The Division of Advertising

I hereby create, under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Public Information, heretofore establislied by Executive order of April 14, 1917, a Division of Advertising for the purpose of receiving and directing through the proper channels the generous offers of the advertising forces of the Nation to support the effort of the Government to inform public opinion properly and adequately.

WooDEow Wilson.

By virtue of this authority, the advertising forces of the United States were mobilized, and the great organizations, by request, named these men to serve as a board of control : Mr. William H. Johns, chairman, president of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, representing 115 leading firms of this kind in the country; Mr. Thomas Cusack, the acknowledged head of the poster and painted bulletin industry; Mr. W. C. D'Arcy, president of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World, representing 180 advertising clubs with a combined membership of 17,000 ; Mr. O. C. Harn, chairman of the National Commission of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World; Mr. Herbert S. Houston, formerly president of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World; Mr. Lewis B. Jones, president of the Association of National Advertisers; and Mr. Jesse H. Neal, executive secretary of the Associated Business Papers, consisting of 500 leading trade and technical publications.

Over 800 publishers of monthly and weekly periodicals gave space, worth $159,275.64 per month, for the duration of the war and this was being increased monthly when the armistice terminated the arrangement. In addition, advertisers of merchandise purchased $340,981.21 vforth of space in various nationally-circulated periodicals and turned this space over to the Division of Advertising to use for Government purposes. These were definite purchases for 1918, but indications had already been given that renewals would follow in 1919. Figuring on a yearly basis, the donation of space only has totaled approximately $2,250,000. Of this, only about $1,594,000 was used, owing to the sudden cessation of activities.

Following summarizes in total all space with which the Division of Advertising has dealt — all contributed by patriotic advertisers and publishers for the winning of the war :

Insertions. 1, 512 1,443 4,353 653 377 llfi 9, 367 Circulation. Amount. General ma<ra?ines F'arm papers Trade and miscellaneous publications House organs Outdoor display Newspapers College papers Book jackets Theater curtains Total 351, 409, 159 134,279,895 41,377,554 14,386,475 6, 272, 636 1, 107, 429 S895, 361, 238, 52, S, 17, 12, ' 7, 1,

108. 29 221. 84 102. 47 727. 50 550.00 567. 60 337. 01 700. 00 500.00

548,833,148 1,594,814.71

' Estimated.

Also much space in advertisers' own publications was devoted to Go^^ernment work in a similar manner, but as such space is not sold, a market value can not be put upon it. Miscellaneous donations of space included space in merchants' local newspaper advertising and local advertising through syndicated advertising service. We are unable to include in our reported figures, though it has been of great value, outdoor advertising in both poster and painted signs. totaling many thousands of dollars. Nor do these figures indicate the advertising values contributed by window displays. This feature was made possible by the intelligent cooperation of the International Association of Display Men. This organization appointed a National War Service Committee on Window Displays, the chairman of which, Mr. C. J. Potter, took a desk in the New York offices of the Division of Advertising and not only turned over to the division the entire window display resources of the association in 600 cities, but directed the entire work of creating patriotic window displays throughout the country so that, timed to the minute, they supplemented our campaigns in the periodicals. The window display committee was instrumental in the building of 60,000 reported displays on various Government subjects, and probably hundreds more unreported.

At the very top of the list of those who gave freely of their time and of the services of their expert employees stand the advertising agents of the country. Their services were offerred Avithout reserve and without charge, even much of the finished work being furnished free of cost.

The Division of Advertising planned and handled campaigns for the following agencies of the Government : Shipping Board, War Savings, Food Commission, the Liberty Loans, War Department, Training Camp Activities, Department of Agriculture, Council of National Defense, Department of Labor, Fuel Commission, United War Work Drive, and the Ked Cross. It was this division that conceived the idea and prepared the drawing and copy for " The Greatest Mother in the World," since used as the Eed Cross symbol. As an illustration of the manner in which this division handled a campaign, the case of the selective draft may be described in detail. Gen. Crowder laid his problem before the experts, explaining the need of a concentrated drive in obtaining registration on September 12 of 13,000,000 men, 18 to 45 years of age. The Advertising Service Bulletin and the ^elective Service Register, folders containing advertisements, were prepared by the Division of Advertising through the cooperation of its committees. The Advertising Bulletin furnished newspapers and advertisers with officially approved copy in both editorial and advertising form ready to run. This material was extensively used throughout the country by newspapers and by advertisers in their local advertising. The Selective Service Register contained officially signed messages as to the duty of registration from President Wilson, Secretary Baker, Gen. Crowder, Secretary Daniels, and Gen. March, and was published to help 135000,000 men to know how, when, and where to register. It contained poster of notification of registration and explicit directions of how to answer questions on registration card. Also instructions for registrars. Special mailings of these publications were produced and distributed through the Division of Distribution to the extent of some 20,000,000 copies, including 18,000 newspapers, 11,000 national advertisers and agencies, 10,000 chambers of commerce and their members, 30,000 manufacturers' associations, 22,000 labor unions, 10,000 public libraries, 32,000 banks, 58,000 general stores, 3,500 Young Mens' Christian Association branches, 10,000 mem.bers of the Council of National Defense, 1,000 advertising cliibs, 56,000 post offices, 55,000 railroad station agents, 5,000 draft boards, 100,000 Red Cross organizations, 12,000 manufacturers' agents. Also there was a special mailing card sent out to a list of 43,000 Rural Free Delivery routes.

Also there was planned a street-car campaign which ran throughout the country, including space in the Subway Sun and Elevated Express in all cars of the Interborough Rapid Transit Co., of New York City. A poster and painted-sign campaign was also planned and displayed throughout the country.

Through the services of the National War Service Committee on Window Displays approximately 37,000 posters or notices to register were displayed in the windows of prominent stores in over 600 cities.

A full-page advertisement of the Selective Registration Day appeared in publications of general circulation, including leading farm publications, practically all of the trade and technical journals.

This excerpt from an appreciation by Gen. Crowder is an example of the many that were sent to the division by heads of the Government :

Now that the I'ush of registration preparation lias abated, I take the first available moment to express to you and your division my gratitude for your hearty cooperation in the task of securing publicity for tlae Registration Day.

Over and above the fine organization of tlie committee's staff as a whole, what has impressed me particularly in your division is the thoroughness with which you have organized the patriotic assistance of private citizens in contributing to the public service rendered by the committee. It is genuinely American in its method — this voluntary union of individual citizens to accomplish these results which in some Continental countries are left to the vast army of Government officials. Yours faithfully,

E. H. Crowder, Provost Marfihal General.