12 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE diture of untold amounts of money. But it finally won out, and the same process, applied by our experts to Latin-America, reinforced by the knowledge and experi- ence gained in the United States, will eventually win for us among the Spanish and Portuguese speaking peoples the same success we have attained at home. The foundation stone of any advertising intended for use in Latin-America is that it must be Latin in char- acter. That means that regardless of who supplies the idea it must be carried out by a mind that thinks in the same mental channels as the people to whom the ad- vertising is directed. An advertisement written in Brazil for insertion in the "Saturday Evening Post" as an appeal to the people of this country to buy some article of Brazilian manufacture would, in all likeli- hood, excite nothing but derision and would fail to justify the money spent for the space. Why, then, should it be reasonable to suppose that an advertisement written in New York to be printed in one of Rio de Janeiro's great dailies should meet with any other fate among the cultured classes of that splendid city than in the first case? The answer is obvious, and the results in dollars and cents will be just as patent to any adver- tiser who makes the experiment. For the reason just stated, the truth of which has been demonstrated many times, it is more than doubtful ethics for many advertising agencies to attempt to make clients in the United States believe that it can give them the same quality of service in Latin- America that it renders in the United States. The case deserves a stronger term than doubtful ethics; downright dishon- esty is a closer characterization. Any advertising man who is in touch with the Latin- American field, and there IN LATIN-AMERICA 13 are few who can really claim to be that, knows that the situation is an intensely complicated and difficult one for an American to handle and that mere reliance on methods that have succeeded in the United States will get his client nowhere. The Latin- American advertising situation must stand on its own feet, be approached from its own individual angles, and solved as an entirely distinct problem from any that are met with in the merchandising campaigns of the United States. On the other hand, no market yields more readily to proper methods than that of Latin-America. There is no more fertile trade-field anywhere in the world, population and purchasing power considered, than the various republics who share this hemisphere with us. The present era is one of awakening and rejuvenation in practically every country south of our Texas border, and the opportunity for trade and national service i unsurpassed. To point out the methods that will win, as well as to show what to avoid, will be the purpose of the following chapters of this book. The field is one that merits the closest attention and most persistent effort. If Americans will work as hard for the develop- ment of this market as they have worked in building up their enormous home market, success will be assured. Perhaps no better contrast between the Latin-Amer- ican character and the North American has ever been made than that expressed by the Hon. Don Frederico Alfonso Pezet, Ambassador to the United States from Peru, a student and an observer. In his book "Contrast in the Development of Nation- ality in Anglo-American and Latin- American," he says: As the news of the discovery of the New World invaded the European countries, two types that were to mold the destinies UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES A gfi orary ft-t School of Business AdmlnlatraSfcffl 'erai-hr of California l-Angales 24 UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA AT t/JS ANGELES ADVERTISING FOR TRADE IN LATIN-AMERICA The front cover of "Sucesos," an illustrated weekly published in Chile and used by American advertisers extensively. Europe is sinking in a sea of blood, with death opening the gate wider. The stricken European is calling for a life-preserver, and Wilson, with a grin on his face, is depicted as throwing a shell. Ube Genturp ^foreign Urafce Series ADVERTISING FOR TRADE IN LATIN-AMERICA BY W. E. AUGHINBAUGH, M.D., LL.B., LL.M. Foreign and Export Editor, The New York Commercial, Instructor in Foreign Trade, New York University; Instructor in Foreign Trade, Columbia University; Member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States; Author of "Selling Latin-America," "A Port for Bolivia," etc., etc. NEW YORK THE CENTURY CO. 1922 153022 Copyright, 1922, by THE CENTURY Co. Printed in U. S. A. PREFACE o It is a real privilege to write introductory words about ^?any work relating to La tin- America prepared by Dr. W. ~ E. Aughinbaugh. There is, however, a special satisfac- , tion in commending highly a book of his authorship on ~ Latin- American advertising. Jj In my twenty years close relationship to Latin- Amer- li ica, first as United States Minister and later as Director ^General of the Pan-American Union, I have always known of Dr. Aughinbaugh's intimate and authoritative f acquaintance with almost every phase of Pan- American ~ commercial relations. He has lived nearly twenty years ^in La tin- American countries and visited all of them at ^different times. He has prepared in this period prac- tical copy for all of the representative Latin-American newspapers and had charge of successfully spending jlarge sums of money for advertising purposes through- oout the vast area and population south of the Eio ^Grande. As Foreign and Export Editor of the "New York Commercial," and as Professor of Foreign Trade at New York University and also Columbia University, he has also done notable work in promoting Pan- American trade. Speaking Spanish and Portuguese, he has obtained an intimate knowledge of business men and methods, from the standpoint of both Latin-America and the United States, which makes his advice invaluable. There is no topic having to do with Pan-American commerce more important than that of Latin-American Ti PREFACE advertising, for the future development of trade between the United States and Latin-America will be largely dependent upon this phase of international business. It is, moreover, a subject which, because of the peculiarities of the field of operation, requires the exercise of the best judgment and the following of expert opinion. Dr. Aughinbaugh's work meets these requirements and should be carefully consulted by all those who are inter- ested in Latin- American advertising. JOHN BARRETT, 1 Former Director General of the Pan- American Union ; now Counselor and Adviser in International Affairs. CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE The early history of the peoples who inhabited the Iberian pen- insula, and their influence on the present Latin-Americans Why Latin-American republics yield readily to proper advertising methods 3 CHAPTER II Distrust felt by Latins for the United States Quality markets a South American characteristic Methods must be suited to each country European competition active again Lack of good print- ing equipment No standardization of drugs Overcoming native illiteracy Billboard advertising Street-car advertising ... 18 CHAPTER III Value of colored posters Popularity of pictures of women Buying goods merely to get the container Concentration on pic- torial feature Methods of buying bill-posting space Slow de- velopment of electrical signs Difficulties in connection with win- dow displays Storekeepers follow French ideas 36 CHAPTER IV Undependable circulation figures A method of overcoming this evil Make the plan self-supporting Scarcity of fine printing Rate cards mean nothing Always a matter for personal bargain- ing Slow payment of bills a grievance Placing advertising through dealer connections 54 CHAPTER V Possibilities of the house organ in Latin-America It offers an excellent opportunity and has seldom been taken advantage of by American firms Suggestions as to its make-up and manage- ment 63 CHAPTER VI The mud-slinging European The British and the Germans are particularly active in attacking American goods and methods Examples of this practice The yellow press of Latin-America and its bitterness toward the United States How to combat these unwarranted attacks '. 70 CHAPTER VII The mechanical side of an advertising campaign in Latin-Amer- ica Reading notices and their values The illustrated testimonial and its use Translations ... ... 80 viii CONTENTS CHAPTER VIII PAGE Value of personal contact with Latin wholesalers Peculiar credit system in effect Patriarchal position of the general store- keeper in each community Effect of falling raw material prices Ease of selling goods if wholesaler's interest can once be se- cured General working of the system 85 CHAPTER IX Preservation of racial habits How the Germans introduced beer Getting religious co-operation Low ethical standards in med- ical advertising Latins slow to change habits Success achieved by American agricultural machinery advertising Big markets open for sale of Ford car accessories 92 CHAPTER X Reaching South America through European publications For- eign groups and their native language papers Experience of a camera supply house Mail order methods of Parisian dealers New system being tried in Lima Weekly editions of European papers High buying power thus reached 104 CHAPTER XI Red tape and the Latin mind Difficulties caused by custom- house officials Use of American and English names Shortcom- ings of post-office and custom-house employees Large saving through buying advertising matter at auction Never pack ad- vertising matter with merchandise 113 CHAPTER XII No equivalent services in South America to those of United States Agencies only publishers' representatives No understand- ing of service The special edition evil Need for American agen- cies Ridiculous errors now made Money spent without adequate return Lack of coherency Possible corrective measures .... 119 CHAPTER XIII Follow-up letters never properly utilized in South America Necessity of using registered mail Value of samples Must be in native language Imperative requirement of proper postage Using different colored stationery Necessity for care in addresses Fines paid by recipients Benefits of eliminating all mailing abbreviations 126 CHAPTER XIV Big field waiting in women's ready-to-wear goods Value of the European press for this purpose Success in introducing new styles Branches of Paris shops in South America Tariff difficul- ties Lack of good advertising matter for silks, lingerie, etc. . . 132 CONTENTS ix CHAPTER XV PAQB Papers printed in English in South America Generally follow British style Description of a typical issue Still fighting the Germans Commercial publications in English Popularity of the illustrated weekly Means of reaching the best families Com- parative unimportance of trade papers, except for doctors South America a patent medicine stronghold The religious press Lack of a middle class 138 CHAPTER XVI Ephemeral character of most Latin newspapers Concentration on politics Attacks on the United States The Monroe Doctrine Making friends through advertising Description of the leading dailies Peculiar methods of distribution Difficulty of getting circulation figures Necessity for bargaining to get best rates Advantages of using mats 155 CHAPTER XVII Booklets, plain and colored advertising materials, puzzles and "holy-pictures" always bring results in Latin-American advertis- ing campaigns 167 CHAPTER XVIII The moving-picture advertising campaign is ideal for Latin- American countries, owing to the fact that the rate of illiteracy is high, and at the same time the purchasing power of the average peon is perhaps the best in the world 176 CHAPTER XIX A house-to-house distribution campaign in Latin-American coun- tries as a rule brings prompt results, provided it is conducted in the proper manner. Much money can be wasted otherwise . . 184 CHAPTER XX The concurso, or guessing-contest, never fails to attract atten- tion and develop interest in any advertising campaign, yet few North Americans have taken advantage of the really great oppor- tunity this method of interesting the Latin-American buying pub- lic affords 190 CHAPTER XXI The press of Uruguay analyzed Typical of the average Latin- American republic 199 CHAPTER XXII The necessity for registering trade-marks in Latin-American countries Law does not protect original owners of mark Vital, if you expect to do business in these lands 212 APPENDIX 221 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The front cover of "Sucesos," an illustrated weekly Frontispiece FACING PAGE More American money wasted 32 There is nothing about this picture suggestive of hair dye 33 Illustrations are seldom associated with the text . . ' . 33 Latin-American advertisements are replete with the nude female form 48 Another illustration of the ever-present desire to exploit the female form 49 The United States is always belittled 64 Advertisers seldom confine themselves to the truth . . 65 Another anti-American knock 80 Another slam at America 81 The result of letting an English copy agent for an Ameri- can product write copy 112 Three patent-medicine advertisements of native origin . 113 Two samples of very poor copy 128 More bad text . 129 This is intended to show the inartistic and slipshod make- up methods used in Latin- American papers . . . 144 A page of wasted advertising 145 xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE Newspapers feature with photo-engravings, funerals, mur- ders, suicides, death-bed scenes, cemeteries, execu- tions, and surgical operations 160 The Latin-American revels in the sordid and gruesome . 161 Latin-American papers of all kinds are guilty of piracy . 164 Papers do not discriminate as to the style of copy or the business of the advertiser 165 While the Latin- American does not mean to be sacrilegious in his advertising, he frequently is 172 More horrible copy 173 More wasted money 192 The result of permitting a local agent to write copy . . 193 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE IN LATIN-AMERICA ADVERTISING FOR TRADE IN LATIN-AMERICA CHAPTER I \ The early history of the peoples who inhabited the Iberian peninsula, and their influence on the present Latin-Americans Why Latin- American republics yield readily to proper advertising methods. ADVERTISING is applied psychology. To be successful with it a knowledge of the national character of the people whom we are trying to reach is by far the most important factor to be consid- ered. Without such information and without the prac- tical interpretation of experience already gained, it is hard to imagine a method of wasting money more rap- idly or of devising a more unsatisfactory way in which to build business and goodwill. America is the most insular nation on earth. We have become such complete Anglo-Saxons in our out- look upon life and upon the world that we fail to perceive the vast differences that exist between us and the people who have sprung from other parent stocks. Our attempt to sell our goods in the markets of the world without a proper appreciation of the fact that those with whom we are trying to do business look at everything in a manner distinctly different and, in many cases, frankly antagonistic to ours can have no other result but failure and will delay by just that length 3 4 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE of time the period when our foreign trade may be said to have genuinely established itself. This book is to deal with advertising in Latin-Amer- ica, and by that term is meant all of the western hemi- sphere south of the Texas border. Cross the Rio Grande and you are in another world. No longer do the ideals, habits of thought, business customs and out- look upon life govern relationships between individuals that we are accustomed to in America ; an entirely new scheme of things is encountered, and only by a frank recognition of this fact and an immediate reappraisal of business methods can Americans hope to successfully cope with the selling plans of merchants who have studied the Latin-American temperament and have governed themselves accordingly. There are approximately sixty-six million people in Latin-America, a number so great and with potential resources and purchasing power so colossal that the commercial eyes of the entire world are centered on the republics of Central and South America that to-day inherit the legacy of Spanish culture and civilization, tempered as it is with the most heterogeneous and com- plex inter-relationship of character that any people have ever had. To understand the people of Latin-America we must first consider the influences that run in their blood. They are, of course, completely dominated by their heritage from Spain, and to know the offspring we must study the curiously complex structure of the parent nation. No country since the world began ever ap- proached Spain as a melting-pot. Shut off from Europe of the early and middle ages by the Pyrenees, but open to the countries of the near east and of IN LATIN-AMERICA 5 northern Africa, the Iberian peninsula, which includes all of modern Spain and Portugal, became a sort of fusing point where east met west and where, contrary to Kipling, the twain did meet and, what is more, amal- gamated. With the Mediterranean as a pathway, it is little wonder that ancient Spain became the terminal of most of the early voyagers whose bravery took them all over the inland seas but who stopped short of the open Atlantic. Thus Spain was for centuries the fron- tier of civilization, and even after the Romans estab- lished communication between their country and ancient Britain it was the principal half-way station. To examine into the many strains that now flow in the blood of all Spaniards and of those in the new world who have descended from Spanish ancestors is to study the history of modern civilization, commerce, exploration and discovery. Spain's present decadence gives no hint of the former greatness of its people, any more than the present annual crop of shoe-shine artists and peanut-stand proprietors that come to our shores from the Thracian peninsula gives any idea of the glory that once was Greece. Originally inhabited by a wild and barbarous race called Iberians, Spain was overrun at least half a dozen centuries before Christ by a host of Celts, who crossed the Pyrenees and conquered the original owners, al- though many Celts intermixed with the Iberians and both races dwelt together. On the south and east coasts colonies of traders from the eastern end of the Medi- terranean were already established and were engaging in a flourishing commerce at least four centuries before the opening of the Christian era. Phoenicians, Cartha- ginians and Rhodians were all represented there, and 6 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE remained until 206 B.C., when the Romans took posses- sion and drove the others out. In 409 A.D., after more than six centuries during which the influences which Rome brought to bear on the life of the world, and which can be observed to this day in Britain, had exerted their power on the mixed race which then occupied the peninsula, a vast horde of Alans, Vandals and Suevi fell upon the peninsula, com- ing again by way of the Pyrenees. These energetic peoples from the north of Europe wrought havoc with the work of the former owners, but three years later another invasion occurred, this time by the Visigoths, which was destined to be of more enduring character. So permanent was the Visigoth occupation that a Gothic monarchy was established and functioned in what is now Catalonia. In 711 A.D. appeared the first of the marvelous race that was to dominate Spanish culture for many cen- turies and which to-day, in fact, lends to Spanish life its love of art, color, warmth and passion. In that year the Saracens conquered the country, coming across the narrow straits that separated Spain from Africa and bringing to western Europe its first touch of the Mo- hammedan art, literature and science which had placed the Arabian countries centuries in advance of their Christian neighbors. Then followed centuries of upheaval throughout the country during which a few of the small Christian kingdoms managed to retain a precarious existence, but during which the dominating influence everywhere was undoubtedly the Moor. The Mohammedans rejuv- enated Spanish culture and gave it such a profound impetus that it became the first in Europe. The im- IN LATIN-AMERICA 7 press which they left on the lives of all the people of the peninsula was important beyond calculation be- cause, in spite of their later expulsion, they gave to the schools of the country a culture which no mere theo- logical turnover could shatter and a literature which remains to this day the greatest of its time. The power of the Moors was finally broken in 1492, the year America was discovered, although their expul- sion was not completed for another two or three decades. But they had stayed long enough to plant firmly in the blood of Spain the thirst for glory and for gain that resulted during the next century in bringing practically all of the new world under Spanish rule and which to this day may be discerned in the blood of Spanish- Americans in this hemisphere. In the cold uplands and in the mountainous regions of Spain, localities which did not appeal to the Moors owing to their being accus- tomed to warmer climates, the inhabitants preserved their racial integrity. In these sections of Spain the population to this day is largely composed of light haired, blue eyed and fair skinned people. Although Spain was finally expelled from the mainland of this hemisphere in 1826, life in general remains as much dominated by the mother country as if the political changes had not been made. It is clear that of all the influences which have had their part in coloring Spanish life and the Latin tem- perament which is so exclusively the Spaniard's pos- session, the Moors supplied the most important and the most lasting. There is a warmth in the Latin make-up entirely lacking in the races of northern Europe and there is an outlook upon life which gives values to the things of the flesh and the spirit far different from those 8 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE to which we in the United States are accustomed or which the nations north of the Pyrenees understand. When we consider the effect which Spanish domina- tion exerted over the millions of people in Latin-Amer- ica, we find further complicating factors introduced into our study. The Spanish explorers found a race of peaceful, liberty-loving and reasonably industrious Indians over most of the territory which came under their rule when they assumed possession of South and Central America and the islands of the Caribbean. In Mexico they found one of the most cultured and highly developed races ever seen on any continent, the Aztecs. Aztec life may be compared in its influence on the other native races of America with the influence of the Moor- ish invasion on Spain and southern Europe. In Peru the standard of civilization was exceptionally high. The race which inhabited this region was the Chumus and their direct descendants, the Incas, whom Pizarro found when his expedition reached Peru from Panama in 1532, were perhaps far superior to their ancestors. They had a socialistic form of government, were able engineers, good surgeons, noted agriculturists, worked in many metals, manufactured glass, understood and practiced embalming, had a method of transmitting mes- sages by means of knots tied in colored yarns, wove ex- cellent cloth, and were truly a wonderful people. Few realize that it is to these early inhabitants of Peru that modern medicine is indebted for such drugs as quinine, cocaine, antimony, bismuth, valerian, nux vomica, tolu, and jalap, and that they had gone so far in the use of these medicaments as to crudely standardize the strength of the drug and regulate the dosage. Efforts of the Spanish conquerors to enslave the IN LATIN-AMERICA 9 Indian population were not successful in any perman- ent sense. The Indians sickened and died, or deserted and made war on the whites. Black races from Africa were then introduced to labor in mines and on planta- tions throughout Spanish America, but thousands were able to desert to the jungle and join the Indians while others intermarried and thus mingled their blood. Con- tinued association of these two races resulted, natu- rally, in a hybrid race which failed to combine the best qualities of either parent stock and throughout the almost entire length of Latin-America, excepting Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, to-day many of the lower classes, or peons, show traces of the interbreeding of the black race. As time went on, colonization proceeded and a grad- ual mixture of white blood with the red and black worked its influence on the population. This process has continued to-day among all classes, comparatively few of the white Spaniards of Latin-America being jealous of the purity of their blood. Thus we have one of the most curiously mixed populations anywhere in the world, with tendencies running from the highest ideals of European and Arabian culture to the depraved instincts of African savages. To correctly sense the temperament of such a mixed race from a swivel-chair in New York is ridiculous. Moreover, it is tragic for the business institution which plans to risk any of its funds on such a diagnosis. There is no short road to understanding the Latin. He is much too complex and complicated a study to be approached by way of correspondence school methods, especially by those who are trying to judge him by the standards of life and character prevalent in the United 10 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE States. Only by close personal contact, coupled with observation and study, can any man honestly say that he knows the people of Latin-America and is qualified to prescribe the methods of business-seeking which will meet with their approval and will result profitably to the firm or individual using them. My experience as a physician in South and Central America was of inestimable value to me when I under- took the management of selling campaigns in the vari- ous Latin republics. There is an undercurrent or subconscious state of mind in all races which we con- sider, also subconsciously, when we are dealing with people of our own countries, because their subconscious feelings and motives harmonize more or less with our own, but when we undertake to deal with the people of other races, particularly Latins, we fail to give the required amount of attention to the long series of eventa which have influenced them and which account for many things which appear strange and incongruous to outsiders. That is one potent reason for considering the many elements which have influenced the life of Spain and which continue, with further interjected fac- tors, to influence the lives of Spanish and Portuguese speaking peoples on the American continent. In following chapters I intend calling attention to many attempts on the part of Americans to place their products before the people of Latin-America which have failed completely because those in charge of these adver- tising and selling campaigns proceeded blithely on the assumption that what appeals to an American will appeal to a Brazilian, an Argentinian or a Chilean. "Human nature is the same everywhere" is an old saw that is as closely packed with falsehood as any equal IN LATIN-AMERICA 11 number of words that could be put together. Human nature is not the same everywhere. It differs in a de- gree that is astonishing and that can only be truly com- prehended by those who have traveled widely and espe- cially by those who have attempted, to their sorrow, to apply methods which have been successful with the so-called human nature of Americans to the human nature of people who live in other parts of the world and whose every interest is different from ours. It may be said that other exporting nations have not made the mistake of judging Latin- Americans by them- selves, but this would only be true in a negative sense so far as the subjects covered by this book are con- cerned. The British, Germans, French, Belgians, Ital- ians and others have sought and won business in South and Central America in active competition with the rest of the world, but they have never attempted any important advertising schemes because they are them- selves ignorant of the great principles of advertising, publicity and selling which have attained such a high degree of development in the United States. The thing which gives great hope for the development of American trade in Latin-America is the growing appreciation of Americans that we have the tool in our possession to' win us the trade, but we have not yet learned how to use it. That is to say, we are the greatest advertisers in the world and the only nation which really under- stands the principles of advertising ; what we must now do is to learn by careful study and investigation just how to apply our knowledge in Latin-America. The great system of advertising now existing in the United States did not come into being at one time; it is the result of long study, careful experiment and the expen- 12 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE diture of untold amounts of money. But it finally won out, and the same process, applied by our experts to Latin-America, reinforced by the knowledge and experi- ence gained in the United States, will eventually win for us among the Spanish and Portuguese speaking peoples the same success we have attained at home. The foundation stone of any advertising intended for use in Latin-America is that it must be Latin in char- acter. That means that regardless of who supplies the idea it must be carried out by a mind that thinks in the same mental channels as the people to whom the ad- vertising is directed. An advertisement written in Brazil for insertion in the "Saturday Evening Post" as an appeal to the people of this country to buy some article of Brazilian manufacture would, in all likeli- hood, excite nothing but derision and would fail to justify the money spent for the space. Why, then, should it be reasonable to suppose that an advertisement written in New York to be printed in one of Rio de Janeiro's great dailies should meet with any other fate among the cultured classes of that splendid city than in the first case? The answer is obvious, and the results in dollars and cents will be just as patent to any adver- tiser who makes the experiment. For the reason just stated, the truth of which has been demonstrated many times, it is more than doubtful ethics for many advertising agencies to attempt to make clients in the United States believe that it can give them the same quality of service in Latin- America that it renders in the United States. The case deserves a stronger term than doubtful ethics; downright dishon- esty is a closer characterization. Any advertising man who is in touch with the Latin-American field, and there IN LATIN-AMERICA 13 are few who can really claim to be that, knows that the situation is an intensely complicated and difficult one for an American to handle and that mere reliance on methods that have succeeded in the United States will get his client nowhere. The Latin- American advertising situation must stand on its own feet, be approached from its own individual angles, and solved as an entirely distinct problem from any that are met with in the merchandising campaigns of the United States. On the other hand, no market yields more readily to proper methods than that of Latin-America. There is no more fertile trade-field anywhere in the world, population and purchasing power considered, than the various republics who share this hemisphere with us. The present era is one of awakening and rejuvenation in practically every country south of our Texas border, and the opportunity for trade and national service i unsurpassed. To point out the methods that will win, as well as to show what to avoid, will be the purpose of the following chapters of this book. The field is one that merits the closest attention and most persistent effort. If Americans will work as hard for the develop- ment of this market as they have worked in building up their enormous home market, success will be assured. Perhaps no better contrast between the Latin-Amer- ican character and the North American has ever been made than that expressed by the Hon. Don Frederico Alfonso Pezet, Ambassador to the United States from Peru, a student and an observer. In his book "Contrast in the Development of Nation- ality in Anglo-American and Latin- American," he says : As the news of the discovery of the New World invaded the European countries, two types that were to mold the destinies 14 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE of the wonderlands beyond the seas were brought into play; the one formed of the oppressed and persecuted by religious intoler- ance, the other of the adventurous soldiers of fortune in quest of gold and adventures. Both of these started out with set purposes ; the oppressed and persecuted came to the New World to build up new homes, free from all the troubles left behind; while the adventurous came bent oh destroying and carrying away everything they could lay their hands on. So here we have the true genesis of the forma- tion of nationality in Anglo- and Latin-America. In the two great classes, the permanent and the temporary, the one to build up, the other to tear down and destroy. The one came with rev- erence, the other with defiance ; both with an equally set purpose, but the one with humility in his heart, the other proud and over- bearing ; the one full of tenderness born of his religious zeal, the other cruel and unscrupulous. Thus we find that Anglo-America was settled by austere men seeking religious freedom, men who were fleeing from states with laws prejudicial to their beliefs and practices, men dissatis- fied with the political conditions in their own countries, who did not wish to go so far as to sever their connection entirely with the fatherland, but who sought in the new colonies ameliorated conditions under their own flag; men who came to build homes in a new land, eager to remain because, full of energy, they saw in the very newness of the land the great opportunities it offered them to build a greater commercial and political future for themselves. Besides these good elements there came, as a matter of course, a few adventurous outlaws, and others attracted to the New Land by the prevalent "wanderlust" of the times the lat- ter, a decided minority. Let us now turn to Latin-America. To her went the soldiers of fortune, valiant but ignorant, adventurous and daring, yet unscrupulous. They came principally from a country where re- ligious bigotry was rampant. They were an admixture of vir- tues and vices. They came to conquer, to fight if necessary; their one aim was to better their lot, regardless of by what means IN LATIN-AMERICA 15 or as to the consequences. The companions of Pizarro, Hernan- do Cortez, de Soto, Almagro, Pedrarias, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, were in marked contrast to the men who came to the shores of New England with the Pilgrim Fathers. To us came the militarists seeking a field for new exploits, and in their wake came adventurous outlaws, seeking gold and riches. Of course, there also came some good men, some who would have been willing to preserve what they found, but these were a mi- nority, and besides, the existing conditions throughout our terri- tories prevented this. Because, while in your territory there were nothing but nomadic, savage and semi-savage tribes without fixed settlements, in our territory the Spaniards came upon or- ganized states having a certain civilization of their own. So we have it that in Anglo-America the whites arrived and settled peacefully, acquiring the ownership of the land from the native Indians either by right of purchase, by peaceful treaty negotiations, or in some instances by forceful occupation, after actual warfare with the aborigines, which ended with the con- quest of the land, but not of its inhabitants, who in each case were driven westward. In Latin-America the whites came as a militarily organized force. They overran the countries they discovered, fighting their way from the very outset right into the heart of the unknown territories that they seized, destroying everything, plundering wholesale and making a display of force and rare indomitable courage so as to cower the astonished natives. In Latin- America the white men overthrew the native governments and established themselves as the governing class, reducing the Indian to a state bordering on actual slavery that, in many instances, was slavery. Every cruelty was resorted to by the conquerors. No pity nor mercy was ever shown unto the defenseless tribes. From the very first it was a question of asserting his superiority as a master, and making the Indian feel that he was but a mere tool in his master's hands. From the foregoing it can readily be seen that while your territory was being colonized, in the strictest sense of the word, 16 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE by your forefathers, ours was being conquered by the white man in such a manner as to be most detrimental to posterity. Now let us glance at the types of men who came to your and to our sections of the continent. The colonists of Anglo- America came from those countries of northwestern Europe, where there was the greatest freedom, the nearest approach to republican institutions and government of the people and by the people existent at the time. England, Scotland and Wales, the Netherlands, French Huguenots, Scandinavians, and Germans were the stock from which were evolved the American Colonies. The conquerors of Latin-America were militarists from the most absolute monarchy in Western Europe, and with these soldiers came the adventurers. And after the first news of their wonderful exploits reached the mother country, and the first fruits of the conquests were shown in Spain, their Most Catholic Majesties, Ferdinand and Isabella, felt it their duty to send to the new kingdom beyond the seas learned and holy monks and friars, men of science, and scions of noble families. With these came men of means and great power at home. They brought with them a very large clerical force, composed mainly of young- er sons of the upper classes, each one eager to obtain a sinecure, trusting to his relatives and powerful sponsors to better hia condition and in time to get his promotion to more important and more lucrative positions. It was a veritable army of bureaucrats, of office-seekers, of penniless and spendthrift young men that overran our territory ; men who had never done any work at home; men who by rea- son of birth or by reason of the conditions existing in the mother country at the time had never had to do any work; men whose one and only ambition was a high salary, because they had never had occasion to learn a profession nor to earn a livlihood through industry and toil. From sources so widely different in their components sprang the Anglo-American and the Latin-American. Your men formed an unmixed mass because, although being of divers na- tionalities and coming from divers social classes, they were of IN LATIN-AMERICA 17 pure race and maintained these conditions with very rare ex- ceptions. Besides, they came with the intent of bettering them- selves by becoming independent in a measure, if not of the gov- ernment, at least of the laws that oppressed them at home. They came determined to settle down, and so they brought their families with them and a great many of their belongings, and thus from the very beginning they established homes and or- ganized properly constituted communities of workers. Our men did not bring their women and families until many years after the Conquest. In consequence, the Spaniards from the very commencement took to themselves Indian women and their offspring became the "Mestizos," a mixed race that the haughty and pure Castilians in Spain never countenanced, al- though they were of their own flesh and blood. CHAPTER II Distrust felt by Latins for the United States Quality markets a South American characteristic Methods must be suited to each coun- try European competition active again Lack of good printing equip- ment No standardization of drugs Overcoming native illiteracy Billboard advertising Street-car advertising. AMERICA, in its foreign trade activities, has now reached a point where genuine selling ability must be called into play if results are to be secured. Since 1914 we have been taking orders. Any- one can do that, but to sell goods successfully in open competition with England, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Japan calls for real knowledge of selling, as- sisted by the best aids to closing business that our com- mercial experts are able to devise. The average American labors under a curious delu- sion. He thinks that the United States is popular among the other nations of the world. Particularly does he feel this way in regard to the Latin-American republics. Whole sections of our population, especially in those parts remote from the seaboard, think that South and Central Americans look upon the United States as their friend and comforter. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that Latin-Ameri- cans as a rule distrust the United States, and salesmen from this country find a barrier existing between them and their prospective customers that is difficult to tear down and which their competitors from Europe do not have to face. 18 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE 19 Thus we are met by two important factors in which advertising has a direct part to play ; must play, in fact, if we are to remain as genuine factors in the field of world trade. First, we find our competitors, who have been out of the race for five years, back on the job with offers to supply goods made by workers receiving much lower wages than are paid in the United States. Second, we are confronted by an intangible, but very real and troublesome, psychological factor in the feeling of jeal- ous antagonism resulting from misunderstanding of the Monroe Doctrine and from various other causes. Efficient and properly planned advertising is by long odds the most important aid to business which North Americans can employ in Latin-America. In the long run quality will count, and many Latin-American mar- kets are essentially quality markets. It must be borne in mind at all times that the class in Latin-America able to buy North American goods is very much smaller than its many millions of people would seem to indicate. The class which has purchasing power, however, insists on the best of everything and is well able to pay for it. Therefore it would be suicidal for Americans to sacrifice quality to price, because in no conceivable circumstances shall we ever be able to compete with the low paid labor of Europe and Asia in quantity production of cheap, flimsy goods. Our appeal must always be based on the fact that our goods are the best in the world and, accord- ingly, must cost the most. The average Latin will always be flattered by the tactful assumption on the part of a salesman that he can afford the very best the market is able to provide; the poorest Latin will be insulted and repulsed by the argument that he should 20 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE buy an article because it is cheap and hence adapted to his pocketbook. Inasmuch as the upper classes, to whom the products of the United States must largely be sold, are also the classes which are able to read and which subscribe to publications, particularly the native newspapers, the ability of advertising to bring about a favorable feeling of receptivity for our goods is greatly enhanced. Up to this time, however, the methods used by business houses to bring about this favorable feeling toward their goods have not come anywhere near the maximum of efficiency. We have relied almost entirely on the great American maxim that if it works in the United States, it ought to work anywhere else. The falsity of this has been dem- onstrated times without number, but nearly every new- comer in the foreign trade field has to learn it over again at his own expense. Only those in direct touch with the situation in Latin- America are cognizant of the extent to which the indus- trial nations of Europe have "come back" and are offer- ing goods in the foreign markets of the world. There is a good deal printed in the newspapers of an optimistic character about continued sales of American goods abroad and great stress is laid on the fact that Germany up to this time has not pulled herself together and again started her dangerous competition in the markets of the world. But the German situation is almost en- tirely due to the inability of that country to finance purchases of raw material from which finished goods may be manufactured and sold, a condition certain to be overcome in a short time. This drawback is one that does not exist in the case of Great Britain and Japan, and only to a limited degree in the case of France, Bel- IN LATIN-AMERICA 21 gium and Italy. England and Japan have more capital than they ever had. Only those nations which had to have outside financial assistance to carry on the war are now in acute monetary difficulties; the rest are able to purchase supplies of raw materials in the United States, the Far East, South America and other great prime markets of raw materials either for cash or credit, and are gradually resuming their former highly organized condition of industrial development. Everywhere in South America salesmen of German, British, French and other nationalities are busily at work rebuilding the trade connections which existed before 1914. In many cases these connections had ex- isted for half a century or more and were broken not from choice, but from absolute necessity. What reason is there for believing that the new trade connection with Ajnerican firms will be preferred to that of the older European one, unless some undoubted advantages ac- crue to the South American merchant from sticking to his newer principal? The answer is obvious. There is no reason for so believing, and the old connections will be renewed unless we are able to demonstrate by the quality and price of our goods to the dealer and by our appeal to the buying public through correct methods of advertising that the American producer and Ameri- can goods in the end will prove most satisfactory. A careful balancing of all factors involved in selling merchandise in Latin-America may reasonably be re- duced to this general conclusion : While personal feel- ing is against us to a degree little appreciated in the United States, and while the older business houses espe- cially may prefer their former European associates to the new ones made in the United States during the war, 22 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE the high quality of our goods and the influence that may be exerted on the Latin- American public through adver- tising still leaves us an even chance for the business. It is with the last factor, advertising, that we are here concerned, and that is a form of enterprise in which we excel the world. We have developed advertising to such a degree that to compare the achievements of the United States with those of any other nation is ludi- crous. The difficulty now before us is to restrain over- confidence and to realize that because a method has suc- ceeded in the United States it may not necessarily be the most effective with Latin peoples. The cheerful point of it all is that we understand this effective merchandis- ing weapon better than any other nation and that the proper methods of application to the Latin temperament is the problem now before us. It is true that the application of proper methods to the advertising problems met with in South and Central America involves, in many cases, physical difficulties which are very real, very onerous and sometimes very expensive. For instance, outside of Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and a very few other places, printing facil- ities are woefully below those to be found in any American town of ten thousand or more inhabitants. Printing machinery has to be imported, and as it is heavy, the freight charges are high. Moreover, customs tariffs in many countries appear almost to have been framed with an idea to the exclusion of such machinery, in many cases practically doubling the cost of a press, folder or other piece of equipment. Printing is the business which above almost all other mercantile enterprises calls for genuine artistic ability. Few men in Latin- America are qualified to produce the IN LATIN-AMERICA 23 beautiful advertising matter which is taken as a matter of course in the United States. Trained workmen are hard to get, the average Latin-American printer having no more knowledge of really artistic make-up than the small-town American printer of 1870. If a prospective advertiser decided to have his advertising matter pre- pared in the United States and then shipped to South America for distribution, he will in most instances face a back-breaking customs charge, so that he is between the devil and the deep sea in any event. At this time, however, it would appear that the most feasible plan is to prepare the matter in the United States and then ship it to the country in which it is to be used. In the case of folders, booklets, posters, signs and the like, this will make the cost relatively high, but even so it is greatly to be doubted if any saving made by using South American printers would be justified by results. Where newspaper copy is to be used, and this will probably make up the bulk of the advertising done, mats, plates, cuts or some device which will eliminate the eccentricities of Latin printers should be employed. The point that as little matter as possible should be left for setting in South America cannot be too strongly emphasized. The main difficulty seems to be to get the advertiser in America to understand that while the most successful advertising can be mechanically con- structed in the United States, it must be laid out and written by minds entirely unbiased by what have come to be accepted principles of advertising in this country. The average American is slow to believe that any one can do anything better than an American can do it. If he can once disabuse his mind on this point so far as the writing of advertisements directed at Latin minds is 24 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE concerned, he will have made a long step forward toward success in reaching the buying classes of half the western hemisphere. Just how this copy should be prepared and the way to get writers qualified to prepare it are subjects too long for discussion at this point, but will be treated in later chapters. In my trips through South and Central America I have seen advertising matter prepared in the United States for use in other countries which represented terrific losses. The most elemental factors are, in many cases, entirely overlooked. A traveler gets accustomed to taking many things for granted as being generally known, but the number of ordinary day-to-day facts about Latin-America that seem completely unknown to many men who are seeking to do business in South America is astonishing. I have seen canoes and rain- coats advertised in parts of Chile and elsewhere where a bull-frog would have to wait forty years to take a bath in rain-water. In sections of Brazil where the nearest artificial ice-machine was probably a thousand miles away I have seen expensive folders telling the good points of American refrigerators. Probably the most foolish of all was the signboard I once saw in Venezuela advertising American ready- made clothes of a well-known brand. The fact is that such a high tax is imposed on ready-made clothing by the Venezuelan tariff laws that such importations are relatively small. Further, the climate of Venezuela makes anything but the lightest clothing superfluous, and even if it were cooler, the number of people able to purchase American ready-made clothing is almost neg- ligible. It cannot be too strongly reiterated for the benefit of American business men that Latin- Americans IN LATIN-AMERICA 25 fall into two classes. Either they are cultured, well read, of considerable financial resources and buy the best the world affords, or they are of the peon class, illiterate, wretchedly poor and without the means to purchase expensive articles or the knowledge to use them when acquired. Obviously, it is to the first and smaller class that the bulk of American advertising will be directed and there will be no place for American ready-made clothing in the wants of this class. There has been a tendency among American firms to try to reach dealers through such advertising copy as is used in the technical and trade publications of the United States. Such a policy entirely overlooks the fact that in South America trade journals are almost wholly lacking. While it is difficult to think of any line of business in the United States which does not have its special publication filled with articles of value to that particular line, such as the "Dry Goods Econ- omist," "Railway Age," "Iron Age," or "American Ex- porter," it is equally difficult to think of any line in South America which has its own publication, except perhaps religious and medical periodicals. Trade jour- nals have been a development of the organizations in industry, and as such organizations are almost entirely unknown among the storekeepers and business men of Latin America, the impetus which has developed trade journals with us has been wholly lacking. The best plan is to concentrate on the buying public. If intending purchasers can be persuaded to ask for a certain advertised article, it will not be long before dealers will carry it in stock. The problem confronting the American who desires to do business in this part of the world is to get his advertising so prepared and ap- 26 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE plied as to bring about an impulse to buy in the reader's mind. By solving this problem he will extend his sales and will reduce the amount he will otherwise have to spend in stimulating sales through other and slower methods. The first requisite to success in advertising to the people of Latin America is to understand how deep- seated are the causes which make them look at every- thing in a different light from that to which Anglo- Saxons are accustomed. Most countries of South and Central America have changed but little in three hun- dred years. Any doubters of this statement ought to visit Lima, the capital of Peru, or La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. A trip to either is a reversion to the Middle Ages and will impress on any intending advertiser the necessity to adopt methods that will appeal to popula- tions of primitive minds, rather than to undertake the monumental task of educating the public of those coun- tries up to North American standards. Another profound difference between our civilization and that of Latin- America is the fact that all these re- publics do business under the Civil Code, the laws first promulgated by Napoleon Bonaparte. This is a system of jurisprudence which differs in every essential point from the common law on which our legislation and cus- toms are founded. It presumes every man guilty until proved innocent, always puts the burden of proof on the reverse of where it would be in the United States, and is enforced with a long series of precedents utterly unlike anything of which we have knowledge or experi- ence in this country. The difficulty which American exporters appear to have in understanding certain things which occasionally happen to their goods in IN LATIN-AMERICA 27 South America is due to their ignorance of the prolixi- ties of this alien legal code. Here again is an excellent example of the necessity of having Latin-Americans cooperate in any scheme for trade or advertising expan- sion which is to include Latin-American countries. It is pathetic to take up Latin-American newspapers and find therein advertised medical preparations which can be made up, supposedly, by any druggist. The American advertiser blithely took it for granted that the druggists of South. American cities had the same equipment, the same stocks of basic drugs, the same technical knowledge and skill of modern American pharmacists. The fact is that in all South American cities, with a very few exceptions, the trade of the apoth- ecary is relatively in the same stage that it was when pharmacists and magicians were alike looked upon with suspicion and when both classes spent most of their time searching for the elixir of eternal youth. Prac- tically all South American druggists make their own syrups, elixirs, tinctures and the other requirements for compounding prescriptions. This fact makes it obvi- ously impossible to secure any uniformity between two stores, and the careful proportions exacted by the United States Pharmacoepia would appear an insolv- able puzzle to 99 per cent, of all Latin-American drug- gists. There is no such thing as standardization of drugs in Latin-America such as in this country. The above gives a clue to the success which patent and proprietary medicines have had in Latin-America, but the French manufacturers have always won the cream of the business. My experience as a physician in Latin-America gave me an insight into the business of selling remedies which was rather unique, and I 28 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE have never failed to be struck with admiration at the methods of the French in selling this particular line. They always led all other countries in the sale of medi- cine and have built for themselves a prestige in South America which can probably never be overcome. Among the most ludicrous errors in advertising which I have ever seen have been those which assumed the possession of heating-plants in South American cities. Although many of these cities are located at very high altitudes and are extremely cold at certain seasons of the year, modern heating systems are practically un- known and hot water plants few and far between. The heating-stove, which would be taken for granted as part of the furnishing of the most meager North American home, is almost a stranger in South America. Spend- ing money to advertise stoves, ranges, furnaces and hot water heating attachments for heating and cooking- stoves under such circumstances can hardly be termed a wise proceeding, but I have seen just such advertising in at least four different countries of South America. Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and a very few other cities in South America have some streets which are evenly enough paved and provided with side- walks for roller-skates to be used. The rest of the conti- nent is almost entirely lacking in this respect. Never- theless, American manufacturers of roller-skates have spent money to advertise in South America and have written thousands of letters to jobbers and wholesalers of hardware in leading Latin cities in an effort to secure orders for roller-skates. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the question of studying a foreign market from every angle before spending a cent in an advertising campaign. Many IN LATIN-AMERICA 29 learn this after their money has been wasted. It is extremely difficult to convince the average American that his line will not sell abroad because he had no trouble in introducing it in the United States. He hates to be argued out of this false notion. In many instances, perhaps because of low standards of living, he will find that markets are closed to his class of goods, or he may ascertain that even in some communities where living conditions are supposed to be up to date, other things militate against a successful selling campaign for his product. Of late many American manufacturers of electrical labor-saving devices for household use have started advertising their wares abroad and are wondering why their efforts have brought forth relatively small results. Not one of these concerns has taken into consideration that the principal factor operating against the use of their goods for example, electric ranges, electric heat- ing devices, electric irons, electric toasters, electric carpet-sweepers, electric hair-curlers, electrically oper- ated washing-machines, electric foot-warmers is that at present there are an extremely limited number of houses wired for electricity. Besides, the average servant abroad is far less intelligent than his American equal, and in attempting to use the electrical device he might cause damage to the house or injury to himself. Even where establishments are equipped, it would be difficult to get the average householder or menial to use the labor-saving appliance. Hence the small de- mand for such articles. Incidentally, we venture it as our opinion that Europe, Latin-America, Asia, Africa, Canada and Australia will not for fifty years to come 30 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE use electricity in the home for purposes so common in this country to-day. On the other hand, there is no question that all kinds of non-electrically operated household labor-saving de- vices ultimately could be introduced to many of the housewives of other lands by a properly conducted advertising campaign. The countries which will be the first to accept these innovations would be Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, and those of north- ern Europe. In other lands, and more especially in Asia, Africa and Latin-America, where there is a plethora of cheap and unskilled labor, another century must elapse before articles of that nature will receive even the slightest consideration. The average American has no conception how cheap man-power is in many places. This was vividly impressed upon me when a Scotch merchant of Bombay, India, bought a Studebaker two-horse farm wagon for delivery purposes and pro- ceeded to put four short handles on the shaft. When I intimated to him that the handles would interfere with the horses hauling the wagon, he replied, "Man dear, horses cost money to feed and keep in condition. I in- tend having four coolies pull this wagon. They will feed and attend to themselves for four annas (eight cents) each per diem and can also read enough to deliver the parcels." And this same situation exists throughout the world. With labor so cheap, it must be apparent that mechanical labor-saving devices will not be wel- comed hurriedly in many localities. Problems created by climate and illiteracy form the primer grades in one's Latin-American advertising edu- cation. Until a thorough understanding of these two matters is gained, little benefit is apt to follow the un- IN LATIN-AMERICA 31 wise expenditure of money for advertising, as the adver- tising methods and copy must be so devised as to make full allowance for these two problems. It will surprise most Americans to learn that there are fifty-four Mexi- can cities at an altitude of more than four thousand feet. Farther south the heights become even more impressive, La Paz, Bolivia's capital, being twelve thousand feet above sea level. This means, of course, that these cities are decidedly chilly at night in the summer time and extremely cold all day long in the winter time. How much popularity is likely to be won by the frothy kind of silk nightwear worn by the better class of women in the United States? A woman of La Paz would freeze to death in the night-clothing worn by the average American woman. What she needs is a heavy woolen nightgown of the sort we put on children who sleep in cold rooms. As Americans have never gone after this avenue of sales, the women, even of the better classes, usually wear the rough night-clothing bought by the yard in native stores and made up for wear in their own households. Extremes of difference are the rule everywhere in South America, and nowhere in a more aggravated form than in the matter of altitude. Just as more people live at high places in South America, so do vast numbers live along the sea level in places where the average American would soon contract fever and die. In these places heat is the rule all the year round. La Guaira, for instance, is the port of import and export for Vene- zuela's beautiful capital city, Caracas. It is a fever- ridden spot where the sun beats down and life is a burden. The capital, only about twenty-five miles away, 32 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE is high, cool, healthful, and an altogether delightful place. The problem of illiteracy is the one with which the American will have his greatest trouble in devising an advertising campaign. It seems too much taken for granted in this country that every one in Latin- America can read and write so that our advertising designers are appalled at the prospect of depending upon pictorial matter alone. An index to the illiteracy of Latin-Amer- ican countries may be gained from the fact that Guate- mala is 92 per cent, illiterate. The highest of all Latin countries is Argentina, 54 per cent, of whose people are classed as being able to read and write. This figure must, however, be taken with a grain of salt. The chances are that the percentage of illiteracy is much higher. The answer to the problems raised by this condition of illiteracy is unquestionably by means of pictorial advertising. Advertisers who were in the field long before any American firms, quickly learned that the picture is the thing, and what success they have won is due to a recognition of that fact and an intelligent interpretation of the psychology of the native mind. The best methods of using posters, cards, picture-puz- zles, and the like, will be more thoroughly gone into in later chapters of this work, but some attention should here be given to the advertising methods used out of doors. Americans, especially those who travel around in automobiles or in railway cars, often derive the idea that we have reduced the science of billboard advertis- ing to its finest possible sense. Such is not the fact. Almost any first or second class city in South America - C3 ading G tfl C W c o o -* H Crf O 0-, S % = 8 ^? ' *^ *^ <=" * ci S S < H CW = 2 _J in < CO b O rt ro Q c rt ^ P fl - C - E tn rt al ~ A v ra . E g.S c 03 2 3 r2 V) La lintura ideal para el cabello t.in,is, no es siempre indicio de vejcz. pero si tiende a quitarle a uno toda apanencia de (uventud. La- pcrmite devolvcr al cabello y la barba su color natural. Posee una inocuidad absoluta. De uso sencillo. No tiene los incom'cmentes de otras tinturas se- meianles. que provocan irntaciones pclo y hasta envenenamientos. No contienc ninguna sal metalica, como sus productos similares. Eg iinii ei todis las lamtlit I ptfluncrias tt It Rigtbllci. dAmaneciA usted de mal semblante? ^Sufre de desordencsal sistema digestive? ORGANA A?ua mineral purgante, le devolvera la saludi Pedidos por Mayor: LABORATORIO SANINO - Casilla 34 - VlRA DEL MAR There is nothing about this picture suggestive of a hair dye, yet that is what is being advertised. Illustrations are seldom associated with the text. The picture shows Margaret Wycherly, the well-known actress, while the text an- nounces that "Organa" is a mineral-water purgative good for the health. IN LATIN-AMERICA 33 can show signboard and wall advertising in much great- er profusion and in richer illustration and color than anything known in this country. The use of walls is much more general than in the United States, for the very good reason that Spanish types of architecture call for walls around houses and buildings to a much greater extent than we are accustomed to. The advertising space thus created is put to good use by local adver- tisers, but the typographical character of the average poster used is of a very low order and there is little doubt that intelligent study of such advertising by Americans would result in posters for this purpose that would have far greater pulling power than the ads now being used. To take advantage of such advertising media, a local representative is imperative. These walls, scattered far and wide in the neighborhood of every important city and town, as a rule are under the control of a large number of fly-by-night agents, with little apparent re- sources and no visible means of support. In many cases they are farmed out and re-farmed out by the owners, and graft is paid to a host of impecunious municipal officials, police officers and the other swarm of politi- cally supported parasites who infest Latin-American municipal politics. To use such a medium by means of mail instructions is clearly out of the question, but the value of the walls and signboards as a means of getting American products before the largest part of the general public is so apparent that little needs to be said to impress the advertiser with the advantage of arranging with a reliable local representative to handle this side of his advertising campaign. The natives of South America, like all emotional and 34 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE primitive people, are fond of traveling. It is not so much a desire to go somewhere as to keep on the move that has made the installation of street-railways a prof- itable venture in so many Latin-American cities. For that reason, cards in street-cars and along street-car routes are especially popular. Street-car cards have perhaps been brought to a higher degree of artistic development in South America than any other form of advertising, but with the haphazardness that is typical of the race, the cards are not uniform in size and the re- sult is a most curious hodgepodge of advertising matter that repels the unaccustomed eye. Coloring of car-cards has been brought to a respectable stage of development in the Argentine Republic, but in Brazil it is necessary to import cards, if colors are to be used. In Brazil printing has not attained to anything like the point reached in Argentina or in a few other countries. The street-cars of Rio, in particular, are of value as advertising mediums, because the passengers are divided into two classes. The better class of passengers, among whom are included all able to read and most of those whose purchasing power is worth considering, ride in the first car, in which the car-cards are displayed. The lower classes, who comprise an element in the city's population of so poverty stricken a character that no American city has any class with which they may be compared, ride in trailers. Little advertising is at- tempted in the trailers, and any expenditure for such a purpose would be largely wasted. Rio de Janiero has a population of 1,200,000, and the street-car system operating therein, as well as in the surrounding territory, carry in its five hundred cars approximately 500,000 passengers a day. For a side IN LATIN-AMERICA 35 space in each car of 34.75 by 53 centimeters about twenty-five cents per car, per month, per card is paid, or $100 for the full run of all cars per month. Front spaces 24 by 43 centimeters sell for double the price of side spaces. Frames suspended from the roof, 21 by 107 centimeters, double-sided, cost $1.50 per month per car. Outside platform spaces, front or rear, and above car- fenders, 45 by 70 centimeters, cost $5.00 per space per car per month. The two hundred first-class cars of Sao Paulo, with its 450,000 people, will carry your announcement for the same rates as those of the capital, except front space, which measures 35 by 59 centimeters and costs $1.25 per month, per car, per card. The very excellent electric street-car system in Buenos Aires is to be commended for its advertising value. These surface lines carry approximately 400,000,000 people yearly, while the subway in operation in Buenos Aires transports annually about 65,000,000 of the capi- tal's population. Space in both of these lines is in much demand and is sold by the Compania Argentina de Publicidad, of Buenos Aires, which controls the exclu- sive advertising concession. CHAPTER III Value of colored posters Popularity of pictures of women Buying goods merely to get the container Concentration on pictorial features Method of buying bill-posting space Slow development of electrical signs Difficulties in connection with window displays Storekeepers follow French ideas. POSTERS for street and window display and hangers for indoor purposes have always proved good advertising mediums throughout Latin- America. This is due primarily to the fact that the natives of all classes are attracted by anything printed in colors. Furthermore, announcements of this char- acter are relatively scarce because of the few local estab- lishments capable of producing such material, for be it remembered that printing and the arts allied thereto are relatively in their infancy in all except a few of the larger and more progressive cities of this section of the world. In addition to this, most Latin- American re- publics levy heavy import duties on propaganda of this nature, so that colored pictures, chromos and the like are far from common and are to be seen only in the homes of the wealthy, which very naturally gives them an additional value in the eyes of the proletariat. As evidence of the high appreciation in which such display cards and signs are held let me give two illus- trations from very remote portions of South America. The agent for a North American patent medicine com- pany was distributing cards from house to house and also putting up posters in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. 36 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE 37 The posters, which were about 24 x 48 inches and de- signed in three-color work, showed a man with a fish on his back and contained a few words generally indica- tive of the cures which it was claimed the mixture would effect. They really lacked any great amount of artistic value and were mere gaudy color schemes. De- spite this, the commandant of the fort which faces both the city and the entrance to the harbor sent a special messenger to the representative of the concern and re- quested that he be given several posters. The American traveler, with characteristic shrewdness, appreciated the situation and at once offered to cover the walls of the commandant's living-quarters, as well as the local garrison offices, with the hideous sheets, provided he would be allowed to paste as many as possible on the outer walls of the fortifications. Needless to state, the concession was readily granted. The Venezuelan Gov- ernment was thus placed in the position of officially recognizing and recommending the nostrum. And as a further evidence of the complete appreciation of the brave soldier in charge of this national stronghold, all guards were instructed to see that no one be allowed to deface the posters so conspicuously in evidence every- where. This same American medicine firm had small hangers resembling a willow basket, filled with highly colored apples, plums, peaches, pears, grapes and other fruits. To my knowledge these announcements were distrib- uted fully fifteen years ago, yet on my last trip through Bolivia I saw several on the walls of Indian huts and the houses of the wealthy and better classes. Many also were to be seen in various cantinas and in the rail- way stations, especially those along the line of the 38 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Trans-Andean Railway between Santiago, Chile and Mendoza, Argentina. In designing posters and hangers for this trade, it should be borne in mind that the better class of Latin- Americans appreciate genuine artistic work and are particularly sensitive to high-grade coloring. They are relatively in a minority in every republic south of the Rio Grande, however, while the common people, in- tensely ignorant and overwhelmingly in the majority, with a large percentage of Indian or negro blood in their veins, are strongly appealed to by the most vivid and garish of colorings. Therefore, if the article which you propose to advertise is for the classes, your illus- trations should possess more fineness and quality than if intended for the masses. Perhaps nothing in the line of announcements of this type appeals more strongly to the Latin-American of all classes than the female form, as nude as possible. Due to the fact that practically all of the inhabitants of these countries are of the brunette type and more or less of slender physique, their preferences are decidedly for blonds of robust figure. Taking advantage of this phase of their temperament, excellent results were attained for an American mineral water which uses as its trade-mark Psyche peering into a spring by com- pletely disrobing that mythological lady and adding materially to the dimensions of her breasts, hips and thighs. This suggestion is worthy of serious considera- tion by manufacturers of ladies' underwear, corsets, stockings, shoes and the like. No matter how liberal the artist may be with his colorings, provided of course they are within the bounds of possibilities and his re- production of the female outline within the realm of IN LATIN-AMERICA 39 decency, there need be no fear of incurring the enmity of any Latin-American of either sex or any calling. Indeed, I have frequently seen such advertisements displayed in the residences of the priests throughout the land. Nothing can better illustrate the value of highly colored pictures as advertising mediums for aboriginal minds than my experience with the American Seed tape Company. The vegetable seeds put up by this concern were packed in square cartons, with a colored litho- graphic picture of the vegetable or flower-seed therein appearing on the top side of the container. We began to receive repeat orders from a merchant in Bechuana- land, Africa, which grew larger and larger. In fact, they were entirely out of proportion to the purchasing power of the almost entirely naked inhabitants of that region, who, I knew, were engaged in cattle-raising and cultivating maize only, relying on the wild fruits and roots of the country for their diet. Finally, the English trader to whom we had been selling these goods came to America and called upon us, placing an extra large order for immediate shipment. I asked him if the natives had changed their habits and now cultivated vegetables around their kraals. "Bless you, no, old chap," he replied. "I hate to tell you the truth about your seeds. Not one of them is planted. As soon as the native purchases a package, he opens the box and throws the contents away. The container he takes to his hut, where it is placed upon the walls as an adornment. They have an artistic sense about them, too, for I notice that the flower-packages serve as the upper border and the vegetables form the lower portion of these wall decorations," 40 ADVERTISING FOE TRADE I believe that is as strong an argument as the most pessimistic advertiser can demand in favor of highly colored advertising materials for primitive peoples. If the poster or hanger can graphically tell a story which will be understood by simple minds, its effective- ness is materially enhanced. I distinctly recall one used by Wampole's Wine of Cod Liver Oil in Latin- America, in which the aid of the deadly parallel column was invoked. I have always considered this special piece of propaganda without a peer in its particular field. Right here it may be well to state that the people of South and Central America are extensive users of cod liver oil in any form, one well-known brand being so famous that local wags claimed that babies learned to lisp the name of the medicine before they could say "mama." In order to take advantage of this psychology and to profit to the extreme by the advertising done by this preparation, also to show the superior qualities of the improved article having no disagreeable odor or taste and at the same time to make as strong an appeal as possible to the untutored individual, pictures were used instead of text. The illiterate, by the way, form the great army of patent medicine buyers the world over. The story thus told was apparent at a glance, even to the Indians, who would stand in front of the display for hours discussing it and the lesson it had for them. As a caption, printed in heavy-face type across the entire top of the sheet, appeared these words, in Spanish : IN LATIN-AMERICA 41 PROGRESS IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY EVERYWHERE At the head of the left-hand column was a picture of an old-time stage-coach, many of which are used in Latin-America to-day, while in the same position in the upper portion of the right column was a modern locomotive. Below the stage-coach was a picture of an Indian runner holding a letter, opposite to which was a reproduction of a telegraph-line. Then came, in regular order, a tallow candle and an electric-light, a quill and a typewriter, a woman sewing by hand and another operating a sewing-machine. This was followed by a perfect reproduction of the well-known emulsion of cod liver oil in colors, while across from it appeared a facsimile of the competitive article, the modern medi- cament. Beneath, and as a final picture, at the bottom of the left-hand column was depicted an emaciated youth making a wry face over taking the medicine, while below the right-hand bottle was a smiling, well- developed young woman of substantial attractiveness. It will be noted that this story was well told by using objects with which even the very ignorant among the natives were more or less familiar, and the best proof that this advertisement "took the message to Garcia" was the fact that the sales of the emulsion decreased, while that of the wine increased in the territory wherein these hangers were displayed. There is not a single business which does not in some form or other lend itself to this method of public appeal, so simple, so direct and so effective in convincingly reaching an illiterate people. It should be kept in mind that in most Latin- American countries bill-posting hoardings are not to be had, and 42 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE one is obliged to use walls of houses or the high adobe fences which inclose most homes in this region. As a rule, there is seldom any objection on the part of owners or householders to this procedure, but it is always a sign of good breeding and diplomacy to ask permission of the occupant before putting up the advertisement. In ninety-nine out of one hundred cases the request will be graciously granted and the poster faithfully guarded against the attacks of the small boy, provided the head of the house is presented with a little souvenir, if possible in the shape of a sample of the article that is being advertised. In Buenos Aires the municipality provides appro- priate display spaces along the principal thoroughfares for this purpose. These are so much in demand and are so popular that the space is contracted for years in advance, and one may, indeed, consider himself fortunate if he gets his announcements on them. In addition to insuring the posters from the ravages of the street gamin, who seems to find special joy in defacing such propaganda, the fact that the announce- ment appears on the municipal sign-boards, to a certain extent, places the government's seal of approval on the article thus advertised. Many Latin-American municipalities sell or lease to some local individual, generally a politician, the ex- clusive right to post announcements throughout the city. Infringements of any kind on the concession thus given usually involve the responsible one in serious and annoying difficulties with the local authorities, who always delight in mulcting to the extreme limit any unfortunate foreigner who comes before them charged with any infraction of the city ordinances. It is well, IN LATIN-AMERICA 43 therefore, before advertising by this method in any city south of the Rio Grande to make inquiries as to the situation, and, if it is ascertained that the bill-posting rights are thus held, to arrange with the lessee for your display. These men have no fixed prices for the priv- ilege, and it will be entirely up to you to get the best terms possible by the usual methods in vogue in these lands. As a rule, those in this business generally are in a position to send men out to do the work and will contract with you to do the same. Let me caution my readers that all work should be carefully checked up before payments are made, for the native bill-poster is very apt to take half the sheets to his home for domestic uses, or else give them to friends or passers-by, instead of displaying them on hoardings as per your instruc- tions. As indicative of the complications which may follow posting a town wherein a native holds the concession for this purpose, let me relate the experiences of an Ameri- can circus that billed Lima, Peru. The advance man w r as unfamiliar with local conditions. With typical Yankee energy this individual, with his trained poster- gang, worked all night in the Peruvian capital. Next morning all Lima was treated to the modern American way in which circuses herald their coming. There was not a wall, curbstone, or other point of vantage on which a circus advertisement in vivid colors did not appear. Content with his work, the advance man went to the port of Callao, nine miles from Lima, to meet the ar- riving show and to receive the commendation of his employer for his efficiency. But he was horrified to see each member of his troupe arrested as he or she reached land, and every horse and animal, as well as the proprie- 44 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE tors, tents, properties and accessories were attached. Inquiry developed the fact that he had not obtained permission to post the town from the local highbinder holding the right. To make a very long and sad story short, it took thousands of dollars to pacify the out- raged feelings of the injured concessionaire, in addition to mollifying the local judge and police, as well as the petty city officials, whereas a hundred dollars could easily have purchased the privilege in question. Some countries and cities also tax signs in proportion to their size, the same to be paid either to the national government, the municipality, or to the local concession holder. This custom is prevalent in many Cuban cities, Havana being notorious for its fees of this character. Numbers on houses, the names of firms appearing over places of business, and professional and door- and name- plates are included in this category. Other republics and commonwealths of Latin-America require that an internal revenue stamp be affixed to every hanger displayed, no matter where, the tax to be paid varying with the dimension of the sheet. Before sending announcements of this nature to agents abroad, inquiry should be made as to the legal require- ments and the stamps designated by law should be obtained and affixed thereto prior to the distribution of the same. If this is not done, the recipient will graciously acknowledge its receipt, properly admire the beauty and forcefulness of the ad., promise effusively to display it in the most prominent part of his place of business and on the departure of your representa- tive immediately proceed to destroy it. Generally speaking, posters, hangers, display banners and the like are far more effective for advertising pur- IN LATIN-AMERICA 45 poses in Latin-America and the West Indies than elsewhere. Used with discretion they are excellent supplemental mediums by which to attract the public attention, and I can commend them most heartily to those contemplating an extensive advertising campaign in the overseas markets under discussion. The electric-sign has not been extensively used for advertising purposes in Latin-America, the West and East Indies, Africa and Asia, and many portions of Europe, especially in the countries of the Mediterranean Littoral and the Balkan States. I seriously doubt if it will form an important adjunct in any campaign of propaganda for many years to come. There are many reasons for making this positive statement. As a rule, all Latin-American cities, as originally planned, were designed to resist the invasions of pirates, buccaneers and foreign foes, for in the early days of these colonies of Spain, the towns of South and Central America, as well as those of the West Indies and the islands of the Caribbean Sea, including those laved by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, were being continually attacked by these "unscrupulous gentry of the salt foam." Consequently almost all of these places were built more compactly than the cities of this country, and in many instances the streets are so narrow that oppo- site neighbors can almost shake hands from their balco- nies. These restricted thoroughfares made the advance and progress of invaders difficult and the residents were able to attack them from the housetops, a condition which would not be true had the streets been wide. Parks and plazas are few and the approaches to them, as a rule, are narrow and tortuous ; hence the visibility of any sign is materially reduced the very thing to be 46 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE guarded against in a sign of this character. High build- ings are relatively few. Some cities have recently erected structures modern in every sense of the word, but they do not afford the greatest possibilities for elec- tric-signs, owing to the nature of their surroundings. In other words, most cities of Latin-America do not offer the proper sites for such displays. To-day some of the larger capitals Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, notably have undertaken street improvements which to a great extent will overcome some of the faults named, but such work is confined to rather restricted areas, so that it is extremely doubtful, assuming that a good location could be secured, if the message to be delivered could be made to reach the masses, owing to the fact that most oT these regions at present are relatively isolated and therefore inac- cessible to those to whom the announcement might appeal. Many cities, however, are ideally situated with back- grounds provided by nature, which could be taken ad- vantage of for electric and other signs. I have special reference to such towns as Iquique, Antofogasta, and Valparaiso, Chile. There are many other similar sites throughout the world eagerly awaiting the arrival of the man of vision. The towns named are located on a strip of beach facing the Pacific Ocean. Behind them loom in majestic impre&siveness the Andes, denuded of trees and consisting of barren red rocks. One American firm to a slight degree has used these natural billboards to advertise in massive white letters a tea it sells. These signs, unfortunately, can only be seen during the day. Their efficiency would be obviously increased one hun- dred per cent, if the display were made at night with IN LATIN-AMERICA 47 electric-lights. One does not need a vivid imagination to appreciate the enormous advertising value a sign of this nature would have. Located thousands of feet above a town it would be visible for miles at sea, as well as to the inhabitants of the surrounding country, espe- cially on a dark night when it would appear as if sus- pended from the heavens. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Caracas, Venezuela, Bogota, Colombia and La Paz, Bolivia, as well as numerous other large and small towns in Mexico, Central America and South America, thus offer excellent natural backgrounds for such a purpose, and some day they will be so utilized. The Latin-American is not mechanically inclined. Indeed, it has been truthfully said of him that if he is put to work at a machine, he will either break the machine or the machine will kill him. Perhaps of all the people of the universe he is the most lacking in mechanical ingenuity, which may be corroborated by the scarcity of machine-shops in either South or Central America owned or operated by natives and the further fact that the records of the United States Patent Office show but few patents have been issued to those living in these countries. This statement is generally true of all primitive people and applies equally well to the inhabitants of the less advanced nations of the world. This being so, it follows that it is practically impos- sible to introduce and maintain in perfect operation the animated electric display-signs so common in American cities. If such a sign were installed in the largest and most modern Latin- American city, the chances are that the intricate and ingenious mechanical parts would become worn, owing to climatic conditions and rough handling. It would then fail to function, and it is 48 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE extremely doubtful if any local native mechanic would be able to repair it, though the value of such an an- nouncement depends on its continuous performance. In addition, the problem is further complicated by the fact that the Latin-American has hardly a speaking ac- quaintance with electrically operated devices, so ex- tensively employed in this class of advertisements. Furthermore, most of these countries are without coal, and this fuel for both heat and light has to be imported from New South Wales, Europe or the United States. Electrically operated signs, granting that the appro- priate location might be secured and competent me- chanics found, for this reason would be more expensive than conditions would warrant. With coal at fifty dollars a ton a normal price during the past few years in some of the larger cities to the south of the United States it must be apparent that the rate per hour for electric signboards would be almost prohibitive. When an electrical advertising device could be used, I suggest that a fixed sign in brilliant colors be em- ployed, prominently displaying the trade-mark. The bright colors would attract attention and the entire absence of mechanical devices and intricate mechanism eliminate or materially reduce the possibility of putting the same out of commission. A few such announcements are slowly coming into use in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, where their operation with comparative ease and success is in great measure due to the presence of American and European mechanics in these cities. Undoubtedly electrically operated window-signs could be made a very valuable adjunct in an advertising cam- paign. Their value would be materially dependent upon their being "fool proof," compact, durable and light, so RSUR OR BELLEZR fl PEROLA DA BARCELONA (Privilegiada por SS. MM. RR. da Hespaoba) deve se achar em todo o boudoir das se- nhoras elegantes e que prezam a sua epi- derme. Torna a pelle alva e avelludada, lira as mancbas e da-lhe um aspecto encantador. E' O ENCANTO DAS SENHORAS AMERICAN Alem de dar bfilho aos cabellos e de tor- nal-os inacios e crespos, essa 10980 e infal- livel para combatnr a OASPA e evitar a QUEDA DOS CABELLOS. Preparado com Kerozene e nao com ben- zina ou essencias como os productos simi- lares, e'.le c por isso mesrao mais efficaz. Encontram~se a \enda em todas as perfumarlas. SAO PAULO Deposito: RUA THEOPHILO OTTONI, 102 - RIO Latin-American advertisements are replete with the nude female form, which appeals strongly to all classes of readers. Due to the fact that a majority of the inhabitants are brunettes, or have negro or Indian blood in their veins, the blonde exerts a stronger appeal to their imagination and for that reason should be employed when necessary or advisable to use such an illustration. Octuhre I." ertising business, and it is probable that the right kind of American, in touch with local conditions and knowing how to approach the Latin publisher on his own ground, would be able to make the publishers realize that it is to their own ad- vantage to eliminate present unsatisfactory practices. Until American agencies are established in South America it will be the wisest policy for American adver- tisers to depend either upon firms to whom they sell goods for cooperation in the placing of advertising copy, or to utilize the much more satisfactory expedient of sending a well qualified personal representative. CHAPTEE XIII Follow-up letters never properly utilized in South America Necessity of using registered mail Value of samples Must be in native lan- guage Imperative requirement of proper postage Using different colored stationery Necessity for care in addresses Fines paid by recipients Benefits of eliminating all mailing abbreviations. THE follow-up letter, so well known and accepted as a necessity in the United States, strangely enough has never made much headway in South America. The reason for this has always been obscure to me, but I imagine that it resulted from an absolute failure in the first attempts to use it in Latin markets. The unquestionable fact is that, properly used, the follow-up letter can be made to pull splendidly. Latin-American business men have a monumental feel- ing of indifference toward the common things in life or in business. To get their attention something new and unusual is needed. Ordinary postage is at the disposal and within the knowledge of the lowliest peon, but there are other forms of communication that are distinctly not in that class. A follow-up letter accompanied by samples, no matter how low may be the value of the samples, will always receive attention in a South American business estab- lishment if sent by registered mail and with the accom- paniment of all the pomp and courtesy which it is pos- sible to give an object and a letter received through the mails. Such letters should be as personal as possible and as verbose as the human mind can make them. 126 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE 127 Even if he knows the merits of the article to be exag- gerated, a South American merchant will discount the letter as much as he feels proper, but if the value of the article has been understated the South American will become suspicious of what is, to him, such strange behavior and will instantly add a little further deprecia- tion for good measure. Such letters and samples should be sent not later than a week after the personal visit of the American repre- sentative, and it is not too often to continue sending them every week. Latins like attention. Registered letters do not cost much, if any business is realized from them, and they are well worth the trouble of sending. Furthermore, South American post offices are notori- ously lax. Samples sent in the open mail are as likely as not to be stolen before reaching their destination, thus irritating, rather than pleasing, the firm or indi- vidual to whom they were consigned. Follow-up letters have been an overlooked chance with too many Ameri- can manufacturers and exporters; they deserve careful attention and may be depended upon to pay excellent dividends. It should go without saying that all such letters must be written in Spanish for all the so-called republics using that language, and in Portuguese for Brazil. The folly of writing to merchants of Latin-America in a language they cannot understand is not confined to the waste of paper, time and postage involved, but does great damage through the creation of a feeling in the mind of the South American merchant that he has been treated discourteously. It is a discourtesy to write to such a merchant in a foreign language because, in many cases, the merchant will feel that the letter may contain 128 ADVEETISING FOB TRADE something important and will go to the trouble and ex- pense of having it translated, only to discover that it is a form letter extolling some brand of goods and contain- ing no personal touch of any sort. Such conduct on the part of any American firm reacts against all Americans and creates an irritating feeling that Americans are lacking in observing the ordinary amenities of business which count for so much throughout these countries. Another point in connection with mail matter is the absolute necessity of using sufficient postage. Fines for improperly stamped letters are much heavier in South America than they are with us, and they are a never- ending source of trouble and vexation. There is scarcely anything so inexcusable as this, yet it has done more to cause dissatisfaction with American methods of doing business than almost any other factor. The best method of guarding against this matter of inadequate postage is to use stationery of a different color for foreign let- ters than that used in the conduct of domestic business. The young clerks who are generally in charge of letter- mailing in every big business organization are not of the experience or type to be likely to take any excessive amount of interest in the question of the condition of a letter when it is delivered in South America a month after it leaves the United States, but they can be im- pressed with the idea that a letter printed on colored paper means extra postage. Many firms have adopted the colored paper and en- velope idea with marked success, and it has succeeded in removing for them one of the bugbears of South American business. This, of course, is something that applies to foreign correspondence everywhere. It is as vital in Europe and in the Far East to have mail prop- So Cijj a >> J. C3 "5*3. a O..S fi a GO C/) C O U' 2 c/3 O H . Vi o PQ OD CO ^s = il & IN LATIN-AMERICA 129 erly stamped as it is in the case of South America. Up to this time, however, the big banks of the United States are practically the only element in our business life that has given this subject the attention its importance de- serves, and they have placed in charge of foreign letters clerks of mature experience who can be depended upon to use the requisite amount of care. In this connection it may be worthwhile to repeat an incident which came to my personal knowledge in Rio de Janeiro and which illustrates most of the points about which South Americans complain. In this case a large wholesale manufacturer of ready-made clothing in Baltimore sent a letter, typewritten in English and with a two-cent stamp affixed, addressed as follows: "Senor , Buenos Aires, Brazil." The mer- chant whom it was intended to reach was actually lo- cated in Rio, but the letter went first to Buenos Aires, then traveled around for several weeks, and was finally delivered three months after it left the Baltimore post office. The total fines which had by that time accumu- lated, and which the merchant in Rio had to pay, amounted to $3.80. He paid the same, received the letter, had it translated into Portuguese, and then dis- covered that it was a formal, technical announcement of a spring clearing sale by the manufacturer in ques- tion. The English used in this letter was such that only a person actually engaged in the clothing business in the United States could understand, and it was utterly ojitside the capabilities of the translator in Rio. It stated briefly and in technical language that the firm had on hand for quick clearing "Sizes 34-36-38-40 men's light spring coats, pattern. Terms, 25, 10 and 5 130 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE off for cash. Wire orders at our expense." Now, in the first place, ready-made clothing is not sold in the sizes used in the United States. The metric system is used, and clothing made for sale in Latin countries must be graduated on that scale, not on the American or English method. Perhaps the crowning glory of the letter which I have been describing was the return postcard enclosed, with a one-cent American postage stamp affixed to it! Such experiences would require merchants with the patience of Job to tolerate them without losing their temper, but South America would be poor prospecting ground for modern Jobs. European firms watch these little things and avoid giving offense, and until American houses are able to iron out these irritating incidents there will be dissatisfaction and failure to receive orders that might otherwise be had easily. One more point is worth attention. Americans have a passion for abbreviations in their domestic corres- pondence, but they fail to remember when writing abroad that the people in some far-off South American country are not as familiar with the minor political and geographical divisions of the United States as we are. I was calling on a merchant in Antofagasta, Chile, one day, and in the course of our talk he happened to men- tion that his brother was in Chicago ill. I expressed polite regret at his indisposition, but the merchant said I had misunderstood, that his brother was in perfect health, but that he was visiting in Chicago ill. It then dawned upon me that the Chilean thought our abbrevia- tion for Illinois was part of the city's name, a natural belief when one remembers that he had probably never seen the name of the state spelled out. IN LATIN-AMERICA 131 We should not expect the average American to re- member the abbreviation for the states that compose the interior of Brazil, but that would be just as logical as to expect South Americans to remember our many American abbreviations. The best way is to write out in full the names of all states or other divisions, thus eliminating a fruitful source of delay in the receipt of mail matter from South America. CHAPTER XIV Big field waiting in women's ready-to-wear goods Value of the Euro- pean press for this purpose Success in introducing new styles Branches of Paris shops in South America Tariff difficulties Lack of good advertising matter for silks, lingerie, etc. ONE of the overlooked opportunities in Latin- America, as far as advertising is concerned, is in the field of ready-to-wear clothes for both sexes millinery, toilet articles, corsets, underwear, stockings, socks, men's hats, shirts, collars, neckties, and general haberdashery. The better class of Latin- Americans are expensively dressed and have always looked to Europe for styles, but I am convinced that a high grade, intellectually conducted publicity cam- paign, designed to reach such people, would be produc- tive of results. The women could readily be approached through the European papers more fully discussed in another chapter, aided by the local illustrated weekly and monthly publications which go into the better homes. Latin-American women are wonderfully quick to ap- preciate and adopt any innovation, and such modern necessities as anti-perspiration remedies, depilatories, cosmetics, face creams and dress-shields would find eager and appreciative buyers, provided the appeal was of the proper nature. Woman is defined by an ancient writer as an "animal that delights in finery," due to her predilection for using flowers, feathers, precious stones, and birds for personal 132 ADVERTISING FOE TRADE 133 adornment. One would think that the higher civiliza- tion of the present day would have a tendency to make them give up such ornaments of savage origin. But fashion is a tyrant that all women obey. Fashion rules the world and waves her scepter arbitrarily. Her do- main extends from the most humble and inaccessible spot where primitive man may reside to the broad ave- nues and boulevards of the world's capitals. No part of the body has been more exposed to the vagaries or idiosyncrasies of fashion than the head, not only in the natural arrangement of the hair, but in artificial coverings. Although custom, environment and climate have cle- creed that certain rules be observed, religion has for ages had the greatest influence on woman's head-dress, as well as man's. The head covering of the Parsee, Jew, Mohammedan, Hindu, Buddhist and other denomina- tions has been ordained by religion. In the same way, the head covering worn by the women of Latin- America has been controlled by the dictates of the Catholic Church. The idea of covering the head is purely relig- ious in origin and perhaps was adopted by the Catholic Church in contradistinction to the Oriental custom of removing the sandals or shoes when entering the temple so as not to defile it with the dirt from the street. The advent of the women of America, England, Ger- many, and France into Latin-America has materially affected the customs of the natives, and to-day the ten- dency is to adopt styles from these countries. As late as ten years ago one never saw millinery shops in these lands. An occasional one might be found in the capitals of some of the larger countries. The foreigner always sent home for her hats. The advent of these thousands 134 ADVERTISING FOB TEADE of newcomers with modern ideas, the frequent visits of wealthy families to Europe and the United States, the widening of streets into beautiful boulevards for walk- ing, the coming of the automobile, and the gradual letting down of the barriers around these almost clois- tered women of Latin- America have all played their part in developing a desire to dress like her sisters of other lands. The Spanish-American War had much to do with the introduction of hats for women into Latin-America. Following the American troops in Cuba and Porto Kico came the civil officials and their families. The native ladies of these islands were quick to discern that mod- ern hats added to the attractiveness of their sex and forthwith adopted "Yankee" millinery, a contagion which spread rapidly to the neighboring countries. In the capitals of Argentina, Brazil and Chile a similar movement was started, owing to the presence of many European women. Strange to say, however, in Mexico, despite its nearness to this country, the development along this line has been decidedly slower. Buenos Aires has taken the initiative. Many of the leading houses of the Rue de la Paix have branches in this city. At the opera and the races, wherever society gathers, are to be seen the dernier cri in all that adds to the outward adornment of woman. The desire of the up-to-date woman to wear a French creation is as great here as in the United States, and the French label on a hat or gown is accepted as par excellence. Time effects many changes. To-day the French and English are allies, yet their hatred for one another was BO intense in 1702 that death was the punishment meted out to any English milliner who dared to use a French IN LATIN-AMERICA 135 label in milady's hat. It might be interesting to add here that the custom of wearing feathers exclusively on the left side of a hat originated in the days of the cav- aliers, when they were so worn in order to give the right hand free play in drawing the sword. The time for the gradual elimination of the mantua and mantilla has come, especially in Havana, San Juan, Caracas, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Santiago, Valparaiso, Lima and Panama. In view of these conditions and the desire of the Latin- American lady to copy our styles, it would seem an ap- propriate time for American milliners and dressmakers to enter this field. I am certain that the possibilities are excellent and that the future is bright. All of the large cities offer good prospects. These observations, however, do not apply to foot- wear to anything like the extent that they concern other articles of wearing apparel. For many years American shoe manufacturers have failed to grasp the full pos- sibilities of the South American market for boots and shoes because they tried to sell the Latin- Americans the same styles current at the time in the United States. It is well known that the European shoe is always more extreme in design and cut than the comfortable, sens- ible American models. American salesmen have appar- ently thought that the approval of American shoe-buy- ers ought to be sufficient recommendation for their goods in South America, the inevitable result being that Europe got most of the orders. In some countries, Venezuela in particular, tariff charges on ready-made clothing are almost prohibitive, but in most of the other countries this difficulty is not insurmountable. The number of people who would buy 136 ADVERTISING FOB TKADE ready-made American clothes is limited, of course, but they are of sufficient financial means so that the addition of the tariff would not preclude the selling of the goods. The advertising of ready-made clothing has reached a high plane in the United States, and it is one of the lines of advertising that would require very little chang- ing for adoption to the Latin-American market, chiefly for the reason that so much dependence is placed on the pictorial end of the problem. The high class drawings used by Hart, Schaffner & Marx, Community Clothes, Society Brand Clothes, Ar- row and Lion collars, Stetson, Young and Knox hats, with very little alteration could be widely used through- out South America, and there are, in fact, many evi- dences that this line of art work in advertising is begin- ning to be appreciated by South American merchants. High grade silk lingerie and corsets afford an almost unlimited field in South America. The better class women throughout the continent are able and anxious to wear the best that money can buy in the way of under- things, but there is no advertising now used in South America that can be compared to the copy used for Vanity Fair, Van Kaalte, Kayser, Migel, Mallinson, Skinner and other silks. The higher class women throughout South America wear French corsets, and pay considerably more for them than the up-to-date American woman. There is little sale of a moder- ately priced, good style corset for the woman of limited spending ability. Here again is a fertile field for the use of modern advertising drawings. The average South American man with money to invest is much quicker to spend it on his own personal adornment than an American would ever think of doing. IN LATIN-AMERICA 137 Men use perfumes to practically the same extent aa women in all the Latin republics, and fancy shaving and face creams have a large sale. The French have always held the best business of this sort, but there is no doubt that an intelligently conducted campaign by an American firm, backed up with the right kind of advertising and with an understanding of the Latin psychology, especially among the men, would pay well. CHAPTER XV Papers printed in English in South America Generally follow Brit- ish style Description of a typical issue Still fighting the Germans Commercial publications in English Popularity of the illustrated Weekly Means of reaching the best families Comparative unimpor- tance of trade papers, except for doctors South America a patent medi- cine stronghold The religious press Lack of a middle class. THERE remains to be discussed a type of paper published in South America that, while few in number, is most important to advertisers whose goods are likely to meet the requirements of the English-speaking residents of Latin- America. A great many American and English people who live in South America never look at a publication printed in Spanish or Portuguese, depending entirely for their news upon the weeklies printed in English in Rio and Buenos Aires. It may prove interesting to analyze two of these publi- cations as to news treatment and advertising policy for the light it will throw on general selling and living con- ditions in South America. For instance, in Rio de Janeiro is published the "Times of Brazil," a weekly paper of twenty pages, half the ordinary American size and containing a section devoted to the news of Sao Paulo, the industrial center of Brazil. Although carrying many American adver- tisements and devoting a generous portion of its news columns to American data, the publication is typically British and follows the style make-up and general tenor so familiar in British publications. Taking at random the issue for March 20, 1920, we 138 find a column of cable news, greatly condensed, on page one. This consists of short three- or four-line items, among which may be noted the fact that "President Carranza may make a long tour through South America after his term of office expires." This will be interpreted by good South Americans as a tribute to their beloved- land as equivalent to Heaven, while others will prob- ably agree just as readily that it is an entirely different sort of a place and was picked out for Carranza's pro- posed itinerary for that very reason. A leading article discusses the work of Americans in Brazil, particularly in so far as the meat-packing indus- try is concerned. This is a genuinely informative ar- ticle. It gives outside readers an excellent idea of the tremendous growth of the packing industry since the big American packers entered the South American field, and also gives a picture of the huge growth still in store for the industry. The other feature story is a review of the annual St. Patrick's day entertainment held by prominent Irish residents of Kio. This is typical of the Irish, so far as the celebration and the speeches are concerned, and typical of the British, so far as the methods of reporting and the newspaper English are concerned. The following paragraph will give an idea of the style of writing that permeates the whole paper, making it sound exactly as would a similar clipping from the "London Times" or "Morning Post": The chairman said he had been reluctant to accept the charge of presiding at that dinner for several reasons. One was that he lacked the eloquence for which Irishmen were all noted. Also he could not claim the distinction of having been born in the Emerald Isle. He had been born in New York, but inasmuch as the Irish population of New York was greater than any town 140 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE in Ireland, he hoped he would get by with that. People outside New York said that every policeman in New York was an Irish- man. He did not know whether that was so or not, but the number of Irish-American teachers in the schools there was five times as many as the number of police, so that Irishmen in New York were known as teachers as well as policemen. They might recall the story of the son of Sunny Italy who told his Irish-American teacher that he wished to be real American and have a real American name, and when asked to give the name of his choice replied, "Patriotick Denis O'Brien." (Laughter.) Further on we find the usual hodgepodge of stuff a review of post-war developments in British commerce and industry; a London letter commenting at great length on Asquith's chances for reelection to parlia- ment, succeeded by two lines of postscript saying that he has been elected; a letter on general conditions in London; a long article on German trade methods; an article on British banking development and the ten- dency toward amalgamation; a long-winded screed, part IV, on "The Birth of Man" by one John T. Jones; an article on British sport in Sao Paulo and an excoriation of German trading methods in South Amer- ica; a long and patriotic description of the case of Mr. William Fowles, who appears to have been having some extended litigation, finally decided in his favor, with the municipality of Sao Paulo; a miscellaneous assortment of personal items in which Sir John This and Sir Harry That appear to have very much the best of it, and minor filling matter not worth mentioning. Among other small items, the following is of interest as indicating that the war-time agitation against Germany and against German goods is going to be kept up by the IN LATIN-AMERICA 141 British just as long as they can find fuel to throw on the fire. It appears that a German paper in Kio has been engaging employes with Anglo-Saxon names, and the ire of the editor of the "Times of Brazil" has been aroused to the following extent : AID FOR HUN PRESS ANOTHER FUNNY NAME The "Deutsche Zeitung" continues to score. The latest of its supporters with Anglo-Saxon names is Mr. Robert Cooper Stegall. We do not presume to Enow Mr. Robert Cooper StegalTs na- tionality. We have heard he was associated with a British firm in Rio during the war and that he wa& regarded as being either British or American. The name Robert is certainly English, and Cooper has nothing Teutonic about it. As for Stegall, we are at a loss. It might be anything. Nevertheless, basing our argument on Mr. Robert Cooper Stegall's associations during the war, on his Anglo-Saxon Chris- tian names, and on the fact that he appears to be advertising American products, we feel that he is another melancholy addi- tion to those who are paying for anti-British propaganda in Sao Paulo. While on this subject of subsidizing a Hun propaganda news- paper we wish to make it quite clear that we do not deny the moral right of any neutral or German sympathizer to support such a sheet. Our only objection is to the English-speaking col- ony contributing to the upkeep of a newspaper which has no standing as such and which is merely a German organ with a policy of hostility towards our race, our commerce, and our posi- tion as the world's leading people. The English-speaking race is the greatest factor in world progress to-day; and it is this, above all, that arouses the jealous hatred of the Hun. Let us see to it, therefore, that we do not provide the enemy with muni- 142 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE tions of war. We trust Mr. Robert Cooper Stegall will accept this as an invitation to state exactly on which side of the fence he stands. Now as to the advertisements. Across the bottom on the first page runs a five-column advertisement of a coaling company at Rio; a small "ad" of the Royal Bank of Canada offering to pay 4 per cent, interest on deposit accounts; an offer to rent a furnished house in the city's high-class residence section ; an advertisement of a brand of cigars, and the card of a shipping company. On the third page we find two quarter-page "ads," those of the London and Brazilian Bank, Ltd., and the British Bank of South America, Ltd.; in addition, the Anglo- American restaurant announces, in type so old-fash- ioned that Guttenberg must have practised on it, that it will serve meals in American and English style. Then follows a page containing four "ads" a local agent for Ford Motor cars, an agent for English agricultural ma- chinery, a firm of commission merchants with many European connections, and the "ad" of a tire company, only here it is spelled "tyre." Further on we find the inevitable fisherman with a codfish on his back, assur- ing the world that Scott's Emulsion has guarded its health for fifty years; an announcement by the Rotis- serie Sportsman that it has the only bar in Rio where real American cocktails can be secured ; an "ad" of the Armour Packing Company's Brazilian subsidiary, and a card from a local flour manufacturer. Still further on appears a miscellaneous assortment of advertising, with space from quarter-page down to small one-column cards. The advertisement of the Ford Motor Company contains the advice, "Let there be no discords," printed under the magic name of the IN LATIN-AMERICA 143 "peace ship" pilot. Advertisements of the Hudson, Essex and Briscoe cars are followed by the advertise- ment of a Sao Paulo liquor-dealer that makes sad read- ing for Americans. He announces, "You cannot get Gordon gin on Broadway, but you can here, so all is well." This is followed by the "latest ditty from Broad- way, to be hummed when fox-trotting": Sahara, we sympathize with you, Sahara, now we've gone dry too, Thafs why Cleopatra put that snake next to her skin, She lost her mind completely when she lost her Gordon gin. The card of the Baldwin Locomotive Works appears, as do the advertisements of two department stores, writ- ten in the style current in America in 1880, with abso- lutely nothing in them apparently calculated to create a will to purchase. The rest of the paper is filled with advertisements of insurance and assurance companies, as life insurance is called assurance in England and in South America; American typewriters; American and Scotch whiskey ; various brands of olive oil ; steamship company announcements; the cards of several English doctors and dentists ; an advertisement of Mellin's food ; those of several small exporting houses, and a scatter- ing assortment of various other small advertisements. All of the above is worth noting because it illustrates the primitive form in which English readers get their local news, even in such a rich and important center as Kio de Janeiro. Typography is far behind the best modern practice, the type old and worn, arrangement poor, and the knowledge of ad-writing seeming not yet to have made any progress with those in charge of this publication. It is in such an atmosphere that advertise- 144 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE ments inserted by Americans must be printed, and it would appear as if the field were ripe for some aggres- sive work that would win through sheer merit of adver- tising and merchandising. In Buenos Aires there is a publication in English, the "Review of the River Plate," that is a much older and better established publication than any other of its kind on the entire continent. The only drawback for general advertisers is that this paper makes such a specialty of commercial news that there is little room for general news of a more gossipy character, such as strangers in a foreign land like to read about their own countrymen. This paper was established in 1891 and has made an enviable reputation for itself. It is intensely British in character, but much fairer than the average British publication. It is published in magazine form on good paper, gives all the important news not only of Argen- tina, but of Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile as well, and maintains offices in New York and London. Its adver- tising is well set up, attractive to the eye and covers a wide range, impressing one as a sort of composite for South America of the "Commercial and Financial Chronicle" and the "Manufacturers' Record." In addition to thoroughly dependable business news and statistical records of all South American countries, the paper keeps a careful watch on industrial and com- mercial developments, and its pages reflect in an accur- ate manner the progress of South America. An exam- ination of the advertising pages of the "Review of the River Plate" will convince any doubter that American business and American advertising are making much faster progress in Argentina than elsewhere on the con- J. FFRNANDEZ HURTADO AGENTE bE LAS SIGUIENTES FIRMAS! SOUTERN RICE SALES Co. New York. Arroz atnericano fino. W R GRACE & Co. San Francisco. Arroces GEO P. PLANT MILLING C Saint Louis. Hari- nis de triso insuperable^. THE CANFIELD OIL C Cleveland. Aceites y erisia Inhricarrtes. THE TOWER VARNISH & OVER Co. Pinturas & . Barnic3 THE EUROPEAN & FAR-EA.STERNC? Exporta- ci6n de m^rcanciaa generates. Wluestras, precios y condiciones a solicit. IPIRTAOO DE CORREOS N 78 Ojft.K/^LO^.S Telefono 498 2 1 TIPOGRAFIA 'GERMINAL' Se ofrece al comercio y al publ co en general para la eje- cucion de toda clase de trabajos tipograf icos. Especialidad en circulares imitacion de cartas escritas a maquina, impresas en tinta de copiar. La presente revista, editada .en nuestros talleres, es la me- jor demostracion de los trabajos que podemos hacer. PRECIOS RACIONALES- LA GUAIRA-CALLE DE LOS GRANADOS No. 4. This is intended to show the inartistic and slipshod make-up methods used in Latin-American papers. It is safe to say that all Latin-American make-up men lack the artistic sense so common in this country among printers. POM, Y en mnjer a la gala convir De agradable mantra Vino en ello la diou placcnl V vcd a Zapaquilda en un in Hecha mma gallarda. rouganle, Irlchnst la boda: tslaba ya la sila nuptial loda A page of wasted advertising. This copy appeared in "La Prensa," of Buenos Aires the most expensive advertising medium in South America and cost, perhaps, $500. No reference is made to the article being advertised, but the copy deals in detail with the story of the cat that turned into a woman. The advertisement is for a cigarette. IN LATIN-AMERICA 145 tinent and that American products are being more in- telligently pushed here than elsewhere. All through South America an important position is held by a type of weekly publication with which no exact comparison can be made to anything similar in the United States. These are usually illustrated and sell for ten cents a copy, containing pictures, articles on literature, light fiction, articles intended especially for women, a small quantity of cable news gathered from the daily papers, and a general assortment of miscellany gathered from unknown sources. These weeklies have large circulation in the cities, and while they are not much seen in the country districts, they cover very completely the urban centers where the real buying power exists. South American newspapers are peculiar in that they seem to be exclusively edited for men. Outside of a few papers on the entire continent, no such thing as a society column as we know it exists and little attention is given to the myriad subjects inserted in American papers to attract the feminine eye. This peculiarity has been a great advantage to the illustrated weeklies, and a large part of their circulation is due to their popularity among women. At the same time, women unquestion- ably exert almost as strong an influence in South Amer- ica as in the United States when it comes to buying clothing, household articles and, in fact, any product likely to be advertised by American firms. For this reason the weekly review will repay careful attention from Americans. The high price of coated paper, coupled with the gen- eral inefficiency of printers and the lack of up-to-date printing machinery throughout South America, pre- 146 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE vents these weeklies from being as typographically at- tractive as they would be if published in the United States. The covers are usually in colors, but the inside sheets are printed on news-print, giving one the im- pression of a building whose front is built of marble and whose back is held up with logs. This criticism does not hold good, however, with a few leading papers, some of which appear only monthly and command prices as high as a dollar per issue. These last-mentioned papers or magazines are never thrown away, but are carefully handled and read and re-read. In every up- per-class home in South America the visitor is apt to find a neat pile of these magazines dating back over a series of years, their good condition testifying to the care with which they have been read. Two periodicals coming within the last mentioned description are published in Buenos Aires and one in Rio de Janeiro. Their high subscription price keeps them within a limited circulation, but as they have the readers who have most money to spend, the advertiser should give special attention to them. These monthlies are printed on high-grade paper and compare favorably with periodicals in this country that would be classed with "Vanity Fair," "Vogue," and "Harper's Bazar." A recognition of the field reached by periodicals of this class is found in the Spanish edition of the well- known American publication, "Vogue." This publica- tion is almost identical with the American edition of the same periodical and gives an excellent idea of what sort of high-grade magazine will appeal to the best classes in Latin-America. While the class who read this publication is small in number, its purchasing power and its desire for the best things in the way of com- IN LATIN-AMERICA 147 forts and luxuries is probably not surpassed by any simi- lar group in the world. An examination of the Spanish edition of "Vogue" will give an idea of the merchandising trends in South America and will also be valuable as showing the dif- ference in the seasons on the continent. It must be remembered that summer in Brazil and Argentina means mid-winter in the United States, and thus ar- ticles of a seasonal character must be advertised at seasons just the reverse of America or Europe. South American women are slaves to style even more than their sisters in the United States, and authoritative in- formation on this important and ever-changing subject is certain to receive the most careful and earnest atten- tion. Consequently, "Vogue" and the high-class publi- cations already mentioned as printed in Buenos Aires and Rio receive careful reading and re-reading that would be thought unusual in this country, where such a flood of publications makes it difficult for readers to more than skim through any of them. The professional and trade papers of Latin-America occupy a field much smaller than the trade papers in the United States, but by their close attention to certain restricted areas they offer to advertisers in a position to make a careful study of the market an exceptional opportunity in their respective lines. All through Latin-America the medical profession will be found to have its own publication, some countries having two or more medical journals. Owing to the relatively high standing of the medical profession in Latin- America, as well as elsewhere, these publications are forced to main- tain a degree of respectability and typographical excel- 148 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE lence that would not be demanded from a similar paper in another profession or trade. Taking the medical press first, because, with the ex- ception of a few religious weeklies, it constitutes the main body of such publications throughout the conti- nent, we find it an exceptional medium for reaching a class on whom the majority of daily newspaper circu- lation would be wasted. While many members of the medical profession in Latin- America would not be dig- nified by inclusion in that calling in Europe or the United States, there is a constantly growing body of high-class medical men, small in number but large in influence, who are steadily raising the position of medi- cine in their various countries and who are securing the gradual adoption of higher standards of medical edu- cation and of public and private sanitation everywhere. Advertising particularly directed to physicians and dentists will reach the desired persons almost to the extent of one hundred per cent., if the better medical papers are used. There is a large field in Latin- America for surgical devices and drugs formerly purchased in Europe. Short supplies in Europe during the war and the consequent high prices, which as yet have shown little evidence of deflation, have caused many of the medical and surgical supply-houses to turn to the United States. This demand is one which is hard to change after it has once become established, and in Latin- America the wholesale drug houses, manufacturers of surgical devices and rubber goods, and the makers of patent medicine will find a field well worth a far great- er degree of cultivation than they have so far given it. It is well to repeat here that the Latin mind views many questions in a manner radically different from IN LATIN-AMERICA 149 the Anglo-Saxon. With all his faults, the Latin is less of a hypocrite in many ways than the people of the United States. In medical advertising in this country many outrageous fakes were formerly advertised which possessed not the slightest claim to intrinsic merit. In well-meant attempts to eradicate this evil from publi- cations issued in the United States, laws were passed that not only accomplished the desired result, but drove from the pages of newspapers and magazines of general circulation many concerns who were perfectly legiti- mate and who really deserved a wider audience than they are now able to secure in the limited professional press of the country. In Latin- America no such restrictions have ever been heard of. It is legal and perfectly possible to adver- tise almost anything under the sun in the medical or appliance line. Not only that, but the most explicit and plain instructions and directions may be printed also. This condition has, of course, opened the door for many advertisements that even the most liberal-minded medi- cal man in the United States would consider in bad taste, but it is always well to remember that we are not talking about the United States and that if we want to sell goods in other countries we must adapt our plans and methods to those in vogue elsewhere. Patent medicines hold a very large place in Latin- American life. It is perfectly ethical to advertise them both in the daily press and in the medical journals. For the better class of goods the best way is to restrict the appropriation, unless it is a very large one, to the medical journals, and then furnish the physicians of the country with a liberal supply of samples. Samples work a form of magic in Latin-America that I have 150 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE never been able to observe anywhere else in my travels all over the world. Even the man in high place in Latin- America prizes something he gets for nothing above something possessing more merit, but for which he had to pay. Samples of patent medicines given to doctors will result in their widespread use and will cause the doctors to prescribe them for their patients. There is no such disapproval of patent medicines anywhere in Latin- America as in the United States, and doctors are just as well satisfied to prescribe a patent preparation for their patients as to order something to be made up by the pharmacist. This last condition comes, of course, from the comparative barrenness of the continent so far as modern knowledge of drug-mixing goes. In the few leading metropolitan centers there are drug-stores well equipped and as well able to compound drugs in exact compliance with a physician's prescription as in a modern American drug-store. This is not general, however, and the typical Latin apothecary is generally an individual whose knowledge of the pharmacopoeia is a decidedly meager one. All of this creates a receptive field for the sale of patent medicines, and the French have been the first to seize the opportunity offered. French medicine is far in the lead throughout Latin-America, but of late American medicine has begun to make progress and a greater use of advertising in a more intelligent way would largely increase present sales. In the use of patent medicine the average Latin re- sembles the American of fifty years ago, who generally had a bottle of some concoction on which he depended whenever he felt out of sorts. These preparations were IN LATIN-AMERICA 151 mostly made of alcohol and some coloring matter, and it must be admitted that the present patents sold are far more adapted to the needs they are alleged to fill than in years past, so that in building up a business through their sale a permanent field is being created which will not have to undergo the attacks rightfully made against the old style of American patent medicine. Every Latin country, with possibly one or two unim- portant exceptions, has some sort of religious press. Most of these papers are edited entirely for the clergy, who are much more numerous in Latin-America than in the United States, while others are of the general tone of the American religious weekly, containing Bible stories, admonitions for right living, descriptions of miracles that outstrip the imagination of the leading writers of the United States, and pleas for contribu- tions to various religious projects, all of which are guaranteed to result for the donor in great blessings in the world to come. All such papers are, of course, Roman Catholic. While there is little religion in the average Latin, he remembers his Catholic birth and would look with dis- pleasure on any paper published in his country in the interests of any other faith. As to the clergy, there are not enough non-Catholic clergymen in the various countries to warrant any publication in their particular behalf. In the papers of this type a class will be reached who are able to read, and whose purchasing power is excel- lent. They serve as good mediums for all kinds of advertising and should always be included in publicity campaigns. The churches are fairly well supported, considering their great number, and articles for church 152 ADVERTISING FOE TRADE decoration and use might profitably be advertised in this way. Each parish priest takes great pride in his church and wishes it to be decorated and embellished to a high degree. He usually has the loyal support of the women, if not of the men, and is able to secure suf- ficiently large contributions from his flock to keep things going fairly well. In the large cities there are numerous very rich churches to which sales of the most expensive church supplies might be made. This is a field in which little business has been done by Americans, most of the trade being in the hands of old-established Spanish and French church supply houses having their headquarters in Paris or Madrid. However, this is a restricted field in which only a few commercial concerns would probably feel justified in spending much money for advertising. In the general religious papers published for family reading an excellent field for publicity is offered which has so far received little attention from American ad- vertisers. It is well known that the nationally-read religious papers of the United States are among the best mediums for stimulating sales in the country, and there is no clear reason why such should not be the case in Latin-America, In selecting copy for such papers it will be well to depend to a great extent on advertising which is largely pictorial. It will be found that such papers usually enter homes where the heads of the family are able to read and write, but where they are also seen by a number of household servants who are illiterate and whose only understanding of the articles advertised must come through an easily under- stood picture. These papers are essentially local and their rates, of IN LATIN-AMERICA 153 necessity, are very low, provided their publishers are ap- proached in the way usual to the Latin mind, that is, if diplomatic negotiations are carried on which assume as a matter of course that the rate first asked is only given on the theory that it does no harm to ask and that it is always possible to come down if the intending adver- tiser is too wise to agree to the first terms quoted. This necessitates the use of a man on the ground and in close personal touch with the situation, but this is something that holds good all through any extensive campaign to be conducted in Latin-America, and any expenditure of a large appropriation in other ways would be extremely unwise. In addition to the medical and religious press already described, there is little else falling in this class. In Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile there has been a half-hearted attempt to launch an agricultural press. Although the several governments, through their de- partments of agriculture, have lent strenuous efforts to make for their respective countries a truly representa- tive agricultural press, the fact is that progress has been very slow. Principally to be blamed for this con- dition is the fact that the actual tillers of the soil throughout Latin- America are generally illiterate, while the large landowners and estate proprietors are of the cultured class, having access to the best literature of their own and foreign countries. There is no middle class in South America, such as make up the greater part of the circulation of such well known farm papers as the "Country Gentleman" or the "American Farmer" in the United States. In Argentina, Brazil and Chile there has been some attempt to establish trade papers for the use of local 154 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE retail merchants. Here again there would be duplica- tion of circulation of a character not economical to advertisers. Taking the situation as a whole and from the standpoint of most advertisers who will have occa- sion to inspect the Latin-American field, it may be accepted as a certainty that the medical and religious papers exhaust everything worth while in this general class. CHAPTER XVI Ephemeral character of most Latin newspapers Concentration on politics Attacks on the United States The Monroe Doctrine Making friends through advertising Description of the leading dailies Pecul- iar methods of distribution Difficulty of getting circulation figures Necessity for bargaining to get best rates Advantages of using mats. THE world possesses few institutions so ephem- eral in character as the average South American newspaper. This characterization does not apply, of course, to the few really great dailies of Rio and Buenos Aires, but in general it may safely be said that the birth and death rate of the smaller papers throughout the South American continent ex- ceeds that of any other commodity, institution or what- ever such a mushroom class of publication may be rightfully called. Practically every newspaper in South America is a political organ and regards politics as its chief reason for existing. A change of administration in any country- is sure to be followed by the death of certain papers and the birth of others. To print news simply because it is news would seem the height of folly to the average Latin editor, who regards his proper sphere as lying immensely more in the role of a director of political affairs than as a purveyor of a mere commercial com- modity, as news is universally regarded in South America. The oratory which comes naturally to the Latin temperament finds a fertile field for expression in the columns of the newspapers owned by its editors 155 156 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE or controlled by politicians who wish to impress the populace with their erudition. Columns of political news are published daily embracing the use of superla- tives so frequently that one often wonders how the editors would meet any really great emergency to which they desired to call particular attention. It is inevitable that such tactics largely destroy the prestige that might be wielded by these publications. The best indication of the great power of the printed word in South America, when the people really feel confidence in the newspaper, is the enormous influence of the few really substantial papers of the big cities. "La Prensa," for instance, has the largest circulation of any newspaper in South America and wields a cor- responding influence, because more than half a century of honorable dealing by its management has proved to the people that they may safely follow its advice. The majority of papers, however, suffer to a sad degree when compared to "La Prensa." Most of them are of such a character that with us they would never be read. They are far below the standard of the American coun- try weekly of thirty years ago, both typographically and editorially. For many reasons, some of which go back more than a century, the majority of these small papers are vio- lently anti-American. There seems to be a psychological situation in the relationship existing between the United States and South America which lends itself to the uses of the cheap jingoes who control most of South ! America's publications. Attacks on American ideas subtly extend themselves to attacks on American goods, with results that naturally are of no benefit to our products. However, the growing volume of advertising IN LATIN-AMERICA 157 from this country that is now being placed in South American publications is having its inevitable effect, and of late there has been a pronounced drop in the number and character of the attacks on this country which appear in Latin papers. Evidently the same principles that govern the publication of newspapers in the United States operate also in South America and the newspaper editor's heart continues to be where his treasure is. The Monroe Doctrine is as precious a stock in trade to every South American newspaper as the mechanism for twisting the lion's tail used to be in this country. It affords a never-ending source of cheap demagoguery when everything else fails. Only in a land of "manana" could readers find time for the long-winded screeds that fill columns of Latin papers. It is clear, however, that conditions are changing and that the fear of more energetic competition is arousing a spirit for a better type of newspapers in all parts of South America. The circulation of publications from other countries, both in Europe and from the United States, is having a dis- tinct effect on the native press and improvements, while hard for the newcomer to see, are plain to any one who is familiar with the past twenty years' history of South America. It may safely be taken for granted that at least three- quarters of the hostility shown to America and Ameri- can goods in South American newspapers will disappear as advertising from this country becomes more general in the South American press and the gold of our ex- porters and manufacturers begins to trickle into the coffers of the unscrupulous pirates and half-educated bounders who now hold down most of Latin-America's 158 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE editorial chairs. The effect of gold on these people is little short of marvelous. By its use the Latin editor quickly learns to see that he was mistaken about the great republic in the North, and that instead of being a devouring monster ready to annihilate the struggling countries of South America, it is, in fact, a friendly big brother, eager to lend a neighborly hand in establishing peace and prosperity. A large part of the general dislike for Americans, American goods and American institutions that is met everywhere in South America is undoubtedly due to the fact that European ideas havje always had by far the best means of securing a hearing in all parts of Latin- America. The United States, until within a few years, has been criminally careless in allowing the cable lines that carry news and propaganda to South American countries to be in European and unfriendly hands. Nearly every bit of cable news that has gone into the columns of South American newspapers for the past half century has been transmitted over wires that are notoriously biased and prejudiced against the United States. Most of the cable news of world events published in South America comes over the Reuter cable, a distinctly pro-English service. The Havas Agency of Vienna is second, and the Wolff service, owned in Berlin, Ger- many, was also prominent before the war shut it off in 1914. Naturally, little care is taken by any one of these news agencies to secure for the United States a fair presentation of its case. One of the greatest difficulties confronting the United States during the World War, first, to preserve neutrality and second, to obtain the cooperation of South America after we entered the con- IN LATIN-AMERICA 159 flict, came through the unfriendly attitude created in the minds of the people by the colored news they had been fed. The English company always keeps one eye fastened on the commercial interests of British indus- tries, and any message reflecting on the character or price of American goods always seems to get the right of way over its lines. Next to politics and flamboyant accounts of interna- tional affairs, nearly all Latin newspapers devote the bulk of their attention to such things as sport, poetry, music, accounts of speeches, and letters to the editors. News gets into print in most of them only after the supply of this material gives out. Letters to the editor are one of the popular pastimes, and no smug English- man, writing to the "London Times" to know why Americans are not kept in their proper place, has any- thing on the Latin-American who stabs his enemies and eulogizes his friends through several columns of news- paper type. The death of President McKinley was com- municated to the readers of a Latin- American paper as follows: "President McKinley of North America died last night," while two columns on the same page were devoted to the breaking of a jockey's leg at the local race-track. It is in such an atmosphere as this that American ideas and goods must struggle for a hearing. To strive for success on the ground of essential merit alone would be foolhardy, but the advertising campaigns that are already under way, together with many others now being planned, will change this state of affairs. It will take a long time to wipe out national prejudices that have been sedulously fed and cultivated for many dec- ades, but the Latin forgets easily and the arguments 160 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE against the United States to which he has been accus- tomed never had any real ground under them. The particular point on which great care should now be exercised is to make certain that in removing the old hatreds which passion and national pride built up we do not create others in their place to plague us later on. That is one of the most urgent reasons for the necessity of American advertisers assuring themselves that the advertising copy they prepare for use in South America does not violate some subtle phase of the Latin tempera- ment. The remarks just made pertain mainly, of course, to the weekly papers that form the largest class of South American publications and that come nearest to the country weekly of the small American town. The large dailies are few in number but great in influence, and require very different treatment. In the case of the important dailies, the ownership is the most essential thing. Many of them have great resources and are com- parable in every way with the prominent dailies of the principal American cities, wielding an even greater in- fluence, perhaps, than any publication in the United States. The papers of Buenos Aires are easily the leaders of the entire South American continent. Although about thirty papers. are published in the city, half of which are in Spanish, two are certain to be used for advertis- ing copy placed by American firms. These are "La Prensa" and "La Nacion," either of which would be a paper of commanding importance if published in New York. These papers are complete in every sense of the word and are conducted in as enterprising a manner as any American paper. They are by far the cleanest "Newspapers feature with photo-engravings funerals, murders, sui- cides, death-bed scenes, cemeteries, executions, and surgical operations. Each illustration is taken from a periodical of a different country. The Latin-American of all classes and both sexes revels in the sordid and the gruesome. Pictures like these are to be found in the leading dailies and weeklies. Each of these illustrations is taken from a periodical of a different country. IN LATIN-AMERICA 161 journals in South America, so far as freedom from un- merited and scurrilous attacks on foreigners are con- cerned, and both make a sincere effort to print all the news in a fair manner. They circulate everywhere in Argentina, having about half their circulation outside of Buenos Aires, a fact made possible by the railroad system of the country, which spreads out like a fan from the capital city. Of the papers published in foreign languages in Buenos Aires, four are in Italian and two each in English, German and French. The English papers have a wide circulation among Americans in Argentina, for want of anything better, but the policy of both has been consistently British at all times, that is, they slur the United States and its people and products, although both are largely kept going with revenue derived from advertising inserted by American firms. Practically all the newspapers of the city are made up after the style of British dailies, with three or four pages of closely set, non-display want "ads" before any news or display advertising is reached. This style of make-up is a diffi- cult barrier to overcome, and it is further complicated by the fact that when advertisements are inserted with- out a definite agreement as to position, they are pretty sure to be hidden in pages of solid advertising where only persons with a pronounced passion for reading ad- vertisements are apt to find them. In other words, the psychological factor is largely ignored and little is done to attract the eye by an artistic division of advertising and reading matter. In this connection it might be observed that there ia no truly American paper published in all South Amer- ica, except in Havana and at Panama. American events 162 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE are thus under a perpetual handicap and in continual danger of being misrepresented before the reading public of the entire continent. The manner in which news was misrepresented was much greater prior to 1914 than at the present time, when both the Associated Press and the United Press have made arrangements for the installation of their service by the more impor- tant dailies, but there is still great room for improve- ment. A short time ago ten of the daily papers of Buenos Aires were receiving more or less news from these two services, but they also continued their main dependence on non-American news service. Altogether, Argentina has about five hundred publi- cations, about half of which are printed in the capital city. Of this number, there are not twenty in which an American advertiser would be likely to feel any interest or in which the pulling power in favor of advertised goods would be likely to repay the investment required. The great dailies remain, with the exception of the high-grade weeklies discussed in the next chapter, the main dependence for reaching the public. In Argentina, much more than in any other South American country, it is possible to reach the buying public through the daily papers. The percentage of literacy is highest in that country by a wide margin, the average buying power of its citizens is greater, and reading habits are better established. If an advertising campaign is de- vised which will use both of the leading morning papers and one each of the foreign language papers, together with the best weekly, the field will be about as thor- oughly covered as it is possible to arrange for at this time. Advertisers in the better class dailies of South IN LATIN-AMERICA 163 America are often surprised at the high rates asked. Rates, on the whole, are higher than in the United States, and a stiff premium is asked for special position. Inasmuch as the only worthwhile locations in the paper are in the special position class, this rate may as well be considered the regular rate, as advertisements in- serted in the hodgepodge of solid advertising pages might as well never be written. It must be recollected that the business office of Latin papers operates on different principles from the; modern American daily. Statements of its circulation are not usually published, and any attempts to get one often will only result in confusion for the seeker. Most newspaper proprietors have so far refused to accept the idea that advertisers have any right to know whether or not they are getting what they pay for. The pub- lishers declare that the rate for advertising in their papers is so much, and that advertisers are at liberty to take it or leave it. Inasmuch as the same idea pre- vails in most newspaper offices from the Texas border to Cape Horn, the advertiser who wishes to try out his campaign has nothing to do but trust in God and go ahead. Newspaper distribution is also carried on very differ- ently than with us. No such stability of circulation from day to day is ever thought of, except among a few of the high grade dailies. In Brazil the business of publishing daily newspapers is even more complicated and uncertain than in Argentina. There are about eight hundred publications in Brazil, as compared with five hundred in Argentina, but owing to the high per- centage of illiteracy in Brazil and the mediocrity of hundreds of papers published in that country, an even 164 ADVERTISING FOE TRADE smaller percentage of them would be of interest to an American advertiser than in Argentina. Rio de Janeiro, the capital city, dominates the intellectual life of Brazil, but not to the same extent that Buenos Aires dominates Argentina. Enormous distances and lack of transportation facilities are responsible for this con- dition. Rio de Janeiro with a population of about one million has fourteen daily papers, of which thirteen are pub- lished in Portuguese and one in Italian. No Spanish daily exists, the language of the country being almost entirely Portuguese, except where large immigrant bodies have settled. Spanish is much disregarded in Brazil, and to address a merchant in Spanish or to send him printed matter in that language is considered insult- ing by many. If it is impossible to use Portuguese, it is better to use French, as all the better-class Brazilians understand that language and feel complimented when so addressed. Of late, however, English has made great strides in Brazil, and the English-speaking traveler has little difficulty in making himself understood. In the southern part of Brazil, particularly around Sao Paulo, German is widely spoken. Of the other important cities of Brazil, Sao Paulo has about five hundred thousand people and ten daily papers, nine in Portuguese and one in Italian; Bahia, with three hundred and fifty thousand people, has seven dailies, all in Portuguese; Pernambuco, with two hun- dred and fifty thousand people, has four Portuguese dailies ; Para has three, Porta Alegre three, Rio Grande do Sul three and Manaos and Santos two each, all of the latter being in Portuguese. Circulation in all cases is impossible to estimate, and publishers' statements TERRIBLE PROBLEMA PARA LA ADMINISTRACION MILITAR Xtoffna tteno valor para matar tin polio Latin-American papers of all kinds are guilty of piracy. This picture appeared in "Life," of August 23, 1917. The clipping is from "El Mercurio" of Santiago, Chile, September 14, 1917. "Life" is not given credit for the same. "El Mercurio" is the leading paper of Chile. Ultimo Exhibicltin instructive Monies de Oca, 309 Avellaneda Oara principio HOY Unicoserviviente que presenta por un lado ser una MUJER yelotroun HOMBRE yque Es nn ser indefinido. Asf lo certifican las principales Facultades de Medicina de America del Norte, Francia, Italia, Espafia, Inglaterra y Portugal. Es una con June ion de forma? antag6nicas en que se manifiesta visiblemente la estdtica masculina y femenina, poseyendo, organos indefinidos y considerados psiquimicamente como neutros. Su cuerpo despues de muerto, esta vendido por 50.000 duros para la Facultad de Medi- cina de Pan's. La generacion actual no debe perder la ocasion de admirar este fen6meno de la Naturaleza, porque es uu fen6meno humatio viviente que no aparece en muchos siglos. Dentro del local de la exhibicion estaran de manifiesto los certificados medicos. SOLO SE PERMIT1RA LA ENTRAP A. A PERSONAS MAYORES DE ED AD Papers do not discriminate as to the style of copy or the business of the advertiser. This advertisement is from the Argentine and features an "anatom- ical freak" who, as the announcement says, "sometimes acts and lives as a woman and at other times as a man." The last line announces that "only persons of age will be admitted." IN LATIN-AMERICA 165 are taken by advertisers with large grains of salt. Everywhere in Brazil newspaper rates are adjusted on the basis of asking a good strong price and then taking what you can get. Published advertising rates are seldom any criterion of what an advertisement will cost, if the publisher or his representative is interviewed and "seen" in accord- ance with the custom of the country, a custom now os- tensibly limited to aldermen in the United States. For this reason it is obvious that the conduct of an eco- nomical advertising campaign to increase the sale of American goods in Brazil must either be managed by a representative right on the ground who can negotiate directly with the newspaper offices, or the task must be entrusted to an agency that knows exactly what it is doing and what methods must be employed to save money. The old proverb, "When in Eome do as the Komans do," is very much to the point in this connec- tion. Americans who want to do business in Brazil must do it in the manner of the Brazilians, which means an occasional operation of crossing somebody's palm with silver. Make-up follows the European style no news until several pages of classified "want ads" have been passed ; no intelligent headlines, and no effort to secure that finished appearance which is typical of the poorest American daily. The most important news is often buried in some odd corner of the paper, and only a conscientious reading of the whole issue will assure one that the news has really been read. This is not alto- gether unfortunate, as the Brazilians are in the habit of reading every word and any advertising inserted is 166 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE fairly certain to be brought before their eyes at some stage of this voluminous reading process. It may not be amiss to point out here that advertise- ments in South American dailies are, as a rule, very much smaller than with us. Small space is the usual thing, and a piece of copy filling a quarter of a page will dominate the whole issue. Owing to the fact that large type is seldom required, most Latin dailies have little of it on hand and what is available usually con- sists of old and worn-out faces. For this reason adver- tisers, especially those using space that requires large display type, should by all means supply their own plates or mats, making sure first, however, that the mechanical equipment of the paper in which the adver- tising is to be run can use the kind of plate or mat pre- pared. Any effort to secure reliable data on circulation is useless. The best plan is to study the local field, decide what papers are best to use, and then drive the best bargain possible with the publisher of the paper. With few exceptions the use of advertising agents located in Brazilian cities is foolish, because they are usually in league with the publisher and will unite with him to take advantage of a foreign advertiser. CHAPTER XVII Booklets, plain and colored advertising materials, puzzles and "holy- pictures" always bring results in Latin-American advertising campaigns. AMONG the valuable media which may be ad- vantageously used as propaganda in Latin- America are booklets, cards, either in colors or black and white, postal-cards, puzzles and religious or so-called "holy pictures." It may be put down as one of the hard and fast rule* of advertising in this part of the world that plain text not illustrated lacks essentially in "pulling" power, due to the illiteracy of the native. It therefore follows that becoming illustrations add enormously to the value of any advertising text or copy. The appropriate- ness of the picture used should be given serious con- sideration, for no people are as sensitive or as quick to resent insinuations as the Latin- Americans. I have seen incensed Chilanos destroy thousands of booklets used for advertising an American dyspepsia cure, because more space was given to praising the valor of the "heroes of Peru" than was devoted to those of Chile. The person who prepared the copy evidently did not know that perhaps the bitterest war ever fought on this continent was between Peru and Chile and that the peace terms enforced on Chile were the most exorbitant the world up to that time had ever known, for Chile took as compensation the wealthy nitrate provinces of Tacna and Arica which have since yielded her billions of 167 168 ADVERTISING FOE TRADE dollars in revenue. Although peace between these two republics was declared in 1884, there still exists a feeling of hatred between these nations, much the same as was current in France against Germany and the Germans in the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. There is a saying in South America which well expresses the situation : "To make a Chilian like you, speak with con- tempt of the Peruvians to make a Peruvian love you, say the worst things possible of the Chilanos." A good rule to follow in preparing copy for books intended for distribution throughout Latin-America is to speak in the most glowing and complimentary terms of the country or countries, the inhabitants, and the governments. The average Latin- American can absorb and assimilate more high-frequency flattery than any other human being on the face of the earth in fact, he thrives on it and is sorely disappointed if he does not receive it at all times and on all occasions. To substantiate the truthfulness of this statement one has only to read a Spanish letter, which, instead of our formal and sufficient "Yours very truly," invariably closes with some such phrase as "Your obedient and secure servant who kisses your hand." Or read in the daily paper, in the mortuary column, an announcement of the "death of my highly virtuous wife, Maria," a condition of affairs always assumed to exist among us less volatile Northerners. Bear in mind always, in preparing booklets for these people, that the average Latin-American rarely leaves the immediate locality in which he was born. However, he has a consuming desire to know something of the great world outside his range of vision and is hungry to get this information. Perhaps no other booklet of its IN LATIN-AMERICA 169 type ever received such popular approval from the masses as one which had on every alternate page a picture depicting some wonder in the United States. For this purpose I used half-tones showing Niagara Falls, the Washington Monument, the Singer Building, a diagram of the subway, the elevated railway, the Big Trees of California, an oil gusher and a salt well. Below each reproduction appeared a few words of appropriate description, with the dimensions in meters and not in feet or inches, for the latter system of measurement would be meaningless to Latin-Americans. It is always advisable, and also patriotic, to "play up" one's own country in all such advertising material, and, con- versely, exhibits poor judgment to bring other nations, their inhabitants or wonders into the scene. The more the foreigner learns of the United States and the things it possesses, the better for all concerned in export trade. By bearing this thought in mind every American adver- tising his goods in overseas markets helps his fellow- countrymen proportionately and incidentally benefits his land. The large majority of the masses are intensely and superstitiously religious, a condition which may be taken advantage of with propriety because the Catholic church in these countries has established the precedent. In Peru the church owns a spring, the water from which is known and advertised by the ecclesiastical authorities as "Jesus Water." Posters intended to create a demand for this water show Christ at the spring with his feet in the water, while testimonials recording all manner of supernatural cures are given. In one of these testimon- ials, which I distinctly recall, a certain Manuel Garcia wrote with pathos of his childless marriage for nine 170 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE years, until his parish priest recommended Jesus Water, with the happy result that he was presented with a bouncing boy, due solely to "his wife drinking sixteen bottles of Jesus Water." Reproductions of famous holy or religious paintings or scenes from the Bible may also be profitably used. I recall an elaborate one of the Virgin of Guadeloupe showing her with her infant as she is supposed to have appeared to the Mexican Indian. One arm of the child is reaching for the bottle of patent medicine, which the mother holds in her hand. The firm manufacturing this medicine gave these cards to priests and nuns for dis- tribution to their friends, thereby acquiring for their product an added spiritual value through the donors, who invariably took advantage of every opportunity to speak in praise of the preparation. I plead guilty to creating a saint and inducting him into my service, and I must say in credit to the fictitious gentleman whom I canonized that he rendered valiant aid in the field wherein he was exploited. A few years ago there were numerous earthquakes in the West Indies, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Chile. Very naturally these had the effect of terrorizing the simple natives, owing to the heavy loss of life which not infrequently resulted from these shakes. It oc- curred to me that if a saint could be found whose special duty was to prevent loss of life during these seismic disturbances, much might be done through his aid to bring calm into these regions of terror. Unfortunately, as far as I was able to discover, neither biblical nor church history recorded such an individual, so I selected my second name, "Edmund," as the cognomen for the new assistant deity, added the IN LATIN-AMERICA 171 prefix "Saint" to it, and wrote an appropriate earth- quake prayer which was printed beneath the picture of the home-made saint. Instructions, appearing in bold- face type, told recipients to nail the card with the "saint's" picture under the door-beam and to stand during a quake beneath the picture, which place, by the way, is the safest locality during such tremors. As a consequence, many lives were presumably saved, the earthquakes eventually stopped, as I knew they would, and my canonized individual made good to such an extent that several editions of the cards were exhausted. Of course each card contained our advertisement, which the supplicant for protection must have seen as he prayed. And, best of all, the clergy recommended to their parishioners the use of this prayer and kept pack- ages of these cards for distribution to the faithful. Children are much catered to throughout these lands. Education is becoming more common, and to the illiterate parent the child who reads and writes is looked upon as a phenomenon. He is known throughout the village or the immediate neighborhood, and his services are often requisitioned to read aloud to a group of neighbors the text of cards or pamphlets which have been distributed, following which all present generally indulge in an animated argument regarding the same. In view of this, I always saw to it that teachers and scholars were well supplied with appropriate advertis- ing literature. The children invariably took such ma- terial home, and thereby emphatically brought it to the attention of their elders and friends. Perhaps nothing more perfectly demonstrated the truth of this fact than a tracing book which I prepared for a soap house. The little pamphlet contained a page of text relating the 172 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE virtues of the soap for skin troubles, with a testimonial in a foot-note for testimonials are always accepted in these lands as valuable bits of evidence. On the opposite page was a religious picture or some other simple illus- tration in line-drawing, while between the two pages was inserted tracing paper with a space at the bottom for the name and address of the one making the repro- duction and note requesting that the recipient send whichever tracing was considered best to the address of the manufacturer who, in return, would forward an appropriate souvenir. For years after this pamphlet was issued they kept coming to the home office, the names and addresses thus acquired forming the basis of an excellent mailing list. Simple puzzles are excellently adapted for this pur- pose, especially if made of paper and if not too bulky to be sent by registered mail, for if forwarded without this precaution, the chances are that they will all be appropriated by the post office employes, who in every Latin-American country take unusual privileges with parcels passing through their hands. Spaniards are greatly interested in deciphering puzzles, and nearly every Spanish and Latin-American magazine devotes a page to this subject. Missing-name contests are also popular. Jig-saw pictures would attract much favor- able attention and prove highly valuable as advertising matter. Cards embodying the parallel column idea referred to in tfie Wine of Cod Liver Oil poster would be ideal, and would never be thrown away. In this connection it may be well to refer to such supplemental advertising materials as calendars and almanacs, both of which are used extensively and which are always preserved. In addition to showing the a c Si S <1> V go, . f 4 fl ement, wh chraent in S IN LATIN-AMERICA 173 months and days of the year, care should be taken to clearly define the seasons, remembering always that south of the equator these are the reverse of our own. Latin-American holidays, such as the national Inde- pendence Day, should be printed in prominent type or red ink. A list of these political days can always be obtained from the accredited consul to the United States or from the United States consul located in each coun- try. Keligious holidays and holy days are always observed south of the Kio Grande and should also be given due consideration. Many local business houses of Latin-America depend solely upon this form of adver- tising and find it profitable. It is excellently adapted for use in the interior towns and for the ranchers and farmers. I have never known of an American business house to take advantage of this method of reaching interior buyers. For advertising farm machinery, agri- cultural implements, patent medicines and the like, it would be ideal. It should always be borne in mind that this class of advertising is almost sure to pay a high class of duty, and provision should be made accordingly. Of course, if the calendars or almanacs are sent by mail to indi- viduals, in all probability they will enter duty free. One thought should always be kept in mind when preparing color work of this nature, namely, that the bulk of the population of most Latin-American countries have negro or Indian blood in their veins and are there- fore strongly attracted by gaudy coloring. This, how- ever, does not hold true of the inhabitants of Uruguay or the Argentine, where there is relatively little African or Indian strains. It may be well to invite the attention of my readers 174 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE at this point to the fact that propaganda of the nature herein described, as well as material for house-to-house distribution, pays a very high duty in nearly all Latin- American countries. This custom house charge is un- warranted and without reason. Its payment would mean a heavy additional charge against the advertising campaign, did not an opportunity, legitimate enough, exist for thwarting the unscrupulous authorities at their own game. Furthermore, its practice is thor- oughly justified and actually observed by those familiar with the situation. The method of procedure is simple and consists in consigning to one's order, or to the order of some imaginary person, the cases containing the ad- vertising material intended for a certain district at least three months before the intended visit of the agent or distributor. In practically all of these countries goods left in the customs warehouses which remain uncalled for after ninety days are sold to the highest bidder. In due time the shipment which is intended for your traveler's use will be put up at auction. Obviously, no one will care to bid for advertising material covered with printed announcements, so that by collusion with some local representative, previously designated, the entire lot may be bought in for a few dollars, much less by far than the duties would have been. I have often had goods of this character "knocked down" to my representative for ninety per cent, less than the actual duties assessed against the shipment. No one need have any qualms of conscience over such a procedure on his part, for I am positive no more contemptible brigand exists the world over than the average Latin- American customs official, a statement that will be unqualifiedly IN LATIN-AMERICA 175 verified by every man who has had any dealings with them. Local native, as well as foreign, merchants of the better class are well acquainted with methods of this nature calculated to get goods into the country at the cheapest and most economical valuation, and it is always well to take into one's confidence a reputable business man or firm and to follow to the letter the suggestions given. In many of these countries there may be found customs house brokers who "stand in" with the customs grafters and who are in position to obtain entrance of foreign goods at a minimum fee. I strongly advise getting in touch with reliable and authoritive sources of information in this connection, for it will ultimately mean the saving of much money and time in the course of one's business. CHAPTER XVIII The moving-picture advertising campaign is ideal for Latin-American countries, owing to the fact that the rate of illiteracy is high, and at the same time the purchasing power of the average peon is perhaps the best in the world. AN exceptional opportunity is presented to those with foresight enough to take advantage of moving-pictures to introduce their wares to Latin-America and the rest of the world as well. The peoples of the earth, no matter what may be their sta- tion in life or to what race they belong, are "movie mad." The picture on the screen speaks all languages and appeals to every one able to see and who is provided with ordinary mentality. It tells an appealing and a convincing story. I have attended cinematograph exhibi- tions in Japan, China, Arabia, India, throughout Latin- America, the Holy Land, Algiers, Egypt and elsewhere, and have always noted that thrilling pictures exhila- rated every audience alike, while the pathetic scenes brought tears to the eyes of those present, even among nations with more or less primitive instincts. In other words, those who attend moving-picture exhibitions are more or less alike the wide world over. Other travelers have noted this and frequently commented thereon. This being true, it must be obvious that for advertising purposes the moving-picture is without a peer, especially among classes of limited education. It is also well to remember that a special value and emphasis may be 176 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE 177 given films intended for this type of people by coloring them, the brighter and more vivid the better. Captions for the scenes should always be in the lan- guage of the country wherein they are to be exhibited, and in lands where several dialects are used, as in India, China, Egypt, and Turkey, it is advisable to use the leading dialects for this purpose. In preparing these headings great care should be taken to have the transla- tion made by a competent native if possible one thor- oughly familiar with local idioms for nothing tends to detract from the forcefulness of a picture so much as an error of this nature and foreign audiences, particu- larly those of Latin-America, are quick to detect mis- takes and ridicule those making them. Furthermore, incorrect translations reflect on the house using them as well as on the product advertised. Where one does not feel justified in going to the ex- pense necessary to make and circulate moving-pictures, a fair substitute may be found in the ordinary lantern slide, colored if possible and properly captioned. These should be packed in a substantial box, so constructed as to prevent breakage, and should be consecutively num- bered, when shown in a series, so as to be displayed in their proper order. There are many firms in the United States engaged in this industry, so that it is not difficult to inaugurate this style of advertising campaign. My readers are warned against the translations for titles and captions usually made by these concerns. My expe- rience has been that they are nearly always unsatisfac- tory, and I again bring to your attention the fact that these should be prepared by a thoroughly qualified in- dividual. Assuming that your product warrants a moving- 178 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE picture campaign, there are two methods by which this may be accomplished. The first, and the better one, is by sending an expert with an outfit to display the pic- tures in the leading cinematograph theaters of the countries wherein the advertising is to be done. Most Latin-American and other countries admit films and the machines used in displaying them duty free, provided they are declared at the local customs house as "theatri- cal goods" or "theatrical paraphernalia." If one at- tempts to take them into the land as personal baggage, trouble is certain to develop. On arriving at a city, little difficulty will be expe- rienced by a person of ordinary tact in getting the proprietors of the picture-houses to allow the film to be run. Free complimentary reading notices in the local press may easily be obtained, through the simple ex- pedient of giving passes to the staff of the paper. In this connection it is well to consult with and follow the advice of the owner of the house where the display is to be made. This method has been found universally valuable by all who have tried it. One large hotel in New York City keeps two machines with their attendants con- tinually traveling throughout Latin-America, and the results have filled the hostelry with foreign guests. It is now the intention of this hospice to send similar dis- plays to Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe. In South and Central America all the larger villages and towns, as well as the metropolitan cities, have been visited. In localities without moving-picture palaces, halls are rented and free exhibitions given, care being taken to see that the better families are provided with special IN LATIN-AMERICA 179 invitations, for it is from this class of the population that the hotel expects to obtain its patrons. As may be surmised, the films are designed particu- larly to excite interest in the hotel and secondarily to boost everything American, so that in a broad sense it is, in reality, an educational campaign for those fortu- nate enough to witness the exhibitions. The films show an ocean voyage, passing through the Panama Canal, the arrival at quarantine, the medical examination, with notes telling why the Government of the United States examines every foreigner arriving in the country. The trip up the harbor is thrown on the screen, the big buildings are shown, with specific notes concerning them. As trunks are sent ashore and the customs offi- cials begin the examination of the baggage, the porters and interpreters from this hotel aid the guests in has- tening the work and placing their belongings in taxi- cabs. The ride to the hotel is then begun, and street life in New York is vividly displayed. The next film shows a plan of New York City, bringing out the all- important fact that this particular hotel is close to all prominent places, theaters, stores and business houses. The elevated trains are shown passing the door, the subway beneath the building, and the surface cars in front of the hostelry. Views of the outside of the edifice are shown, with details of the lobbies, offices, reception-rooms, interpreters, porters, assistants, bell- boys, bedrooms, suites and baths, the cooks, cuisine, cold storage, waiters and dining-rooms. Prices of the rooms are given, with captions and specific facts regarding each picture shown. Other reels show the wonders of the United States, our cotton fields, wheat fields, or- chards, cattle ranches, mines, factories, rolling-mills, our 180 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE great rivers and lakes, trains, navy and army. In other words, everything is done to impress the audience with the vastness and the richness of our country and our great desire to have the rest of the world know us more intimately. The result has been far more successful than was anticipated. Not only has the hotel been crowded with Latin-American business men and their families, but there has also been a large clientele developed among the wealthiest families who formerly went to Europe for the season. In addition, other foreigners have been attracted to the place, and its overseas patronage is growing. Every guest leaving this hotel becomes a radiating center of infection among his friends and those with whom he comes in contact, for he innoculates them with the "see America first" germ. Furthermore, much trade has been directly and indirectly developed through visiting merchants and others who were im- pressed by what they saw and our manner of manufac- turing goods. Such an advertising campaign might advantageously be undertaken by some of our chambers of commerce or by other business organizations, the incidental expenses being proportionately borne by the members thereof, provided the things which they manufactured were given space on the reels. Where it is not possible to send one's own operator, as above outlined, much detailed and tiring correspond- ence will be required. From American consuls abroad may be obtained the names and addresses of the best moving-picture houses in their districts. Upon obtain- ing this information, letters should be written offering to send the films express prepaid, if the proprietor will IN LATIN-AMERICA 181 agree to exhibit them for a definite period and forward them afterward to their next destination. Accompany- ing this letter should be a complete synopsis of the reel, with a few half-tone pictures to give an idea of its con- tents. Owing to the great scarcity of films and the high prices charged for them in foreign countries, one will find "movie" men all over the world anxious to exhibit the reels, regardless of the commercial phase which is involved. Of course, suitable posters, hangers, banners and the usual line of announcements in the language of the country should be sent to each show-house when the reels are shipped, care being taken to send this material in strong packages and by registered mail, in order to insure delivery. The theater manager will see that they are used to the best advantage. Perhaps no more positive proof of the value of the moving-picture as a business-getter could be given than that of a prominent American corset house. As is well recognized, all the world, and especially Latin-America, has always looked to France for styles, particularly those intended for women's wear. As a result of this attitude, French corsets are worn almost exclusively in South and Central America. The American manufac- turer of an excellent and very high-grade corset desired to make an effort to secure a portion of this profitable trade for his line, which was highly appreciated and extensively used by women in the United States. With that object in view, several stores were opened in the capitals of the more important countries to the south of our border. The furnishings, trimmings and decora- tion in each shop were of the latest models, highly artistic and the very best that money could buy. Each 182 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE store was managed by an American woman familiar with the good points of the corset, able to speak both French and Spanish, and assisted by a competent staff. The virtues of the product were announced appropri- ately and with illustrations in the local press and the leading weeklies. Despite all this, relatively few sales were made. The president of the company was about to abandon the project when I suggested the advisability of a moving-picture campaign in conjunction with the adver- tising already undertaken. A series of films were planned showing the growing cotton, its picking, ne- groes dancing, cotton being ginned and baled, then shipped via steamer and train to New England, where it went through the great cotton mills and became con- verted into wearing material. These mills, with the various stages necessary to produce cotton goods, were shown in great detail. In the same manner the metal used in the corset was shown in the process of fabrica- tion, from the time it left the mine as ore until it was ready for use. Next came the corset factory and the homes of the employes. The workers were shown coming to work, at play, on their annual picnic, in their rest rooms, with attendant nurses and physicians, and finally engaged in consuming the liberal luncheon provided by the firm for its help. The complete manu- facture of the various forms of silk and cotton corsets was shown, the merits of each style being gone into thoroughly in the caption. Finally, well-proportioned ladies of all ages and figures, from slender to stout, were depicted in colors discarding with disgust other types of corsets and putting on with the greatest ease the advertised article. IN LATIN-AMERICA 183 Owing to the fact that most women of Spanish descent acquire avoirdupois rapidly, a special feature was made of a fat woman doing all manner of gymnastic exercises while wearing these corsets. This proved a decided hit and, as far as it was possible to trace results, did the most to increase and stimulate the sale of these articles. As a consequence, this brand of wearing apparel now enjoys a growing popularity among the fair sex of Latin-America. A market has been created for it by means of the moving-picture. By the exercise of common sense and a modicum of ingenuity any article made in the United States can be advertised successfully on the moving-picture screen. European countries think so well of this method of ad- vertising goods that several of the schools of commerce announce in their catalogues that instruction in moving- picture propaganda will be given. The prospectus of the Berlin Commercial High School for 1918-19 is the latest educational institution requiring students to include this topic in their course of study. This method of advertising abroad might be taken up appropriately and with but little additional expense by our advertising agencies. CHAPTER XIX A house-to-house distribution campaign in Latin-American countries as a rule brings prompt results, provided it is conducted in the proper manner. Much money can be wasted otherwise. HOUSE-TO-HOUSE distribution of advertising material is one of the best methods by which to introduce a new article into Latin-America. Unfortunately, there are many barriers and obstacles to be overcome in order to get the right results and to do the work properly. In the first place, the Latin-American laboring man, or peon, cannot possibly be trusted to give out cards, pamphlets or other literature without the direct super- vision of a responsible individual. If left alone to do this work, he will either throw the contents of his pouch in some convenient gully or concealed corner, or give handfuls of the articles to pedestrians or passers-by a condition almost forced upon him by the aristocratic Latin-Americans in the street who always insist upon being "given just another one for an intimate friend." If this request comes from one higher in the social scale than the one giving out the announcements, it is tanta- mount to a command which no peon or person of the lawer classes would think of ignoring. I have fre- quently seen individuals of this class stop men engaged in street distribution, place their hands in the sack con- taining the propaganda, and help themselves most liberally. If the material was not found interesting or entertaining, it would be immediately thrown into the 184 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE 185 street. On the other hand, when the native meets one of his own class he is apt to have an acute and grandiose attack of liberality and force upon his illiterate and financially embarrassed amigo or compadre an enor- mous donation of material, thus wasting it on an in- dividual who cannot by any possibility prove of benefit to the advertiser. In order to attain success it is therefore absolutely necessary that the native distributors be accompanied by a responsible overseer, who should be familiar with the language and sufficiently diplomatic to prevent the wasting of material. Nobody can equal an American for this work. I have always found it best to have two men work together under the personal direction of a supervisor, one distributor operating on one side and the other on the opposite side of the street. Time will be saved by going the entire length of the street and returning along the next parallel street. After thus working all the streets running north and south, the same method should be observed with the streets run- ning at right angles to those previously visited. The distributors should be provided with canvas or duck bags to be suspended from their shoulders by straps, and these should be large enough to contain a quantity of whatever is to be distributed. In the more important towns, in order to save time, it will be found advisable to rent a horse and cart to accompany the men for the purpose of carrying the material, so that supplies for the bags may be quickly replenished. By this method thousands of books or merchandise samples can be cheaply circulated during working hours. Distributors should be obliged to place the article given out under the doors or else to throw them in the 186 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE windows of houses, thus insuring that they reach their objective. This can readily be accomplished in Latin- American lands, owing to the construction of habita- tions. They should also be instructed to give any lady or gentleman whom they meet on the street only one of the articles being given away, and to respectfully refer those making insistent demands for more to the captain of the party. When asked for samples or booklets by the lower classes of the population, they should be in- structed to say, "Certainly, if you can read," at the same time asking the applicant to read a few lines from the text. If these simple suggestions are followed, one will come near reaching one hundred per cent, efficiency in this class of work. The large patent medicine houses find this method of circulating their booklets so productive of good results that they frequently maintain a regular force of trained men for such work, having them tour a country or a group of countries under the control of a manager. In order to keep these teams continually engaged, regular routes are made for them and goods for their use shipped ahead to the local druggist, with requests to pay duties and drayage, as well as all other charges, for which they will be compensated on the arrival of the repre- sentative of the house at an approximate date. The mention of the date when the representative is expected to arrive will often cause the local druggist to have a notice printed in the town paper relative to the proposed visit, as a result of which many natives will be awaiting the arrival of the visitor to seek first-hand information regarding the properties of the remedy. The prompt, in fact, almost immediate response to such work, when properly done, is remarkable and it usually results in IN LATIN-AMERICA 187 the agent securing a large order for immediate delivery. In view of this condition, it is always wise when first visiting a town to include a small trial order with the advertising material, so that demands for goods may at once be filled. These distributors can also be satisfactorily used for posting the town, as well as for giving out other appropriate announcements to the trade. A part of their work should be to arrange when possible window displays, which are always a source of interest to the natives and serve excellent advertising purposes. The personnel of such a team, being composed chiefly of peons, can travel third-class on ships and trains, and when in towns or cities they are content to stop at cheap boarding houses, or posadas. As compared with the valuable and efficient work a properly managed troup of this kind can accomplish, the cost of maintaining them is relatively very small. I have known one team to work in a year the more important cities in Cuba, Santo Domingo, Porto Rico, Venezuela, Colombia, the Central American Republics, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, returning via Uruguay, the Argentine and Brazil, as a result of which a most profitable business was established. Of course, such a trip must be planned with care and by one familiar in detail with the entire territory. Shipments of goods must be made months in advance, so that there will be no delays en route. As the distributors establish a reputation for work and faithfulness, as many of them will, they may be dis- patched with advertising materials to nearby villages and towns, while the American manager of the crew works the larger cities with newly recruited help. In 188 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE this manner a given territory can be quickly and eco- nomically covered. Of course, house-to-house distribution can only be used with success for certain lines of goods. This is a problem which must be solved by the advertising man- ager. As a general rule, it may be said that any article which may be introduced by this method in the United States will meet with the same results throughout Latin-America. Distributors under no circumstances should pass a school or priest's house without entering the same and leaving a liberal supply of advertising material with the teacher or pastor. Courtesy demands that permis- sion first be obtained to leave whatever is being given away. Latin-Americans of all classes are sticklers for the observance of the rules of etiquette. If properly ap- proached, the teacher will often suspend school and make an address to the scholars commending the preparation or article thus advertised. The eloquence of the speaker may be made more effective by the pre- sentation of a sample of the goods being introduced. Few Americans realize or appreciate the vast in- fluence exercised by the Latin-American priest over his parishioners. He rules with a rod of iron and is looked upon by the masses as a supernatural being. His word is law. I have always found him a good companion, willing to lend every aid to the traveler who crosses his path. He will welcome you to his home with a sincerity that impresses you, and let me suggest the advisability of stopping with him, when asked to do so, especially in the small towns, for you will be sure of the best accommodations and the best fare that the place affords. Of his own volition he will often offer to give IN LATIN-AMERICA 189 the members of his flock any advertising material one may care to intrust to him. Holy pictures are always highly appreciated and distributed with discernment. It always pays to give him a liberal supply of the article advertised, for he will generally place it where it will do your house the greatest good. I have known a priest to stop in the middle of a sermon, point an authoritative finger at a worshiper who was coughing, and say, "When mass is over stop at Blanco's drug-store and buy a bottle of Father John's Medicine. It will positively cure you and others similarly troubled." Could one ask a better advertisement from a more authentic source? And right here let me suggest the advisability of taking the names and addresses of the teachers and preachers one meets in his travels. These should be sent to the home office, with the idea that from time to time new advertising material may be sent them. It is wise, also, to ship them occasionally a few sample packages of the goods you sell, and one may rely upon them rendering efficient service for being thus remembered. Their names should also be added to the firm's mailing lists. CHAPTER XX The concwrso, or guessing-contest, never fails to attract attention and develop interest in any advertising campaign, yet few North Ameri- cans have taken advantage of the really great opportunity this method of interesting the Latin-American buying public affords. NOTHING in connection with an advertising campaign appeals more strongly to the Latin- American public than the popular concurso, or what might be called in this country a "chance game." Whenever a concurso which is unique and original in its plan is presented, it brings a favorable reception for the article thus advertised. This is also true of the Asiatic and African people, as well as the inhabitants of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. American ingenuity should have no trouble in devising many timely and appropriate advertising plans of this nature, and I recommend that no extensive advertising campaign in any of these lands be under- taken unless they include a concurso. The majority of cigarettes, many medicines, and practically all the tonics and liquors now so much used in Latin-America owe their popularity to this method of introduction. A cigarette in high favor with the masses of Argen- tine, Uruguay and Chile is known as "43." Its trade- mark is simply the numbers four and three in a circle (43). In less than a year it was introduced into the above named republics and made a leading seller by appealing to the populace with a relatively small cam- 190 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE 191 paign in the leading periodicals and a large one in freak advertising. Each scheme employed was so unusual that in a short time the query put to everybody in street, office, cars, schools, homes, and even in the mon- asteries was, "I wonder what method of advertising (43) cigarettes will next adopt?" Let me give some illustrations. Eating-house cafes, dining-rooms, res- taurants and boarding-houses were all supplied with noodles made in the (43) shape for use in soups and broths. This, of course, started conversation between diners. Cigar-stores, restaurants, cafes and offices were visited by representatives of the company and asked to be allowed to paper the walls, proprietors being re- quested to select the color of the paper they preferred from a large series of designs, each one of which had con- spicuously, but not inartistically, displayed the haunt- ing number (43). Songs were written and sung in music-halls and on the vaudeville stage, the chorus of which invariably terminated with the words cuarenta- tres cuarentatres, or 43 43. All packages contain- ing the cigarettes had picture-cards showing flags of all the nations, pictures of prominent people, and the like. As soon as a person completed the set, he received one hundred packages of (43) cigarettes as a compli- ment. This of course led to persons comparing their sets and trading cards with each other, the conversation meantime always dealing with (43) cigarettes. The roads of Latin-America are naturally bad, and in most countries trails exist which are negotiable only for a sure-footed mule. Of all these bridle-paths, none are more hazardous than the one leading from Buenos Aires, the capital of the Argentine, to Santiago, the capital of Chile. The traveler who made this tiresome 192 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE and dangerous journey over the snow-clad cunibre by mule was always looked upon by his friends as a hero. No one had ever dreamed of taking the trip by auto- mobile. Such an experience, in the eyes of the native, was considered more or less impossible and comparable to going to the North Pole. The owners of (43) ciga- rettes decided to have the trip made. The idea was given due publicity by all the papers and resulted in many letters of caution and advice. To each writer of such missives a letter of thanks and a package of cigarettes were sent. Excerpts from the correspondence, with the names and addresses of the senders, were published something especially pleasing to Latin- American vanity. Automobile companies competed with each other to have their machines make the trip. A committee of promi- nent men was selected to pick the car which in their judgment was best adapted for attempting the journey. More publicity was thus obtained. The car having been decided upon, it was painted a brilliant red, and in a white circle on its sides and ends appeared in huge black numerals the figures (43). This car was dis- played in leading windows and paraded through the principal thoroughfares for a week, with notices an- nouncing a prize of $1000 to the one guessing the exact time of the trip, f 500 to the second nearest guesser, and $250 to the third, each person to be allowed as many guesses as they desired before the car started its journey, provided, of course, that an empty (43) cigarette box accompanied the guess. The chauffeur who drove the car through the city was always dressed to represent Satan in tights of flaming red, with the conventional horns and long, spiked tail. On his chest Donok las dan. fa fotuan More wasted money. The advertisement is for the "43" cigarette. The ragged woman is pawning her underclothes with the old pawnbroker. In this country such an advertisement would hinder, instead of create, a demand for the cigarette it advertises. Pierrot. Mi ideal son los ; Cuellos Corona. General: J. A. B ALARI VALPARAISO Casilla 1359 The result of permitting a local agent to write copy. This is a collar advertisement, and one has to stretch his imagination to think of a man on the roof of a house in pajamas selling collars to the moon. Evidently there are some copy-writers in Latin-America who belong in insane asylums. IN LATIN-AMERICA 193 and on his back in a white circle appeared the irresist- ible numerals (43). The day for the departure of the car arrived. The mayor of Buenos Aires made a speech wishing the Santanic driver, the agent of the company and the two press representatives, who completed the occupants of the car, a pleasant journey and confided to them a letter to be given the mayor of Santiago. The official time of the departure was announced in all the papers of Uruguay, Argentine and Chile, and guesses were in- vited from the entire population of the three republics as to when the car and its occupants would reach the various cities en route. To those making correct re- plies, accompanied by an empty (43) cigarette box, fifty boxes of cigarettes were given. The press men wired the time of arrival and departure to the papers in the different countries. Committees met the way- farers outside of cities, accompanied them to their hotel, banqueted them, and went with them for a few kilo- meters on their departure all of which was heralded by the periodicals. The progress of these adventurers was watched by practically the entire population of the three nations. Bulletins posted in front of newspaper officers and cigar stores kept people advised of their progress. Never was a more exciting or popular advertising campaign than this conducted in Latin-America. I have given much of it in detail to illustrate how propaganda of this type should be done. A good market was established for this brand of cigarettes in a short time and at a mini- mum of expense. Needless to say, this entire campaign was planned by an American who had lived many years 194 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE in Latin-America, spoke the language well, and knew the people intimately. Another popular form of concurso is to have a pile of beans, or a large glass container full of the same, displayed in a prominent window, the public being allowed as many guesses as they want, each one, of course, being accompanied by a coupon with the name and address of the guesser. Prizes in money or useful articles reward the lucky one. A large bakery in one of the big South American cities has made its bread famous by displaying a glass globe filled with flour and inviting guesses as to the weight of its contents, each participant being obliged to give the tag from a loaf for the privilege of submitting an estimate. A well-known brand of tooth paste and toilet soap made in New Jersey has relied exclusively on introduc- ing its preparations into Latin-America by the coupon system such as is now in use in a chain of cigar stores in the United States. Every package of tooth paste, toilet powder, shaving soap and toilet soap sold in Latin- America contains a coupon and a premium list showing the value in coupons of each article. The list of premiums includes watches, toilet sets, cheap jewelry for men and women, cigarette holders, and the like. More practical goods, such as household articles, are not offered for the reason that they do not appeal to the natives and are difficult of transportation. The success of such a venture depends in great measure on the class of articles selected for premiums, and such a list should be compiled only after careful consultation with persons thoroughly familiar with the tastes of the inhabitants. The American concern using this plan for developing its South and Central American trade would not dare IN LATIN-AMERICA 195 undertake such a campaign in this country, but some idea of its popularity in the Latin republics may be gained when I state that on my last trip from Venezuela forty-eight bags of mail containing coupons were sent to this company for redemption and the ship's mail- clerk told me that as a rule he had a larger corre- spondence for this firm. One of the best known and most intelligently handled concurso campaigns was put on by a well-known baking company in Buenos Aires. Not only did it create a lasting demand for its products, but it also sold many shares of its stock to the general public, thereby sub- stantially obligating each purchaser of stock to buy the bread and cake prepared by the concern. The method adopted was most simple and at the same time entirely practical. On each cake or loaf of bread sold there was attached a label entitling the purchaser to guess how many loaves of bread, how many rolls, or how many cakes of a specified type mentioned could be manufactured from the contents of a barrel of flour displayed in the window of the company's head office. Keplies poured in by the thousand and the interest created was widespread. To the first one hundred persons whose estimate was nearest to the winner a share of stock in the company was to be given, with the option to acquire additional stock at a special rate, better than the market price. In the event of more than one contestant submitting correct replies, the capital prize, a very substantial sum, was to be divided equally between the winners, with the same amount of stock as a bonus. In front of the store-windows displaying the prizes or the materials entering into the competition enormous 196 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE crowds always congregate and discuss loudly and se- riously every phase of the contest. Better results are obtained if these displays are made in several localities at the same time, so as to cover a greater area of terri- tory and thus interest a larger proportion of the popu- lace. In the hands of an ingenious American advertiser the possibilities of such a campaign are almost beyond conception. It possesses the great merit of bringing returns promptly at relatively low expense. Games of chance, such as were common in the United States years ago and were exceptionally popular in cigar-stores and saloons, could be employed with great benefit throughout the large and small towns of every Latin-American country. I have reference to what is commonly known as "punch-cards" or "punch-boards," where the article to be disposed of is appropriately dis- played on a wooden cardboard back provided with a series of holes, each one of which contains a number. By paying a specified sum and selecting one hole to be punched out, a number is disclosed which entitles the player to a prize at a very low price, or else he draws a blank. Any modification of this method of raffling or gambling is sure to prove an efficient and appropriate method for introducing certain kinds of articles and is worthy of serious consideration. It must be borne in mind, however, that relatively few things lend them- selves to this special means of attracting attention. Perhaps no countries on the face of the earth respond so quickly to the efforts of the detail man as those of Latin-America, a fact which the average American business man seems to be entirely ignorant of. I am con- vinced from my experience in marketing goods in these IN LATIN-AMERICA 19T lands that this is perhaps the best method to introduce medicines and medical appliances. Physicians are always courteous and affable, and no matter how busy they may be or how high their social standing, they invariably have time to give careful consideration and a warm welcome to the representatives of foreign firms who call for the purpose of presenting something new in their line. The chances are, too, that they will make an opportunity among their patients for the purpose of demonstrating the article being introduced. Physi- cians should always be liberally provided with samples, and explicit instructions should be given them in the use of the preparation or device. If possible, a return visit should be made within a week or ten days, for the purpose of further stimulating their interest or cor- recting any false ideas which may have developed through failure to properly interpret the preliminary instructions. The fact that a large percentage of practitioners of the healing art in Latin-America and many other parts of the world, such as China, India and other remote places, have not had the benefit of medical instruction in col- leges or have been educated in inferior institutions of learning makes these fields all the more alluring for the patent or proprietary medicine concern and also makes the visits of the representative more impressive and productive of better results. Few trained nurses are to be found outside of the Continent, Australia, British Africa, and North Amer- ica. The few who have located in Latin-America are looked upon with almost the same high regard as the average physician, and they should also be visited and samples left with them. Throughout Central and South 198 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE America there is a Catholic order of nuns who devote their lives to the nursing of the sick and leave their convents for that purpose. The various branch houses of this order should not be neglected and should always be liberally stocked with samples. CHAPTER XXI The press of Uruguay analyzed Typical of the average Latin- American republic. THE general subject of advertising in Latin- America is such a complicated one, and every statement made concerning it is so subject to numerous qualifications and modifications, that it will be well to analyze in a more detailed manner the situa- tion in one particular country. For this purpose we shall use Uruguay for a number of reasons, among which are these: Uruguay is moderate in size and practically all phases of policy to be considered in an advertising campaign are identical throughout the country; its people are of high intelligence and possess one of the highest standards of literacy of any Latin- American country ; its national life is largely dominated by one city, Montevideo, the capital; contact with the outside world is free and easy and the members of its better classes are usually persons of considerable cul- ture and wide travel; it has the many newspapers of varied interests and small circulations so common in South America; and, finally, the pitfalls into which a foreign advertiser is in danger of falling are present to a great degree. Uruguay has a population of one and a half million people and covers approximately 72,000 square miles. In respect to the first, it compares with the states of Colorado or Florida, while in area it is about equal to 199 200 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Nebraska, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma or Wash- ington. Montevideo, the capital, has a population of about 500,000 and is one of the world's most beautiful and cosmopolitan cities. Its streets, public buildings, port facilities, schools, art museums, clubs and stores deserve to rank with those of any Latin city, and the general standard of intelligence is remarkably high. Next to the capital, which dominates the country's intel- lectual, business and civil life, are two cities of about 25,000 inhabitants each, and five other cities with an average population of about 12,000. The newspapers of Montevideo are numerous, diverse in interest and appeal, small in circulation, directed to particular groups of readers to the almost complete ex- clusion of other classes and of very different value as advertising mediums for various products. There are two outstanding political parties in the country: the conservatives, who comprise the wealthier, landholding, old-family category, and the radicals, who direct their appeal to the small peasants and the workingmen. The radicals, however, are split into a number of groups, each of which persistently opposes the other factions, and nearly all of them have publications of some sort or other to speak for them. There is an inter-party warfare continually going on within the ranks of the radicals which supplies plenty of literary ammunition to their various newspapers, the result being a rather inflammatory type of publication. Many of the news- papers of the country, like most newspapers through- out South America, were launched for the express purpose of furthering the political ambitions of some leader or group, although in a few cases they have been sufficiently ably managed to create and maintain a place IN LATIN-AMERICA 201 for themselves after the particular individual or occa- sion which called them into being had passed. The paper which comes nearest to reaching the va- rious groups of all parties with any buying power worth mentioning is "El Diario del Plata." This is one of Montevideo's leading newspapers and although pub- lished in the interest of the conservative element among the radical factions, it is widely read by the genuine conservatives, thus covering the more prudent of all classes and the people who are more likely to want and be able to buy articles for the improvement of them- selves, their families and their homes. It is a morning paper, published every day except Monday, seven columns, 24 inches by 17^ inches. Advertising rates are given for ordinary issues as one hundred and fifty dollars per page, with a slightly increased pro-rata charge for smaller insertions, and the circulation claimed for it is fifteen thousand. In connection with the matter of rates, the reader is cautioned to remember a previous chapter which de- scribed the inaccuracy of most South American rate- cards and the almost universal habit of dickering and bargaining before contracts for advertising space are signed. In practically every case it will be found that the rates given by publishers are only meant to be tentative and that good bargainers can easily secure large discounts from those originally asked. This is one of the difficulties which advertisers in Latin- America must expect to face for many years. It is no worse than the situation that existed in the United States twenty or thirty years ago and will be eliminated in due time. It is also the principal reason why those firms having capable representatives on the ground to 202 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE place their advertising succeed in getting so much better positions at more favorable rates than do those adver- tisers who attempt to do business entirely by corre- spondence or by transacting their affairs with local advertising agents who, two times out of three, are more or less in league with the publishers to mulct the for- eigner. There is an evening paper called "El Plata," pub- lished by the same owners as the first-mentioned paper. It is claimed to have a circulation of twenty thousand copies and goes largely to the same class of people described above. Its advertising rate is given as two hundred dollars per page and it is, in all probability, the best advertising medium in the country. "El Dia" probably comes next in desirability as an advertising sheet. It prints both morning and eve- ning editions and is the officially recognized organ of the more radical labor groups. The circulation of the morning edition is around forty thousand, easily the largest in Uruguay, while the evening edition runs to about eight thousand copies. Because of the difficulty which this paper has experienced in securing adequate supplies of print paper, a difficulty which is by no means limited to this particular publication, the paper has been loth to sell advertising space in large amounts and, in consequence, has put its rate up to an almost prohibitive figure. The above situation existed through most of 1920, but with the improved supply of print paper now available in all markets it should be possible in 1921 and thereafter to do business on a normal basis with this publication. A paper which is perhaps more advanced than any other, in many ways is "La Manana," which was started IN LATIN-AMERICA 203 as an organ for one of the various conservative groups among the radical party, but which has established itself solidly in the confidence of the people and is recognized as one of Uruguay's leading newspapers. It has a reputed circulation of seven thousand, is read by the upper middle-classes, is cleaner and more up-to-date from a typographical standpoint than any other Uru- guayan paper, and. is run as closely as possible on American plans. It is a good advertising medium for average goods, that is, articles not expensive enough to be classed as luxuries but too good to be within the reach of the peon class. It is a seven column paper, 24:1/2 inches by 17^ inches, and its advertising rate is given as twenty-eight cents per centimeter for the sec- ond and third pages and twenty-five cents for the other pages. It should be remembered that Uruguay is a gold standard, country with a well established and sound monetary system, and that the Uruguayan peso is equal in normal times to one dollar and four cents in Ameri- can money. The paper most favored by the powerful ranching, farming and live-stock interests of the country is "El Siglo." It is published every morning, claims a circu- lation of ten thousand, probably correct, and publishes a great deal of rural and agricultural news in addition to the usual news grist of the other papers. It is an eight column paper, 24^ inches by 17^ inches and asks one hundred and twenty dollars for a full page adver- tisement. It deserves careful consideration in the case of advertisers who desire to sell tractors, farm and ranch implements, wind-mills, tools, automobile and motor trucks, electrical goods and home lighting outfits, 204 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE and anything required by a high class stock raising and farming country. "El Telegrafo" is a paper published in the late eve- ning, containing last cable news and general items of the day. It is of doubtful value in the case of most American advertisers. It has a circulation of ten thou- sand, is a seven column, 24 inches by 17^ inches sheet and charges thirty cents per centimeter for ordinary issues and fifty cents on Sundays and feast-days. An evening newspaper with a circulation of about six thousand that stands well with the people is "La Razon." This paper is essentially a home newspaper, and, in consequence, is popular with advertisers of domestic articles, toilet and textile goods and other commodities in demand by women and children. It is uniform in size with most of the other papers and asks one hundred and fifty dollars per page for advertising space. A newspaper that deserves special attention from American advertisers of high-class goods is "El Pais," which is the official organ of the conservative party. It is read almost exclusively by people of the better class and is well edited by a cultured staff. It sets the pace from an artistic and cultural standpoint for the other papers and has a circulation of twenty thousand. It charges one hundred and thirty dollars per page for advertising space and should receive careful considera- tion in planning advertising campaigns to popularize American goods of the better class. Other newspapers of Montevideo which have their particular clienteles, but which would not be likely to be chosen by American advertisers, are the following : "La Tribuna Popular," an independent newspaper IN LATIN-AMERICA 205 of twelve thousand circulation, sold almost entirely to the laboring class of people. Its rate is one hundred and fifty dollars per page. "La Noche," an evening sporting paper which might be compared with the "Evening Telegram" in New York. It publishes general cable and other news, but specializes on the results of races and other sporting events. Its circulation is claimed to be ten thousand, but is subject to violent fluctuations and the rate asked is one hundred and fifty dollars per page. It will inter- est few American advertisers. "El Diario Espanol" is, as its name indicates, the organ of the Spanish community in Uruguay, a high grade group of people of excellent spending power. It is published every day except Monday, and has a circu- lation of about two thousand. In spite of its high-grade circulation, the advertising rate asked for its space, seventy dollars a page, is obviously high. "El Bien Publico" and "La Defensa" are newspapers of small circulation and limited appeal and are not likely to be used by foreign advertisers except that the first is strongly clerical and is supported well by Cath- olic interests. The only daily newspaper published in English in Uruguay is the "Montevideo Times." This paper has existed for more than thirty-five years and is owned by British interests, who have made its continuation pos- sible by securing for it sufficient advertising revenue to make both ends meet. It is hardly necessary to say that although this is the only paper available for most of the American residents in Uruguay, its tone is en- tirely anti-American and no opportunity is ever lost to point out the weaknesses of everything American and 206 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE the incomparable superiority of everything British. Even Britain's late Teutonic enemies are more likely to get a square deal in this publication than Americans. The British in Uruguay number about twelve hun- dred, with possibly three hundred Americans, but the influence of the British is much greater than their numerical strength would indicate. The circulation of this paper is about eight hundred and the rate asked for advertising space is fifty cents per centimeter. It is a little difficult to advise advertisers regarding this publication. While opposed to everything American, it offers the only opportunity, so far as daily papers are concerned, to get in touch with the small group who read English but cannot be reached through the native papers. The newspaper "La Manana," already spoken of in this chapter, publishes a special supplement in English on Saturdays. This section of the paper is called "Sunday Morning" and consists of three or four pages of news and advertisements. It is well edited and is highly regarded by the English-speaking residents of the country, practically all of whom read it. Owing to the accurate social news thus presented, this supplement has established itself in a solid position with those for whom it is prepared. Three columns are devoted to general and social news of the English-speaking com- munity, with two columns for advertisements on each side. It is being well patronized by advertisers in Mon- tevideo, with results that would appear to be profitable. A great feature of the Uruguayan newspaper business is the printing of special issues on the national holidays and on the national holidays of the different racial groups that compose the population, especially those IN LATIN-AMERICA 207 from Italy and Spain. These special issues run to many pages, are generally filled with a mixture of fillers, poems, cheap fiction and general balderdash. Their value as advertising mediums is practically nil, but ad- vertisers are constantly importuned to take space. No attention should be paid to such requests as space used in these issues may be considered almost entirely wasted. In the field of trade papers Uruguay is almost, but not quite, as poverty-stricken as the other Latin- American countries. There are several rather high class publications devoted to the live stock industry and to agriculture, and they are widely read by those en- gaged in such pursuits. The most important are "Pur Sang," "Viva Rural," "Asociacion Rural del Uruguay," "Campos y Hacienda," and "El Estanciero." The first three are monthlies, the fourth a weekly, and the last is published every fifteen days. They average about five thousand in circulation and are essential to an ad- vertising campaign which is intended to create sales for goods required on the farms and ranches. Inasmuch as the great landed estates have splendid homes on them and are owned by families to whom money is no object, such rural papers have an advertising value greater than would be apparent to one not closely informed con- cerning them. The "Revista Maritima," as its name indicates, is devoted to news of shipping and to all matters connected with the port of Montevideo. It is widely read by merchants not only in that city, but in the other impor- tant towns. Freight rates, steamship sailing dates, for- eign exchange topics and allied subjects are of much more immediate importance to the average merchant in 208 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Uruguay than would be the case in the United States. It is published every fifteen days. "La Exportacion" is devoted principally to statistics of exports and trade figures in general. A circulation of five thousand is claimed for it, but as its contents would normally be of interest only to the more impor- tant business and shipping houses, this figure must be taken with a grain of salt. "El Comercio Espanol" is a monthly magazine pub- lished in the interests of the Spanish community, but its comments on trade conditions throughout the coun- try are so highly regarded that it has acquired a posi- tion of influence to a marked degree. It should receive careful attention in laying out plans for an advertising campaign in Uruguay. There are half a dozen religious weeklies and monthlies, not one of which is of any considerable value as an advertising medium, and it is unlikely that any American firm desiring to advertise goods in that mar- ket would deem this field important enough to receive serious attention. The daily newspaper "El Bien Pub- lico" is the only publication of standing which devotes any considerable attention to religious news. Undoubt- edly, any family religious enough to read this type of publication and which would have any considerable purchasing power would be reached through the col- umns of "El Bien Publico." There is a type of publication popular in Uruguay similar to the almanacs which many years ago were a prominent feature of rural life in the United States, although it must be admitted that the present South American almanacs are great improvements on their American prototypes. One of these is the "Almanaque IN LATIN-AMERICA 209 del Labrador/' which is published annually by the Banco de Seguros del Estados in Montevideo and is dis- tributed free of charge to its friends and clients through- out the country. It has a high standing with ranchers and others who lead more or less lonely lives and is certain to be read from cover to cover, not once but many times in the course of a year. Another almanac of which more than five thousand copies were sold in 1920 at three dollars and fifty cents each is the "Almanaque Guia El Siglo." It is a com- bined directory and almanac, and the 1920 volume con- tained 1940 pages 6!/2 inches by 9!/2 inches in size. There is also a small publication issued by the Coates advertising agency which contains the time-tables of the country's railroads and miscellaneous information. It is published twice a year and a circulation of twenty thousand copies per issue is claimed for it. The adver- tising rate is twenty-five dollars per page per issue. Street-car card advertising is employed to some extent in Uruguay, but, as in most of the other South Ameri- can countries, it is far from having reached the develop- ment now witnessed in the United States. Plans to use this medium would be limited to Montevideo, where 680 street-cars are operated by two companies, La So- ciedad Comercial de Montevideo and La Transatlantica. The charge for the use of the total advertising space in the interior of each car is fifteen dollars per month. Other advertising opportunities, such as posters and sign boards, are in a low state of development and offer few attractions to the average American advertiser. Koad signs are of dubious value, because Uruguayan country roads are abominably bad as a rule. There are 210 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE a few good roads, but most of the automobile and other better-class road travel is confined to the cities. An annual cattle-fair held in Montevideo every year during the last week of August presents an unexcelled opportunity for demonstrating and advertising all goods that would be useful in the rural districts. This annual fair is an important affair. Thousands of visitors from all over the country and from Argentina attend it every year and the sales of cattle run into large figures. For many residents of the rural districts it is the one oppor- tunity during the year to get to the city and to keep in touch with modern improvements. It is becoming the practice of many manufacturers of agricultural imple- ments to seize the opportunity offered by this annual event to demonstrate their goods, much as in the case of the various state fairs held in the United States. For those who desire to use Uruguayan advertising space, but find it impossible to personally negotiate with publishers or others, the services of three advertising agencies may be employed. These are all in Montevideo and are as follows : Agenda Publicidad, Calle Juan C. Gomez 1386. Agencia Coates, Calle Ituzaingo 1459. Agencia Delia Croce & Suarez Martins, Calle Treinta y Tres 1354. These agencies are reputable, have a good standing, and will carry out the instructions of advertisers to the best of their ability, but it should always be remembered that the facilities of advertising agencies in South America are far less adequate than in America and that the only satisfactory method of handling an advertis- ing campaign in any South American country is to have one's own personal representative on the ground. IN LATIN-AMERICA 211 What has been said in this chapter concerning the situation in Uruguay will apply, with local modifica- tions to suit each country, to the entire continent of South America. Problems that are individual in their nature and limited in scope will be found in every coun- try, and must be approached intelligently if the adver- tising appropriation is not to be utterly wasted. It is surprising to find how different Latin countries can be from their next-door neighbors, and there is neither truth nor sense in the efforts of some writers to com- pare the countries of South America with the various states of the American union. There is no such com- parison; every South American country is, in every sense of the word, a country by itself, and any attempted grouping tactics will inevitably cause loss and dissat- isfaction. CHAPTER XXII The necessity for registering trade-marks in Latin-American coun- tries Law does not protect original owners of mark Vital, if you expect to do business in these lands. TO start an advertising or selling campaign in any Latin- American country without first hav- ing registered your trade-mark would be the height of foolishness and exhibit the poorest business judgment. In practically all of these republics anyone is entitled to register any trade-mark, provided he pays the governmental fees and meets a few simple require- ments. The mere fact that he is not the originator or owner of the trade-mark in question is unimportant. Once he has registered the mark, his ownership is per- fect and the laws of these nations rigidly protect him in the legal right which he has thus acquired. While every republic south of the Rio Grande permits this open practice of robbery in fact, gives it government sanction the Argentine, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Mexico are perhaps the greatest malefactors. Judgment should therefore dictate that as soon as you have registered your trade-mark in the United States you should follow the same course in the six countries above named, even if at the time you do not contemplate developing your trade in these lands. The process is relatively simple, the fees nominal, and the entire matter can be easily and promptly handled either by your attorney or your patent solicitor. 212 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE 213 If you do not take such a step, in all probability you will find to your great amazement, when you start to prospect foreign markets, that some resident of these lands has bodily appropriated your mark and has been awaiting your entrance into the trade with the sole idea of holding you up and making you pay him for the right to use your own trade-mark and sell your own goods. Indeed, I have known one instance where the registrant of a well-known American patent medicine trade-mark waited thirty-five years before collecting $20,000 from the rightful owner. During that period of time he religiously renewed the trade-mark, thrice, cer- tain that sooner or later the medicine, which was being well advertised, would make it worth the small mone- tary investment and repay his extreme patience. As a rule, these trade-mark laws were designed to afford an easy means of livelihood for gangs of unscrupu- lous politicians which infest Latin-America. In this connection the practices common in the Argentine are typical of those in the other countries and may there- fore be referred to in some detail, in order to give the uninitiated an insight into the methods in vogue. It being unnecessary to prove the right of ownership of a trade-mark, the question of registering the same is merely a matter of filling out a few blanks, submitting a sample of the mark desired to be registered, and pay- ing a small fee. Knowing that Americans are great advertisers, magazines and other periodicals from the United States are subscribed for and each issue care- fully scanned for new advertisements, with the idea in view that if the article being featured becomes a good seller, the legitimate owner will be tempted to enter foreign fields. As new names appear in the announce- 214 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE merits they are registered at once, and the complacent thief or thieves then await the coming of their victim. In fact, so thoroughly is this done that one group of crooks with headquarters in the city of Buenos Aires also register these trade-marks in Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile, maintaining offices for this purpose. After completing the illegal registration two courses are open for these commercial wolves either of which means a financial gain for them. The first one is to wait until the goods entitled to be sold under the lawful trade-mark come into the country and then confiscate the entire shipment. This information is easily gained, for Latin-American newspapers publish invoices of in- coming ships, giving the names of the consignees and consignors. With the goods thus legally attached, the owner of the fraudulent trade-mark is then ready to negotiate for the sale of the mark he owns to the rightful owner, or else he may dispose of the goods he has so acquired. Usually he prefers to sell the mark outright, and invariably suggests this method of solving the prob- lem. The price asked is always ten or twenty times more than he expects to get, and consequently a period of interviews, proposals and counter-proposals follow, which waste time and keep the goods out of the market. In the end the genuine owner of the mark has to pay a great deal for the possession of his own property, to say nothing of exorbitant legal fees, and incidentally he has suffered an expense in keeping a representative on the ground. If this method of attack does not appeal to the rogues, they may perhaps wait until a large adver- tising campaign has been started and a genuinely good market created for the goods, when they will swoop down and attach everything bearing the trade-mark, IN LATIN-AMERICA 215 obtain injunctions against the dealers carrying the goods with the trade-mark appearing on the same, and thereby force the owner to settle according to their terms. Perhaps the most notorious incident of this kind was the confiscation of an entire cargo of goods bearing a well-known American trade-mark, the thieves having awaited this opportune moment for several years until the business had been developed to such proportions that they knew they could force a settlement according to their own terms. In the United States we are accustomed to use the basis of property as a trade-mark, registration being merely an additional means of protecting that property right secured by use. In Latin-America the right of property in a mark is derived solely from the law and depends entirely upon the registration of the same. It is the duty of our Department of State and our Depart- ment of Commerce to remedy this situation, and unques- tionably, if the matter was properly presented through the right channels, the laws of the various Latin- American republics would be amended to harmonize with our laws as far as trade-marks are concerned. Little sympathy need be expected from Latin-Ameri- can courts, which usually look upon the foreigner as a person to be thoroughly exploited. I was present at a hearing in one of the largest and most important South American countries, when the American representative of an American company was attempting by legal pro- cedure to regain the right to use the particular packing- box in which their goods were sold, and which had been used and extensively advertised in the United States. An Argentinian scamp had registered not only the trade-marked name, but also patented the box. As he 216 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE told the judge how he had worked in dire poverty and under the most distressing circumstances, often going to bed hungry to perfect this packing-box, the judge and the audience were moved to tears and the American who had been foolish enough to take the matter to the native court received about the worst tongue-lashing I have ever heard administered. As a result, an order was promptly signed by the court authorizing the seizure of all goods contained in such packages in the grocery- stores of Buenos Aires. When this was done, the man who had appropriated the mark promptly sold the goods to other stores and incidentally began negotiations with the rightful owners of the trade-mark, with the idea of permitting them to acquire their own property. In Peru I was concerned with an attempt to regain the use of a well-known trade-mark for a patent medi- cine, and I mention the details in order to show the unique defenses which one may expect from those who really make a habit of appropriating such marks for their own profit. The trade-mark in question had been used in this country for approximately half a century. Little by little the merits of the medicine extended into South and Central American countries, until Peru was consuming several thousand cases annually. One of the best-known druggists of Peru actually sent to the United States and had 250,000 labels printed, using an original label for the copy. So perfect was the falsification of the mark that it was only possible to recognize the legitimate mark by soaking the label from the bottle and holding it up to the light, in order to detect the pin-point perforations used by the real owner as indi- cating the date on which the bottle left the laboratory. On my arrival in Peru I called upon this druggist and, IN LATIN-AMERICA 217 by introducing myself as a physician, was allowed to enter his private office. There I was confronted by about 100,000 of the false trade-marks, piled high on shelves in front of me. Argument failed to convince the infringer that decency demanded the destruction of the illegitimate trade-marks, and I was forced to bring the man into court, engaging for that purpose one of the best-known lawyers in the country and a relative of the presiding judge. The druggist realized that, due to the relationship existing between the attorney and the mag- istrate, his case was lost and blandly told the court that he would destroy all the false trade-marks and never use them in the future. He expurgated himself of sin in the matter by saying: " Your Honor, to me this is a most remarkable illus- tration of thought transference. Is it not strange that I, a small druggist in Peru, should unconsciously copy in its identical form this North American firm's trade- mark, not omitting a single detail, a fact which you can readily see is true because I have never been outside the confines of my native land?" Whereupon the court agreed with him, commenting favorably upon the situa- tion and what a wonderful thing thought transference was. When a Latin- American court starts in to hamper a litigant in these trade-mark cases, nothing is more hope- less. A well-known German mineral water, which had a large sale throughout Latin-America, began to note an enormous decrease in its sales, and investigation disclosed the fact that in most of the prominent cities there was not only one, but several men engaged in buy- ing its empty bottles, filling them with hydrant water, corking and labeling the bottles with a yellow label 218 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE similar to its label, and finally boxing the water and selling it as the original mineral water. Recourse to the courts developed the fact that in order to gain a conviction against these frauds every successive step in the deception must be proved in court. First of all, it must be shown that the empty bottle was bought with the idea of filling, corking, labeling and packing to de- fraud the buyer in quantities, and that it was in turn sold to the retailer with the express purpose of deceiving the casual purchaser. Obviously, such a complete chain of proof was impossible, and the only country wherein a conviction was obtained was Chile, where, inciden- tally, an English druggist was fined and sent to the penitentiary for one year for bottling and selling the mineral water in question. In this connection it may be interesting to note that fully thirty-three per cent, of the population of Chile is either German or of Ger- man descent. It may be well to refer to the fact that many Latin- American countries have what are called Pure Food Laws. These, in most instances, are mere means of pro- viding jobs for politicians who are made members of the Pure Food Commissions and thus given an oppor- tunity to graft from those who seek to sell articles com- ing under the provisions of these so-called laws. It may be set down as a general rule that any article of food or medicine, or anything else for that matter, can be registered under these so-called laws, provided the members of the commission are properly propitiated. For this purpose no other method of approach is as well calculated to bring success as that of employing any well-known lawyer who stands in with the political party in power. Years of experience have taught him to IN LATIN-AMERICA 219 know to a "centavito" the price of each member on the board, to which must be added the legal fee, of course. That is the total sum it will cost you to secure a "pure food" permit. I have known a leading brand of American cement to be prohibited from sale in one republic because its repre- sentative would not pay the "pure-food commission" the price they demand to protect their countrymen from the use of w^hat they termed an inferior product. An American mouth-wash, the name of which is a household word in this country, has for years been denied admis- sion into the sacred confines of another republic because of the "passing price" asked by the pure food zealots. Hundreds of American medicines and foods have had similar experiences in these lands of the Southern Cross. There is only one solution of the problem: Hire a lawyer who is intimately acquainted with the members of the commission and have him use his influence to get them to accept a low price for their services. THE END NOTE A complete list of Latin-American publications in all proba- bility will never exist. The one herein appended is made from the author's records and from data supplied by the Pan-Amer- ican Union and the Department of Commerce, and is perhaps the most authentic ever published. Latin-American periodicals are usually short-lived. Some of the larger cities have papers which have existed for several years, but they are relatively few. The World War and the general business depression which followed it through the countries south of the Bio Grande has served to eliminate numerous papers of all classes in these republics; but the Latin- American individual loves publicity and as times become normal many of the journals now suspended will be reborn or come to light under other names. As a rule, the better class of newspapers published in the capitals and principal cities of Latin-America have much of their circulation in the surrounding country in fact, penetrate the most remote regions of the republic. They are therefore the best mediums, and no advertising campaign is complete without including several of these sheets. The papers published in the smaller cities have a certain influence in their immediate communities and, as their rates are usually extremely modest, are worthy of some consideration in a complete and general campaign of publicity. ARGENTINE Area, 1,153418 square miles. Population, 7,000,000, vir- tually all white with a very few Indians. Language, Spanish. Principal cities: Buenos Aires (capital), 1,700,000; Rosario, 300,000; Cordoba, 120,000; La Plata, 100,000; Tucuman, 80,- 000; Bahia Blanca, 75,000; Mendoza, 65,000; Santa Fe, 50,000. Publications in Argentine. Buenos Aires: La Argentina; Spanish; morning and Sunday; circulation 45,000. 221 222 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Courrier de la Plata; French; morning; circulation 5,000. Critica; Spanish; evening and Sunday; circulation 10,000. El Diario; Spanish; evening; circulation 25,000. Diario Espanol; Spanish; morning; circulation 25,000. La Epoca; Spanish; evening and Sunday; circulation 25,000. Giornal d'ltalia; Italian; morning; circulation 15,000. Herald; English; morning; circulation 4,500. Idea National; Spanish; evening; 4,000. Journal Frangais; French; morning; 4,000. La Republica; Spanish; morning; 10,000. La Manana; Spanish; morning; 8,000. La Nation; Spanish; morning and Sunday, 130,000. La Patria degli Italiani; Italian; morning; 50,000. La Prensa; Spanish; morning and Sunday, 165,000. El Pueblo; Spanish; morning and Sunday; 5,000 (morning) and 15,000 (Sunday). La Razon; Spanish; evening, 3 editions; 50,000. Standard; English; morning; 5,500. Ultima Hora; Spanish; evening and Sunday; 12,000. La Vanguardia; Spanish; morning; 35,000. Atlantida; Spanish; weekly; 35,000. El Campo; Spanish; monthly; 3,500. Caras y Caretas; Spanish; weekly; 85,000. Correo de Espana; Spanish; weekly; 35,000. Fray Mocho; Spanish; weekly; 18,000. Gaceta Rural; Spanish; monthly; 5,500. El Hogar; Spanish; weekly; 65,000. Mundo Argentine; Spanish; weekly; 120,000. Myriam; Spanish; monthly; 3,000. Plus Ultra; Spanish; monthly; 7,000. La Revista de las Industrias Electricas y Mecanicas; Spanish; monthly; 2,000 Revista Popular; Spanish; weekly; 40,000. Review of River Plate; English; weekly; 2,000. River Plate Observer; English; weekly; 1,400 Tit Bits; Spanish; weekly; 90,000. Vida Portena; Spanish; weekly; 17,000. La Union ; afternoon daily ; Spanish. La Gaceta de Buenos Aires; afternoon daily; Spanish. Boletin Oficial; official daily; Spanish. Boletin Judicial; official legal daily; Spanish. Correo Musical Sud-Americano ; weekly devoted to music; Spanish. IN LATIN-AMERICA 223 El Domingo; weekly devoted to sports; Spanish. Nuevo Tiempo; literary semimonthly; Spanish. Revista de Economia y Finanzas; commercial bimonthly; Spanish. La Argentina Economica; commercial bimonthly; Spanish. Revista Nacional; literary bimonthly; Spanish. Espana Nueva; semiweekly dedicated to the Spanish colony; Spanish. El Resumen; commercial weekly; Spanish. Arquitectura ; semimonthly magazine for engineers and archi- tects; Spanish. La Ingenieria; engineering monthly; Spanish. Revista Tecnica Ingenieria; semimonthly technical magazine; Spanish. Lloyd Argentine; semimonthly devoted to shipping interests; Spanish. Boletin de la Camara Oficial Espanola; monthly bulletin of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce; Spanish. Boletin Oficial de la Bolsa de Comercio; weekly bulletin of the Chamber of Commerce; Spanish. The River Plate Cement Armado; monthly magazine devoted to cement construction; Spanish. Revista del Centro Estudiantes de Ingenieria; monthly mag- azine of students of engineering; Spanish. Revista del Circulo Medico Argentine ; monthly medical journal; Spanish. Revista Mensual del Museo Social Argentine; monthly so- ciological journal; Spanish. Boletin de la Union Industrial Argentina; monthly indus- trial magazine; Spanish. La Industria de Cueros y Calzado ; monthly magazine devoted to the shoe and leather industry; Spanish. Revista Ilustrada de la Zapateria; monthly magazine devoted to the shoe and leather industry; Spanish. Boletin de la Asociacion Argentina Electro-Tecnica ; monthly bulletin of the Society of Electrical Engineers; Spanish. El Auto Argentine; monthly magazine devoted to automo- biling; Spanish. El Calzado en la Republica Argentina; monthly magazine devoted to the shoe and leather industry; Spanish. El Ferroviario; semimonthly devoted to the interests of the National Railway Association; Spanish. 224 ADVERTISING FOE TRADE Archives de Higiene; medical review; Spanish. Argentina Medica; medical weekly; Spanish. Arquitectura y Construction ; architects' and builders' maga- zine; Spanish. El Cerealista; monthly devoted to cereal interests; Spanish. II Eoma; afternoon daily; Italian. La Grande Italia; afternoon daily; Italian. The Hibernian Argentine Eeview; weekly; English. The British Magazine; monthly magazine published by the British Society in the Argentine Eepublic; English. The Times of Argentina ; weekly shipping journal ; English. Deutsche La Plata Zeitung ; morning daily ; German. Argentinisches Tageblatt; morning daily; German. Assalam; afternoon daily in Syrian. La Eusia Libre; semiweekly; Eussian. Nuevo Mundo; weekly; Eussian. La Bande a Otomna; weekly in Arabic and Spanish; devoted to the interests of the Turkish colony. La Opinion El Oeste Las JSTuevas Tendencias Economicas La Electrica y la Maquinaria. El Magazine El Legitimista Espanol El Imparcial La Ilustracion Argentina La Gaceta de Buenos Aires El Cronista Comercial La Union; Pehuajo. El Porvenir La Voz; Maipu. La Eepublica ; Ciudad de la Plata. El Mentor; Junin. El Comentario; General Villugas. El Argentine; Chascomus. El Chacabuco; Chacabuco. El Progreso; Adolfo Alsina. La Voz del Pueblo; Exaltation de la Cruz. El Tiempo El Semanario El Eadical La Provincia La Patria IN LATIN-AMERICA 225 El Independiente; Trenque Lauquen. La Capital ; Santa Eosa de Toay. El Noticiero; San Nicolas de los Arroyos. El Pueblo; Pergamino. El Argentino; Las Flores. El Pueblo; Coronel Vidal. La Comuna; Carlos Tejedor. El Comercio; San Nicolas de Los Arroyos. El Comercio, Avellaneda El Combate; Sarandi El Combate; Avellaneda. El Ciudadano; San Martin. El Ciudadano; Cachari. El Centenario; Mercedes. El Centenario; General Juan Madariaga. El Censor; La Plata. El Censor; Tapalque. El Ariete; Quilmes. El Imparcial; Carlos Casares. El Hogar; Juarez. El Fiscal; Coronel Suarez. El Eco de Tornquist; Tornquist. La Defensa; Campana. El Debate; Chivilcoy. La Nueva Era; Carmen de Patagoned. Nueva Epoca; Quilmes. El Nacional; Avellaneda. El Nacional; Eojas La Nacion; Ciudad de la Plata. El Municipio; Coronel Brandzen. El Imparcial; Eivadavia. El Imparcial; Lanus. El Imparcial; Lujan. El Imparcial; Moron. El Imparcial ; Lomas de Zamora. El Independiente; Loberia. La Eepublica; Lomas de Zamora. La Eepublica; Necochea. La Eepnblica; San Andres de Giles. El Porteno; San Miguel. El Orden; Moreno. La Opinion; San Vicente. La Voz de Ranches; General Paz. 226 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE La Voz del Pueblo; General Lamadrid. La Voz del Pueblo; Tres Arroyos. La Verdad; Coronel Dorrego. La Verdad; Capilla del Senor. La Tribuna Popular; San Pedro. La Union ; Guido. La Tribuna; Valentin Alsina. La Tribuna; Alberti. El Trabajo; Canals. La Tarde; Tandil. El Siglo; Mercedes. Bahia Blanco,: Nueva Provincia; Spanish; morning; circulation 9,000. El Atlantico; Spanish; daily. El Siglo; Spanish; daily. El Bahia Blanca; Spanish; daily. El Censor; Spanish; daily. Cordoba: Los Principios; Spanish; morning; circulation 8,000. La Voz del Interior El Orden; Rio Cuarto. El Escolar Argentine; Casilla de Correo 53. El Progreso, Alta Garcia. El Trabajo; Villa Maria. La Plata: El Dia; Spanish; morning; 12,000. M endow. Los Andes; Spanish; morning; 12,000. Rosaria: La Capital; Spanish; morning; 35,000. La Mensajero. Santa Fe: La Nueva Epoca; Spanish; morning; 8,000. El Liberal El Colono, Esperanza. El Defensor, Acebal. El Comercio, San Carlos Centro. El Independiente, Reconquista. El San Lorenzo, San Lorenzo. La Reaccion, Cordoba 1246, Rosario. Tucuman: El Orden; Spanish; morning; 10,000. IN LATIN-AMERICA 227 Salta: La Provincia, Salta. La Idea, Rosario de la Frontera. El Eco de los Valles, Cafayate. La Nueva Epoca, Salta. Gob. de la Pampa: El Heraldo, Victorica. La Brujulilla, General Acha. El Independiente, Macachin. Misiones : La Tarde; Posadas. El Pueblo, Posadas. El Eco de Misiones La Voz del Obrero Jujuy: El Provincial, Jujuy. El Dia, Jujuy. Progreso del Norte Entre Rios: El Noticiero, Gualeguaychu. Entre Rios, Colon. La Opinion, Villa Libertad. El Orden, Rosario Tala. Chaco: El Colono, Ave. Roca entre Sarmiento y San Juan, Re- sistencia. Chaco, Resistencia. Catamarca: El Dia, Catamarca. Corrientes: La Abeja, Coya. La Semana, Esquina. El Pueblo La Semana, Colon Esq. Maipu, Esquina. Gob. del Rio Negro: El Rio Negro, General Roca. Nequen: Nequen-5-20-16. Santiago del Est&ro: El Siglo, Santiago del Estero. San Luis: La Opinion, San Luis. La Refonna 228 ADVERTISING FOB TKADE El Impartial, Mercedes. El Progreso, San Luis. San Juan: El Porvenir Gob. del Chubut: Drafod, Trelew. La Cruz del Sur, Rawson. General Alvear: La Reaction Alia Gracia: El Progreso, Calle S. Martin y Chile. BOLIVIA Area, 708,195 square miles. Population, 2,300,000, fully 75 per cent, being of Indian blood. Language, Spanish and Indian dialects. Principal cities with populations: La Paz (capital), 85,000; Cochabamba, 85,000; Sucre, 30,000; Potosi, 28,000 : Oruro 25,000; Santa Cruz, 21,600. La Paz: El Diario. Spanish; morning except Monday; circulation about 2,000. La Verdad. Spanish; morning except Monday; circulation about 2,000. El Norte. Spanish; morning except Monday; circulation about 1,000. El Tiempo. Spanish; morning except Monday; circulation about 1,000. El Figaro La Eazon La Vanguardia La Opinion Liberal El Impartial El Tiempo Publications Outside of La Paz: El Ferrocarril, Cochabamba; daily. El Heraldo, Cochabamba ; daily. El Eepublicano, Cochabamba; daily. El Noroeste, Cobija; weekly. El Porvenir, Baures, Beni ; daily. El Industrial, Oruro; daily. La Naci6n, Oruro; daily. La Prensa, Oruro; daily. IN LATIN-AMERICA 229 El Tiempo, Potosi; daily. La Patria, Potosi; daily. El Progreso, Potosi ; weekly. La Union, Potosi ; weekly. La Democracia, Potosi; bimonthly. La Union, Eiberalta, Beni; weekly. El Comercio, Eiberalta, Beni; semiweekly. La Ley, Santa Cruz ; daily. El Pais, Santa Cruz; triweekly. La Prensa, Sucre; daily. La Manana, Sucre; daily. La Industria, Sucre ; biweekly. La Capital, Sucre; triweekly. El Eco Obrero, Sucre; weekly. El Guadalquivir, Tarija; weekly. La Bazon, Tarija; weekly. El Pensamiento, Tarija; weekly. El Cronista, Totora; weekly. El Eco de Beni, Trinidad, Beni ; weekly. La Provincia, Tupiza; weekly. El Chorolque, Tupiza; weekly. La Eazon, Tupiza ; weekly. El Pais, Santa Cruz de la Sierra; weekly. La Ley, Santa Cruz de la Sierra; weekly. BRAZIL Area, 8,292,000 square miles. Population, 27,000,000. Negroes, mulattoes, Indians and whites. Language, Portu- guese and Indian dialects, the latter spoken only in the interior. Principal cities and populations: Rio de Janeiro (capital), 1^00,000; Sao Paulo, 450,000; Bahia, 800,000; Para, 250,000; Pernambuco, 200,000; Puerto Alegre, 125,000; Manaos, 75,- 000; Santos, 45,000. Newspapers Language Circulation When Published Rio de Janeiro: Correio da Manha Portuguese 40,000 Morning & Sunday Gazeta de Noticias " 10,000 " " Imparcial " 20,000 " " Jornal do Brazil " 15,000 " " Jornal do Commercio 20,000 " <* Jornal do Commercio " 5,000 Afternoon A Noite " 5,000 JSfight 230 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Newspapers Language Circulation "When Published A Noticia Portuguese 10,000 Morning Paiz 25,000 Morning & Sunday A Razao " 8,000 Morning Rio Jornal " 12,000 Afternoon A Rua 12,000 " Sao Paulo: A Capital " K 000 Correio Paulistano " 15,000 Morning & Sunday Diario Popular " 12,000 Afternoon Estado do Sao Paulo " 55,000 Morning & Sunday a u ft tt (t 35,000 Afternoon Fanfulla Italian 35,000 Morning & Sunday A Gazeta Portuguese A 000 Tr,v/vv Jornal do Commercio " 18,000 Morning & Sunday A Platea " 1 *> 000 Santos: A Nota " Daily Diario de Santos " 3,000 " A Tribuna " 5,000 Morning Bahia: Imparcial " 5,000 A Tarde 8,000 Afternoon Pemambuco: Diario do Pemambuco " 12,000 Morning Jornal do Recife " 10,000 Morning < b After- noon 3,000 A Provincia Daily Jornal Pequeno M Intransigente ft Jornal do Commercio " te Para: Folha do Norte " 5,000 Morning Estado do Para " 5,000 " Maceio: Diario do Povo Daily Correio da Tarde * Jornal do Alagoas " a Parahyba do Norte: A Unico a Norte " tt Estado do Parahyba " tt IN LATIN-AMERICA 231 Newspapers Language Natal: Bepublica Portuguese Imprensa Eio de Janeiro: Careta Euseitudo Fon Fon Jockey A Lavoura " Malho Eevista da Semana " Selecta " Tico Tico * Vida Sportiva " Wileman's Brazilian Beview English Don Quixote Portuguese Sao Paulo: Characas e Quintaes A Cigarra " Eevista Feminina " A Eolha " Porto Alegre: Correio do Povo " Rio Grande do Sul: Echo do Sul " Names of Newspapers, etc. Federacao Correio do Povo Diario Independente A Noite Ultima Hora Exemplo Progresso Eternidade Alma Kodak Revista da Escola de Com- mercio Egatea Pontos nos II When Published Daily Weekly Monthly Weekly tt Monthly Weekly M It tt tt Monthly Bi-Monthly Monthly Weekly Daily City Porto Alegre Language Portuguese 232 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Names of Newspapers, Etc. Unites Audililia A Estancia Testenrnnho Imparcial Gazeta do Povo A Rua Actualidade Stella d'ltalia La Patria Italia Deutsche Zeitung Deutsches Volksblatt Neue Deutsche Zeitung Evangelisch-Luthriches Vaterland A Gazeta de Alegrete A Noticia Alegretense Plenilunio A Noticia A Semana A Tesoura Dever Correio do Sul Estado II Correio d'ltalia Municipio Commercio Brazil Citta de Caxias Cruz Alta Mignon A Gazeta Pedritense Folha do Sul A Encruzilhada Incentivo II Colono Italiano Guaporense Ijuhyense Die Serra Post Kolonista Poloski City La/nguage Porto Alegre Portuguese u u tt a Italian ft tt German N tt tt ft Portuguese tt tt a tt tt tt Italian Portuguese tt tt Italian Portuguese Alegrete Bage Bento Concalveg tt Casapava Cachosira Caxias a Cruz Alta a Don Pedrito Portuguese Encruzilhada tt Garibaldi Guapore Ijuhy German Polish IN LATIN-AMERICA 233 Names of Newspapers, Etc. City Language Tribuna do Povo Jaguarac Portuguese A Situacao Crapusculo Julio deCastilhos Popular Maragato Iiivramento " A Tarde " u Bloco " Abre Olho Lageado Progresso Montenegro " Correio do Municipio A Palmeira Palmeira " Gaucho Passo Fundo " Carasinho " " A Voz da Serra " " Diario Popular Pelotas " A Palavra Rebate " " . Correio Mercantil " " Deutsche Wacht " German Ze " Portuguese A Alvoreda " " A Voz do Povo " " A Opiniao Publics " " A Lucta " Cabure " A Lanceta " Faraute Pinheiro Machado " Collaborador " " Cidadao Quarahy " Corymbo Eio Grande " Tempo " Echo do Sul " ** A Orientacao Rio Pardo " Incondito " " Rosariense Rosario " A Uniac " " Kolonie Santa Cruz German Diario do Interior Santa Maria Portuguese OX " " A Recepcao " " " Commercio " " " Pedro II 234 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Names of Newspapers, Etc. Sul do Estado A Eepublica A Farpa Tic-Tac A Razao Deutsche Post G-azeta da Tarde Impareial A Verdade Monitor Farrapo Hondo Navo Correio da Taquara A Nacao Correio de Noticias A Fronteira Taquaryense Republicano Viamonense City Santa Victoria tt (( Sao Borja <( tt Sao Leopoldo (i u Sao Gabriel Sao Lourenco Sao Luiz Sao Thiago tt tt Taquara tt Uruguayana Taquary Vaccaria Viamao Language Portuguese Portuguese German Portuguese tt tt tc tt tt tt ft BRITISH GUIANA Area, 90,277 square miles. Population, 800,000, of whom 160,000 are coolies from India. There are many negroes and about 100,000 primitive, simple Indians. Language, English and Indian dialects. Principal city: Georgetown, 55,000 in- habitants. Georgetown: The Daily Argosy The Daily Chronicle CHILE Area, 292,580 square miles. Population, 8,500,000, of whom, 38 per cent, or more are Germans or of German extraction; large percentage of Indians and mixed Indian blood, practically no negroes and many whites. About 200,000 British and British descendants, also. Language, Spanish. Much English and German spoken. Principal cities with populations: Santiago, (capital), 400,000; Valparaiso, 250,000; I quique, 50,000; Con- ception, 50,000; Antofagasta, 85,000; Punta Arenas, 20,000; Valdivia, 16 ,000 1 IN LATIN-AMERICA 235 Santiago: El Mercuric, daily, morning and Sunday, circulation 30,000. Las Ultimas Noticias, daily, evening edition of El Mercurio, circulation 10,000. La Nacion, daily, morning and Sunday, circulation 30,000. El Diario Ilustrado, daily, morning and Sunday, circulation 40,000. La Union, daily and Sunday, circulation, 10,000. La Opinion, daily, evening, circulation 10,000. Zig-Zag, illustrated weekly, circulation 10,000. El Chileno, weekly, 2,500 circulation. Valparaiso : Sucesos, illustrated weekly, 35,000 circulation. German owned and anti-American. El Mercurio, daily, morning and evenings and Sunday. Cir- culation 10,000. La Union, daily, morning and Sunday. Circulation 22,000. South Pacific Mail, English, weekly, circulation 22,000. Conception : El Sur, daily, morning, 15,000 circulation. La Union, daily. El Noticiero de la Tarde, daily, evening, 5,000 circulation. Antofagasta: El Mercurio, daily, morning, 5,000 circulation. El Industrial El Norte La Nacion Puerto Montt: La Alianza Liberal El Correo del Sur Curico: El Heraldo Linares : La Estrella de Linares Victoria: El Esfuerzo Temuco : La Manana La Epoca La Opinion del Sur Chilian: la Discusion 236 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Rancogua: El Dia Tocopilla: La Eazon La Correspondencia Los Tiempos Coquimbo : La Constitution El Longitudinal Malleco: El Colono Tacna: El Pacifico Talca: La Manana El Lontue La Libertad Osorno : El Liberal Taltal: Voz del Obrero La Eazon Aconcagua: La Voz de Aconcagua; Bio-Bio: El Siglo Quillota: El Quillota Punta Arenas: El Magallanes, daily, 2,000 circulation. La Union, daily, 2,000 circulation. El Comercio, daily, 2,000 circulation. The Magellan Times, weekly, English, 600 circulation. Serena: El Chileno Iquique: El Tarapaca La Provencia La Patria Valdivia: La Aurora El Correo de Valdivia IN LATIN-AMERICA 237 Arica: La Aurora El Ferrocarril Copiapo: El Amigo del Pate La Tribuna COLOMBIA Area, 438436 square miles. Population, 4,000,000; whites, n-egroes, mulattoes and Indians. Language, Spanish and Indian dialects. Principal cities with populations: Bogota (capital), 150,000; Medellin, 75,000; Barranquilla, 50,000; Cartagena, 40,000; Call, 30,000. Cali: Eelator, Calle II; daily; circulation 4,500. Correo del Cauca, Calle 13-9 ; circulation 4,500 ; daily. La Orientacion, Calle Carrera 6 ; tri-weekly ; circulation 2,500. El Alba, Calle II; tri-weekly; circulation 1,200. El Dia, Carrera 5 ; daily; circulation 2,300. Fenix, Calle 13; tri-weekly; circulation 1,000. Cauca Comercial; weekly. Medellin : El Espectador; daily; circulation 4,500. Correo Liberal ; daily ; circulation 3,600. El Colombiano; daily; circulation 3,000. El Sol; daily; circulation 1,200. El Diario; daily. Antioquia ; weekly ; circulation 5,000. La Cronica Municipal; weekly; circulation 1,300. Boletin Estadistica; monthly; circulation 6,000. Colombia; weekly; circulation 6,000. La Montana ; weekly. Las Novedades ; weekly. La Justicia; weekly. El Esfuerzo; weekly. La Poliantea ; weekly. El Nacional; weekly. Los Tiempos; weekly. El Liberal; weekly. Bogota: Diario de Cundinamarca; daily. Diario Oficial; daily. El Conservador; daily. 238 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE El Comercio; daily. El Heraldo; daily. El Criterio; daily. El Kepublicano ; daily. El Telegrama; daily. Gaceta de Cundinamarca ; daily. Gaceta Republicana ; daily. Liberal; daily. Gil Bias; daily. Manana; daily. Renovacion; daily. El Tiempo; daily. La Patria El Catolicismo ; weekly. El Grafico; weekly. El Espectador; weekly. Ecos de Los Andes; weekly. La Tribuna Sur America La Sociedad Barranquilla): El Promoter; weekly. La Revista; fortnightly. El Acontecimiento; weekly. El Dia; daily. El Liberal; daily. La ,Nacion; daily. El Universal; daily. El Siglo Rigoletto El Pueblo Mercurio Cartagena: La Epoca El Porvenir Diario de la Costa Union Liberal Arenal: El Precursor Calamcvr: Guante Blanco Maga/ngue: La Justicia El Verbo IN LATIN-AMERICA 239 Mompos: La Orientacion Sincelejo: El Correo de Sabanas El Anunciador M criteria: El Eco Sinuano Lorica: El Comercio Cerete: Cosmos Manizales: Correo de Caldua La Idea Popayan: El Liberal El Figaro El Siglo Scdazar: La Information Ccdi, Depto. Valle: El Heraldo Sincelejo, Bolivar: El Heraldo Buenaventura: El Faro San Jose de Cucuta: El Trabajo Santuario: El Tatania La Mesa: Eevista de Tequendkma Cartagena: El Porvenir Bucaramanga: El Liberal Palmira, Cauca: El Voceador Honda: Union Liberal Pampola: La Unidad Catolica 240 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE COSTA RICA Area, 23,000 square miles. Population, 400,000, whites, negroes, mulattoes and a few Indians. Language, Spanish. Principal cities with populations: San Jose (capital), 50,000; Cartago, 5,000; Puerto Limon, 6,000. San Jose: La Gaceta (official). La Inf ormacion ; daily. La Prensa ; daily ; issued by the Sociedad Editoria IsTacional. La Comercial; issued on Sundays by the Botica Frances. Diario del Comercio La Tribuna Diario de Costa Rica La Verdad La Semana ; weekly. El Cometa; weekly. El Noticiero El Imparcial Limon: El Tiempo El Pads; weekly. Cartago: El Renacimiento El Correo del Atlantico San Ramon: El Ramonese Puntarenas: El Pacifico El Correo de la Costa Hdfedia: El Area CUBA Area, 45,881 square miles. Population, 2,500,000, half being white and remainder negroes and mulattoes. Language, Spanish. Principal cities with populations: Havana (capital), 850,000; Matanzas, 75,000; Cienfuegos, 75,000; Camaguey, 70,000; Man- zanillo, 56,000; Santiago, 55,000; Pmar del Rio, 53,000; Santa Clara, 48,000; Guantanamo, 45,000. Publications in Havana.: Asturias; illustrated weekly; circulation 8,000. Aurora, La; monthly magazine, circulation 3,000. IN LATIN-AMERICA 241 Avisador Comercial; daily, except Sunday; commercial news- paper; circulation 4,000. Bohemia; illustrated weekly; circulation 10,000. Boletin Oficial; daily official bulletin of Havana Province; circulation 2,000. Boletin Municipal; daily official bulletin of the Havana city government; circulation 2,000. Confetti, illustrated weekly; circulation 30,000. Correo; weekly newspaper devoted to postal service; circula- tion 2,000. Cuba; morning and afternoon daily; circulation 24,000. Cuba Automovilista ; automobile monthly; circulation 2,500. Cuba Cotemporanea ; literary monthly; circulation 1,000. Cuba y America; monthly; circulation 4,000. Cuba Ilustrada; literary monthly; circulation 16,500. Cuba Pedagogica; semimonthly school journal, circulation 1,000. Cuba Miltar; military semimonthly; circulation 1,000. Diario de la Marina; morning and afternoon daily; circula- tion 50,000 25,000 each edition. Diario Espanol; morning daily; circulation 8,000. El Comercio; commercial daily; 2 editions; circulation 24,000. El Dia; morning daily; circulation 20,000. El Figaro; illustrated weekly; circulation 8,000. El Financiero; monthly financial journal. El Hogar; illustrated weekly; circulation 2,000. El Mundo; morning daily; circulation 25,000. El Pais; afternoon daily; circulation 2,000. El Triunfo; morning daily; circulation 14,000. Evolucion ; semimonthly magazine ; circulation 1,000. Evolucion, political weekly; circulation 1,000. Femina ; fashion monthly given free to subscribers of Cuba. Galicia; weekly; circulation 5,000. Gaceta Oficial ; daily official gazette of the Cuban Government ; circulation 1,650 ; no advertising. Gaceta Militar; military monthly; circulation 1,000. Gran Mundo, El ; society semimonthly ; circulation 2,000. Grafico ; illustrated weekly ; circulation 24,000. Gran Logia, La ; masonic monthly ; circulation 670. Guasimas, Las; masonic weekly; circulation 1,500. Havana Post, The; morning daily in English; circulation 4,000. 242 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE Heraldo de Cuba; morning daily; circulation 32,000. Ilustracion; illustrated weekly; circulation 10,000. La Campana; political weekly; circulation 10,000. La Caricatura; illustrated weekly; circulation 11,400. La Discusion; morning daily; circulation 15,000. La Jurisprudencia al Dia; semimonthly law journal, circula- tion 1,000. La Lucha; morning and afternoon daily with one page in English; circulation 20,000. La Metralla; illustrated political weekly; circulation 12,000. La Nacion; afternoon daily; circulation 17,000. La Noche; afternoon daily; circulation 20,000. La Prensa; afternoon daily; circulation 15,000. La Semana; weekly newspaper; circulation 20,500. Mercurio ; semimonthly business magazine ; circulation 5,000. Modern Cuba ; agricultural monthly ; English and Spanish in parallel columns. Musica; tri-monthly musical review; circulation 6,000. News, The Evening; afternoon daily except Sunday, in, English; circulation 2,000. Padre Cobos; illustrated weekly; circulation 10,000. Palenque Masonico, El ; masonic weekly ; circulation 2,500. Pica! Pica!; illustrated political weekly; circulation 9,000. Patria ; weekly ; circulation 5,000. Patria y Libertad ; monthly ; circulation 10,000. Politica Comica; illustrated weekly; circulation 36,000. Eeconcentrado, El; illustrated weekly. Bevista Azucarera; weekly sugar review; circulation 600. Revista Dental; monthly dental magazine; circulation 1,000. Eevista Protectora de la Mujer; tri-monthly women's maga- zine; circulation 2,000. Sentinel, The; weekly in Spanish and English; circulation 5,000. Social ; monthly society journal ; circulation 2,000. Tabaco, El; semimonthly tobacco journal; circulation 5,000. Times of Cuba, The; monthly magazine in English; circula- tion 6,700. Voz de la Eazon; political semiweekly; circulation 5,000. Wan Man Yat Po; daily in Chinese language; circulation 1,000. Publications in Sancti Spiritus: El Comercio El Fenix IN LATIN-AMERICA 243 Hero La Nueva Situation Trinidad: Juventud Liberal El Telegrafo El Eco Camaguey: Boletin Oficial de la Camara de Comercio Camaguey Grafico Camaguey Masonico El Popular El National El Simun El Imparcial El Camagueyano Cooperacion Las dos Eepublicas Evangelista Cubano La Perseverancia Cieqo de Avila (Province of Camaguey) : Boletin de la Camara del Comercio de Ciega de Avila El Comercio La Palabra Libre El Pueblo La Trocha Santiago de Cuba (Province of Onente) : Boletin Oficial El Catolico El Combate El Cubano Libre El Derecho El Pensil La Prensa La Republica Diario de Cuba La Independencia El Liberal El National El Oriente Literario El Oriente Masonico Revista de Agricultura Eevista Municipal 244 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE Baycmo: El Tiempo, daily. Ydministrador La Regeneration Gibara: El Progreso La Tribuna El Triunfo Guantanamo: Eco de Tunas, El El Agricultor Praetico, bi-monthly. La Antorcha Diario del Pueblo El Tiempo La Publicidad El Liberal Diario de la Tarde El Impartial El Nacionalista La Voz del Publico El Resumen El Heraldo Manzanillo: Baragna El Debate La Defensa Orto La Tribuna Aurora del Yumuri La Kueva Aurora El Yucayo El Republicano Conservador El Impartial El Jejen La Discusion Pinwr del Rio: Boletin Oficial de la Provincia La Epoca El Estudiante La Fraternidad El Liberal El Minero IN LATIN-AMERICA 245 Pinar del Rio La Semana Matanzas: Aurora del Yumuiy Boletin de las Corporaciones Economicas El Burro Filosofo; satiric weekly. El Correo de Matanzas El Chauffeur El Eegional El Eepublicano Conservador El Jejen El Dia El Impartial El Latigo El Moderado La JSTueva Aurora El Yucayo Cardenas: Alboras, illustrated review Muecas, illustrated review El Popular El Tiempo La Tribuna Libre La Union Colon: La Defensa El Liberal La Nueva Senda Santa Clara: Boletin Oficial Confederacion El Impartial La Mariana El Comercio La Opinion La Publicidad Los Eayos X Eenacimiento Cienfuegos: El Comercio Administrador La Correspondentia El Espia 246 ADVERTISING FOR TRADE El Nacional El Republicano El Boletin Infantil Remedies: La Razon La Tribuna Sagua la Grande: Diario Economico Ecos El Heraldo Espanol La Hora El Nacional La Patria La Tribuna Caibarien: La Cotorra Ciego de Avila: El Heraldo La Troche Chaparra: El Eco de Chaparra Holguin: El Correo de Holguin El Eco de Holguin Jovellanos: La Eepublica Santiago: La Tarde El Cubano Libre El Derecho El Partido Liberal La Independencia Nuevitas: Patria Guana jay: El Vigilante Marianao : El Sol DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Sometimes Called Santo Domingo Area 19,825 square miles. Population, 700,000, fully 90 per cent, being negroes or mixed blood. Language, Spanish. Prin- IN LATIN-AMERICA 247 cipal cities and populations: Santo Domingo (capital'), 30,000; Santiago, 15,000; Puerto Plata, 10,000. Puerto Plata: Ecos del Norte; daily. Boletin de Noticias; daily. El Porvenir ; daily. Santiago : El Diario; daily. La Infonnacion; daily. El Civismo La Vega: El Dia El Progreso Monte Cristi: Llevenlo Voz del Pueblo La Pluma San Francisco de Macorte: El Anuncio Santo Domingo: Listin Diario; daily. El Tiempo; daily. Las Noticias; daily. Letras ; weekly. Eenacimiento ; weekly. Crisantagos ; weekly. Pica Pica ; weekly. Tomay Lee; weekly. La Epoca; weekly. El Radical; weekly. San Pedro de Macoris: Boletin Mercantil; daily. Samana: Prensa Local; daily. Azua: La Hora ; twice a week. Bani: Ecos del Norte ; weekly. Salcedo : El Heraldo; weekly. Moca: Independiente ; weekly. 248 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE DUTCH GUIANA (Sometimes Call&d Surinam) Area, 46,060 square miles. Population 87,500, mostly In- dians, negroes and Javanese. Language, English, Dutch, Indian dialects and Javanese. Principal city Paramaribo, population about 35,000. Paramaribo: West Indie; daily. Suriname; bi-weekly. Surinamer; bi-weekly. Surinaamsche Bode; bi-weekly. Nieuwe Surinaamsche Courant; bi-weekly. Area 1 , 116,000 square miles. Population, 1,500,000, of whom 75 per cent, are Indians. Language, Spanish and Indian dialects. Principal cities with populations: Quito (capital}, 80,000; Guayaquil, 80,000; Cuenca, 35,000; Riobamba, 18,000. Guayaquil: Comercio Ecuatoriano; illustrated monthly; Spanish; eircula- ' tion 5,000. Diario Ilustrado ; daily ; Spanish ; circulation 3,000. El Ecuatoriano; daily; Spanish; circulation 3,000. Grito del Pueblo; daily; Spanish; circulation 3,500. El Guante; daily; Spanish; circulation 4,000. El Guia Comereial, weekly commercial journal; circulation 2,000. Helios; illustrated monthly; Spanish; circulation 3,000. La Nueve de Octubre; official publication of the city govern- ment ; issued twice a month ; circulation 4,000. Kenacimiento ; monthly review; Spanish; circulation 2,000. El Telegrafo; daily; Spanish; circulation 15,000. El Tiempo Boletin de la Camara de Comercio Quito : El Dia ; daily ; Spanish ; circulation 2,000. La Corona de Maria ; monthly ; Spanish ; circulation 500. El Comercio; daily; Spanish; circulation 3,500. El Ecuatoriano; daily; Spanish; circulation 1,000. Ju&n Verdades; weekly; Spanish; circulation 2,000. La Langosta; weekly; Spanish; circulation 1,600, IN LATIN-AMERICA 249 Begistro Oficial; official government daily; Spanish; circula- tion 500; circulated free to business houses; no adver- tising. La Eevista; literary monthly; Spanish; circulation 500; no advertisements. La Voz del Obrero; weekly labor journal; Spanish; circula- tion 500. La Tribuna Bahia de Caraquez: El Globo Loja: Revista Cientifica Babahoho: El Republicano Riobamba: El Mensajero del Corazon de Jesus Ambato: Floracion Portoviejo: El Cronista GUATEMALA Area, 48^90 square miles. Population, 2,000,000, fully 90 per cent, being unlettered Indians. Language, Spanish and Indian dialects. Principal cities, with populations: Guatemala City (capital), 100,000; Quezaltenango, 25.000. Guatemala City: Diario de Centro- America ; daily except Sundays. La Tribuna; daily except Sundays. El Naeional ; daily except Sundays. La Republica ; daily except Sundays. La Actualidad; daily except Sundays. Guia Oficial; daily except Sundays. El Guatemalteco ; weekly. Centre-America ; quarterly. Memoria del Ministro de Hacienda Memoria del Ministro de Fomento HAITI Area, 1000 square miles. Population, 2,000,000, chiefly ignorant negroes. Language, French and a "negroized" patois. Principal cities, with populations: Port au Prince (capital), 250 ADVERTISING FOB TRADE 65,000; Jerome, 35,000; Cape Haitien, 30,000; Aux Oayes 25,000; Mole St. Nicholas, 12,000. Port au Prince: Le Matin ; daily. Le Nouvelliste ; daily. Courrier du Soir; daily. HONDURAS Area, 46,850 square miles. Population, 600,000, largely In- dians. Language, 'Spanish. Principal cities, with population: Tegucigalpa (capital), 40,000; La Ceiba, 10,000. Tegucigalpa: El Nuevo Tiempo daily. El Cronista " Tegucigalpa " El Progreso " La Regeneration " El Esfuerzo ; monthly. Revista Militar; monthly. Paz y Union; weekly. Argos ; weekly. El Renacimiento ; weekly. La Revista Economica ; weekly. Nuevos Horizon tes; weekly. Depaxrtamento de Olancho: Revista Juticalpa Amapala: Renacimiento; monthly review. La Ceiba: Atlantida; weekly review. Centre- America; monthly review. Pro Patria The Reporter; monthly review. San Pedro Sula: El Comercio; weekly. El Heraldo; weekly. Actualidades; weekly. MEXICO Area, 767,097 square miles. Population about 14,000,000, of whom more than 50% are ignorant Indians; many mixed IN LATIN-AMERICA 251 breeds and mulattoes, whites