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JANUARY 12, I92M
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THE HILLSBBBO ARGUS
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THE GAME IS ON
Fascinating and Profitable Indoor Sport
OPEN TO EVERYBODY
The Venetian Theater and The Hillsboro Argus
offer YOU a chance to test your talents as an
Advertising Writer. Read the rules below and
be ond of the winners.
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The advertisement which is selected by
the judges as the best will be published
in The Argus at the end of the contest.
The Argus will give a two-year subscrip­
tion to the person writing the second
best advertisement, and a one-year subscription to
the writer of the advertisement which wins third
honors. Everyone has an equal chance since pro­
fessional ad writers are barred by the rules of the
contest. Collect your data, then write your ad!
The Venetian Theater, one of the leading business institutions of the
city, and one of which the communi ty is justly proud, offers fertile ground
for the amateur advertising writer. Study the theater, its methods, and
its offerings, and combine the result in your conception of a peppy ad!
Everyone likes to attend the Venetian
Theater and would appreciate having $5
worth of free tickets. The Argus offers
$5 in trade at the Venetian Theater to the
person who writes the best three-column
THE
ten-inch advertisement on the Venetian
' Theater. The advertising field is large
CONTEST
and offers many opportunities to the per­
son with ability. Everyone in business
should know something about how to write the right kind of advertising
copy, for properly directed publicity is essential to success. "If your busi­
ness is not worth advertising, advertise it for sale!”
The Venetian Theater and the Argus feel that there are many peo­
ple in this community with latent advertising talent. The managers of
these two firms have started this advertising writing contest to give every­
one a chance to do something they have always wanted to do— -write an ad­
vertisement, in fact a better advertisement than anyone else in this commu­
nity, and one that will produce results. They feel that this c<>ntest will be
the stimulus that will bring out all the good advertising ideas that are
stored up in every individual.
Eligibility
The contestant could probably take for his theme, for example, "Why
a Person Should Attend the Venetian Theater,” "Why the Venetian Is an
Exceptional Theater,” or something of a similar nature. Manager Orange
Phelps will be pleased to counsel with anyone who is interested, and at the
same time, on other pages of The Argus, he is advertising current and also
coming attractions at Hillsboro’s Showplace Beautiful!
Helpful Suggestions
Scoring
Any person living in Washington coun­
ty is eligible, provided he or she is not on
the staff of any newspaper or in the ad­
vertising department of any store.
Time Limit
Contestants mny gather their material
at once, write their advertisement, and turn
it in at The Argus office not later than 5:00
P. M„ THURSDAY, JANUARY 26.
Space
The advertisement is to be three col­
umns wide by ten inches in depth. This
means 6% inches wide by 10 inches long.
Judges
The board of judges will include Orange
Phelps, manager of the Venetian theater,
D. A. Krahmer, manager of the Miller Mer­
cantile, and H. E. McCaskie of the Argus.
I
essential part of any ad­
vertisement is to attract the eye of the
reader. It must be such as to cause a per­
son to read the body of the advertisement.
When the attention of the reaa’vr is secured,
half the battle is won because the interest
has been quickened to such a.n extent that
he or she will want to see what it is all
about. A perfect score for attention will
count 40 per cent.
Attention— The
The inexperienced copy writer usually
tries to see the whole advertisement at once,
before he writes it. He would do better to
lay out a general plan and fill in the de­
tails. as a builder plans a house. He should
try to visualize the effect of his advertise­
ment on the reader.
Here are a few suggestions which
will help make your advertisement
readable and attractive
The first purpose of a really good ad is
to get the readers undivided attention.
This is your first task. Then hold that at­
tention by presenting your* sales talk in an
interesting and convincing manner.
Sale* Talk— A straightforward selling
talk that will create the desire for the ar­
ticle in the mind of the reader is the meat of
any advertisement. It doesn't mean mere
label, but good sound reasoning that will
promote action on the part of the reader.
It requires time and thought, just as any
job a person undertakes, and will count 40
per cent.
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Neatness— Clean, accurate copy is con­
ducive to better workmanship and will count
for 20 per cent.
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Put in three-quarters of your time on the
heading. In it you arrest the attention of
the reader. Preparation of copy is simple
if you know your subject. Don’t submerge
your message to the benefit of the border
you place about your space. If the effect
you desire to make is not in your copy,
throw it away and begin again.
Write your advertisements as if you ex­
pect people to read them. Be sure you have
a worth-while idea to present, then make
your ad tell your story briefly but forcibly.
If you don’t know type faces, don’t des­
ignate its kinds. Leave that to the printer.
Make your copy say something, and say
it plainly and to the point. Write it as you
would talk it—in a direct, personal way.
Printers do not have time to decipher
illegible copy. The bane of the compositor
is the man who brings in copy for a large
advertisement at 10 o’clock and expects to
see a fine advertisement appear at 1:20.
Rush jobs are never so good.
The real test of good copy is this:
Would it influence YOU to buy the goods,
or at ler.st to want to see them?
t
First Prize
Second Prize
Third Prize
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$5.00 In Trade
Two Years’ Subscription
One Year’s Subscription
5
at the
Venetian Theater
I
to the
Hillsboro Argus
%
to the
Hillsboro Argus
All Ads Must Be Turned In at This Office Not Later Than 5:00 P. M., Thursday, January 26.
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