MJBoyd9000 ?
The exact quotation is cited in Advertising Age magazine?s ?Top 100
People of the Century?:
"Half my advertising is wasted, I just don't know which half."
John Wanaker, 1838-1922
Advertising Age
?Top 100 People of the Century ? John Wanaker #6?
http://adage.com/century/people/people006.html
As AdAge notes, he is ?remembered in the advertising business for
turning a phrase still talked about today.? But it?s probably
Wanamaker?s large influence that helped make that quotation memorable.
Among the innovations that he brought to advertising & marketing
were:
? was the first department store to high a full-time advertising
manager, John E. Powers, a man well-known in the history of
advertising
? was one of the first to offer money back guarantees
? was a heavy and early user of newspaper advertising ? but being a
very religious man also refused to advertise on Sundays, following the
?Blue Laws? of the day
? one of the first to offer fringe benefits, such as medical
insurance, profit sharing and education benefits, to his employees
? one of the leaders in understanding merchandising or co-promotion
with major cultural events
Wanaker was one of the founders of Wanakers Department Stores, which
in the first half of the 20th century were one of the dominant stores
in Philadelphia and New York City. The Encyclopedia Britannica of
1945 that his New York and Philadelphia stores ?are among the largest
department stores in the United States.?
Wanamaker was also very influential politically, being an active
Republican and service as Postmaster General in the cabinet of
President William Henry Harrison, 1889-1803. It was Wanamaker who
introduced parcel post to the U.S. Postal Service. He was also active
in the founding and supporting of the American Young Men?s Christian
Association (YMCA).
You may be interested in Herbert Eshkowitz?s biography of Wanamaker.
Though out-of-print, you can both browse and search the biography
online at Amazon.com. A search for ?advertising? will give you a good
flavor of how he managed his department store business in innovative
ways:
Amazon.com
?John Wanamaker: Philadelphia Merchant?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1580970044/104-0810232-9416760?v=glance
Of course it?s difficult to read about Wanamaker?s creation of the
department store concept without thinking of Jeff Bezos and
Amazon.com, the company trying to create an Internet department store.
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA |
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