, do you think we can do it?”

“I’m sure we can, Mr. Landers,” assured Andy enthusiastically. “You know how everybody reads the Gazette; and if we fix up an ad telling about the ribbons, and have some on display in the window, we’ll have every woman and girl in town wanting to buy them.”

“It’s a divil of a lot I don’t know about advertising, Andy.”

“Oh, I’ll do that, Mr. Landers. I want to do it. I’m just tickled to death to get the chance. And I’ll get Chuck Wilson to help me on the window and Bud York and I’ll work out a blinger of an ad for the newspaper.”

Denny Landers smiled whimsically.

“Sure, it’s a bug you are on this advertising stuff, I see. Advertising Andy! Well, lad, pitch in. I’m willin’ to take a whirl at it if you fix up the advertising. And what we don’t sell we’ll send back.”

It was plain that Landers had no great measure of confidence in the possible success of Andy’s proposed sale. He had built up his business by dint of hard work and long hours. No one had tried to show him how he could use advertising to increase sales or give prestige to his business. In fact he knew very little about advertising, except as it came to his attention in a casual way.

That night after supper Andy pocketed his ribbon book and hurried down to the Gazette office to tell his friend Bud York about the scheme. Bud’s father was editor and manager of Cressfield’s weekly newspaper, and as Bud frequently helped his father set type for the advertisements that appeared in the newspaper, Andy figured that he would be able to offer some good suggestions regarding the proposed ribbon advertisement. As he turned in at the printing office he encountered Chuck Wilson.

“Why all the rush?” inquired Chuck.

“Fall in behind and you’ll find out,” returned Andy.

Bud had a little studio fixed up back of the pressroom, and it was here that Andy and Chuck found him, bent over his drawing board.

“What’s this?—a delegation?” he grinned, when the two boys tumbled into his room and made seats for themselves by brushing a pile of his drawings from a dry-goods box to the floor.

“I’ve got a regular old bell-ringer of a scheme, Bud,” Andy began; and then told in detail about the ribbons. Bud was interested immediately, because he, too, was making a study of advertising, though from a different angle. It was his ambition to become a commercial illustrator.

“Why, it ought to be a cinch to sell the ribbons,” he enthused. “You bet I’ll help you fix up the ad.”

“I’d like to help, but I don’t know anything about writing ads,” put in Chuck.

“Oh, I’ve got a dandy job for you,” returned Andy, and explained about the window display.

“Say, this is going to be great!” exclaimed Chuck, his eyes sparkling. “I guess we’ll show up some of the old fogies in town who are trying to do business to-day the same as they did twenty years ago. We’ll show ’em how to put jazz into a sale.”

“What I’d like to do, fellows, is to put on a sale that will cause everybody in town to sit up and take notice. A lot of people think that boys can’t do such things, but I believe we can do it,” said Andy with conviction.

“We sure can,” said Bud confidently.

“The first thing to do is to plan the newspaper ad,” said Andy. “This afternoon I talked with Miss Cummins about the ribbons and she gave me a lot of good stuff. She showed me the difference between silk messaline and silk taffeta and helped me write down a list of things that ribbons are used for. And I fixed it up with Mr. Landers to engage Miss Brown, the seamstress, to make a lot of fancy bags and knick-knacks out of ribbon to exhibit with the ribbons. She’s got women’s magazines that tell all about how to make that kind of truck. When we exhibit the things made of ribbon, the women’ll all want to buy some ribbon to make some, too. I’ve got a list of the things she’s made and the kind of ribbon they’re made of, so we can put it in the ad.”

“Maybe if we put on a few ribbon sales we can all hire out as dressmakers,” put in Bud. A moment later he disappeared in the direction of the office and returned with three scratch pads and a large sheet of white paper which he tacked on his drawing board. “We’ll use this for a layout,” he explained.

Andy produced his notes.

“In the first place, fellows, I figure we’ve got to get a thought into the copy that will make the people feel that the ribbons have been secured as a service to them rather than have them feel that the ribbons were unloaded on Landers and he in turn plans to unload them on the people.”

“That’s clear enough,” said Bud, making a note of the suggestion. “The first fellow who suggests a title for the ad on the order of ‘We are overstocked and must unload at a sacrifice’ will have to buy a round of root beer.”

“Then, too,” continued Andy, “the ribbons are quality goods, and we want to make the people feel that. Otherwise they might think that Landers secured a lot of seconds or something, seeing as a sale is something entirely new in his business.”

“Correct,” from Bud.

“Also, we want to make the people feel that the ribbons are worth the price—and that we have lots of different kinds and colors—ribbons for all kinds of purposes. Women like to read detailed descriptions; so we’ll spread ourselves when it comes to writing about quality, colors and so on. That’s where the dope from Miss Cummins and Miss Brown comes in; and we want to make a display line of the date of the sale.”

“When did you say it’s going to come off?” asked Bud.

“Friday and Saturday. I figure that we will attract the town people Friday and the country people Saturday. The Gazette comes out Thursday—day after to-morrow—so we’ll have to get busy on the ad to-night.”

Chuck scrambled to his feet, waving his pad. “I’ve got a peach of a title, fellows. Just listen to this:

‘A RIOT OF RIBBONS.’”

“Oh, oh!” groaned Bud, holding his head as though it pained him. “Quick! Some one call a doctor!”

“Rotten,” said Andy. “You poor fish, don’t you realize we’ve got to put ‘class’ into this sale? We’re playing up the quality of the goods. Our appeal will be ‘desire to possess’ rather than ‘money saving.’ ‘A riot of ribbons’ sounds snappy, but it suggests a disorderly mass of stuff.”

“I’ve got it,” cried Bud. “Look, fellows!” With Andy and Chuck at his elbows he lettered on the layout sheet:

THE FIRST RIBBON SHOW IN CRESSFIELD

“Now, we’re getting down to business,” encouraged Andy. “You’ve got the right idea, Bud. What we want to do is to make the women want to see the ribbons. Once they see them they’ll want to buy. I like the sound of a ‘ribbon show.’ When you want to interest people in a proposition you want to make it interesting from their standpoint and keep the ‘we’ out of it.”

“This is getting awfully deep,” put in Chuck, scratching his head, a wry smile on his freckled face.

The boys worked on the advertisement for more than two hours, using the notes about the various ribbons and their uses that Andy had obtained from Miss Cummins and Miss Brown. They were careful in selecting words and shaping their sentences so as to make the advertisement tell exactly what they wanted it to tell. Also they kept away from using big words, realizing that while an unusual word might draw attention it was better by far to use simple words and typographical effects in order to keep the attention of the reader centered on the ribbons.

In making the layout Bud explained its purpose to Chuck, pointing out that, if some sort of a rough sketch, or layout, of the proposed advertisement were not provided, the printer would be unable to set the type properly and otherwise get the advertisement ready for production.

“The layout,” explained Bud, “is intended to give the size of the ad, the kinds and sizes of type desired, the width and general structure of the type lines, the location of illustrations and things like that.”

As the boys were about to break up for the night Andy suggested that they give the copy a final careful reading.

“All right, here she is,” returned Bud.

THE FIRST RIBBON SHOW IN CRESSFIELD

is to be staged at our store Friday and Saturday. The ladies of Cressfield are invited to view the most unusual exhibit of ribbon loveliness ever displayed in this town.

There are bolts and bolts of lustrous ribbons that are a joy to touch—soft, clinging messalines, crisp taffetas, thick-piled velvets, rich satins. They come in every conceivable shade; it seems as if every flower, every rainbow tinge, every sunset glow were pictured in these billowing yards of pink, light blue, navy, Alice blue, cardinal, emerald, brown, purple, old rose, gray, turquoise, violet, cerise, burnt orange, lavender, maize, tan.

BRING OUT THE COLOR OF YOUR EYES WITH A BIT OF RIBBON

Every woman in Cressfield is invited to make this interesting experiment. Pick out from this wonderful collection of colors a shade slightly deeper than the shade of your eyes—copenhagen, sky, turquoise, royal or violet for Miss Blue Eyes and one of the rich browns for her dark-eyed sister—hold it near your eyes and look in the mirror. You may be surprised at the added beauty the color of the ribbon brings to your eyes.

When you have found the color that brings out the color of your eyes most effectually, plan touches of that color in your costumes from this fascinating array of ribbons.

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED THIS WITH A BIT OF RIBBON?

An interesting feature of this unique exhibit is a number of fancy-work models of beautiful novelties made of these ribbons. You can examine the models and copy them in ribbon from those on sale.

For an exquisite foundation for your sheer georgette blouse, shir the edges of wide fancy silk messaline or taffeta and sew on shoulder straps. See the models on display and ask for nine and three-quarter inch flowered messaline or taffeta from the assortment of

Fancy ribbons in floral and conventional designs in widths of 5¾, 6¼, 8¾ and 9¾ inches, at 45c. to 98c. per yard.

For shoulder straps for the above ask for one-inch satin in a harmonizing color from the assortment of

Heavy satin-faced, taffeta-backed ribbons in widths ranging from 7-16 inch to 5¼; inches, at 5c. to 49c. per yard.

Make a dainty boudoir cap of shirred four-inch messaline. See the model on display and ask for a piece of your favorite color from the assortment of

All-silk messaline ribbon, in widths ranging from 4 to 5⅞ inches, at 25c. to 39c. per yard.

For a very novel and dainty effect for your little girl’s hair bow embroider the ends in silk floss. Button-holing and French knots are very effective. See the model on display and delight your little girl by letting her choose a pretty shade from the assortment of

Heavy all-silk taffeta special hair-bow ribbon with fancy satin edge, 5⅛ inches wide, at 35c. per yard.

For the newest and prettiest of girdles to beautify a new or old dress, try the fascinating new double-faced ribbon which comes in one color on one side and a contrasting color on the other. The girdle can be twisted loosely to give the double color effect and the ends knotted or decorated with colored beads. See the model on display and ask to see the assortment of

Double-faced, two-color satin ribbon in widths from ⅝ inch to 1½ inches, at 19c. to 48c. per yard.

Trim your new hat or freshen your old one by putting on the ribbon streamers that are so popular in the smartest millinery shops in the large cities. Ask for the assortment of

Silk grosgrain picot-edged ribbon in widths from ⅝ to 1½ inches, at 20c. to 35c. per yard.

For other suggestions, see other ribbon-made articles on display. These include party bags, sewing bags, lingerie holders, handkerchief and glove cases, bedroom slippers and other fascinating bits of daintiness and beauty.

NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE YOUR RIBBON PURCHASES

A survey of the ribbon market indicates a trend toward higher prices. We suggest, therefore, that you plan your ribbon requirements for the next six months and make your selection while we have on sale the largest and most varied stock of ribbons ever shown in Cressfield.

ALL DAY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

The ribbons will be on sale Friday and Saturday. Should you desire to inspect the entire display, be sure to come as early as possible Friday morning.

THE LANDERS GENERAL STORE

“It’s a pretty fine ad, I’ll say,” declared Andy. “I’ll tell you, though, I never could have gotten in all that feminine dope if it hadn’t been for Miss Brown. She spieled it off to me by the yard, and all I had to do was to write it down.”

“I’ll say it’s a fine ad,” said Bud. “It would be better if we had some classy illustrations, but we haven’t time to work up anything special. We’ll have to make it an ‘all-type’ ad. I’ll turn the copy and layout over to Dad the first thing in the morning. To-morrow noon the proofs will be ready, so be sure and stop in to see if they are O.K.”

“And to-morrow night, right after supper, we’ll get busy on the window,” planned Andy.

The windows of Denny Landers’ store were ill-fitted for display purposes and the boys had a time arranging the ribbons to their satisfaction. Landers had never looked upon his windows as a factor in creating business. Rather, he had formed the shiftless habit of making them a catchall for miscellaneous cut-outs sent to him by jobbing houses. About a dozen of these cut-outs were discarded by the boys in preparing their window. The window lacked a background; so they made one of wall-board pieces, about three feet high. The front of the wall-board was covered with white cheesecloth, plaited and paneled with ribbons. A representative assortment of the ribbons was arranged in the foreground. Bud’s window card stated:

THESE RIBBONS WILL BE PLACED ON SALE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

A number of women came into the store Thursday morning and indicated a desire to purchase some of the ribbons, but Miss Cummins tactfully explained that the sale did not begin until the following morning. News travels fast in small towns, and soon the ribbons were receiving some very effective word-of-mouth advertising. Late that afternoon the Cressfield Gazette came off the press, and the full-page advertisement that the boys had prepared intensified the interest. Andy, Chuck and Bud made it a point to stroll by the store that night, and they were all in high feather when they noticed the many groups that paused to see the ribbon display. The boys were confident that the sale was going to be a success.

And it was. Women and girls flocked into the store, attracted by the ribbons, and when they left they carried away the particular ribbon that pleased them most. Miss Cummins was swamped and glad beyond words when Chuck and Bud got behind the counter and helped out. Andy was so excited he could hardly work. His delivery trips that day were made in record-breaking time and about every fifteen minutes he would dash into the store to see how things were coming along.

When the store was closed Friday night hardly a dozen yards of ribbon were left. This was unfortunate, in a way, because the country people, who did not get their newspaper until Friday morning, would come to town Saturday to make their ribbon purchases. Andy estimated that twice as many ribbons could have been sold as had been received in the two boxes. When he pointed this out to Landers, the latter grinned.

“Sure, it’s playin’ in tough luck we are not to have received four boxes. Eh, lad?”

“Jingo! I wish we had received four boxes,” returned Andy.

When he received his pay Saturday night he found he had been given an extra three dollars.

“It’s a raise in pay,” grinned the proprietor. “Sure, I got to thinkin’ you ought to be gettin’ more money, seein’ as how you’re my advertising manager. And here’s a five-dollar bill, Andy. I want you to split it with your two cronies—meanin’ the freckled Wilson kid and Abe York’s boy.”

There was a mist in Andy’s eyes.

“I just guess, Mr. Landers,” he burst out, “I’m the happiest kid in seventeen states. I’ve had the feeling right along that I could make a success of advertising if I had half a chance, and now I know it.”

“This has been such a divil of a fine sale I’m thinkin’ we’ll be havin’ more of them,” decided the proprietor. “Sure, and if we do it’s going to be your job to fix up the advertising. I’m beginnin’ to see that there’s something to this advertising stuff, Andy. And I guess it’s better for the business to have a display of goods in the window than a lot of trash. Sure, we live and learn.”

Bud was busy at his drawing board when Andy burst in upon him with a wildly enthusiastic account of his good fortune. For a moment Bud was startled.

“Isn’t it great, Bud? Oh, isn’t it great? And he called me his advertising manager! And he’s going to let me put on special sales right along.”

“Say, where do you get that ‘me’ stuff?” demanded Bud, with a grin. “Fork over that five bones, you poor nut, and we’ll hunt up Chuck and have an ice-cream party. If you’re going to try and hog all the glory, I guess I’ll hold out for my share of the money.”

Andy’s happiness carried through until Monday morning and he showed up at the store in high spirits. But his heart sank as he met an angry-looking man coming out of the store. It was Mr. Corey. Clarence Corey was waiting for his father in a car at the curb. His face darkened when he saw Andy.

“Ya! Ya!” making a face. “You’re going to catch it.”

In Andy’s enthusiasm over the sale he had forgotten about the trouble he had had with the Coreys. He found Denny Landers standing just inside the door, arms akimbo. The usually good-natured face was stormy. His tousled hair and flashing eyes gave him the appearance of a tantalized setting hen. Miss Cummins, from her station back of the dry-goods counter, was plainly excited. Evidently Mr. Corey’s mission to the store had caused an exciting moment.

The proprietor’s eyes lighted on the faltering Andy.

“Sure, it’s a fine lot of trouble you’ve got me into,” he railed noisily.

“I’m awfully sorry, Mr. Landers. Did—did Mr. Corey ask you to fire me?”

The proprietor sniffed.

“Did he ask me? Sure, he did not ask me. He just ordered me to tie a can on you.”

Andy gulped and turned to leave. Tears stung his eyes and his lips trembled.

“Where the divil are you goin’?” demanded the irate Irishman. “Sure, you ain’t leavin’ me, I hope?”

Miss Cummins fluttered forward.

“Don’t you think of leaving, Andy. Oh, how I wish you could have been here and heard all the perfectly wonderful things Mr. Landers told Mr. Corey about you. He said he would rather lose all the hill trade than lose you, and—”

“Git to work, both of you,” ordered Denny Landers with assumed roughness. “Sure, this ain’t no danged soldiers’ home. This is an honest-to-goodness, free American store and we don’t bob up and down on a stick for even his excellency, Mr. Money-Bags Corey. Git to work, I say—both of you!”