Another Architect Offers Sound
Suggestions to Advertisers
The letter published in this page of THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT of September 24th has aroused a flood of comment from the Profession, the greater part of which will be published.
One of the most interesting communications received is a letter from Sylvain Schnaittacher, A. I. A., San Francisco, enclosing a copy of a letter written in September, 1919, to a New York advertising agency, in which he acceded to a request to outline his views as to the uses of general publicity and of advertising addressed to architects. In this letter Mr. Schnaittacher said:
I believe that the whole field of advertising, in so far as building products is concerned, requires some system of standardization to fit the architect’s needs. Primarily, he should have the proper technical specification for every advertised article, together with fullest instructions as to its installation; also some means of determining the relative prices of articles so that a selection can be based on quality and price.
There seems to be an unwillingness on the part of manufacturers to give the full information that an architect should have. I believe for the reason that they wish to have as much direct information as they cm of the particular job for which the architect is specifying, and therefore, that if the architect is compelled to ask for information, they have what might be termed a “better edge” on the job.
In my own practice I have specified by preference articles on which I was given the fullest information in the print :d matter. A booklet, if complete as to its information, would be most valuable. Many of the manufacturers of pipe are in the habit of sending out pictures of buildings in which their pipe has been installed. To my mind this means nothing. This sort of material, must, in a majority of instances, go directly into the waste basket.
Advertising in technical publications tends to keep the product before the eyes of the architects, and as there may be fresh copy for each number, new information can be had, which would not otherwise be available.
Advertising in general publications, I think, is of value when applied to the whole product, rather than of an individual manufacturer, as it educates the public to the advantages of the article advertised.
It will be noted that the need of technically correct specifications, which Mr. Schnaittacher stresses, has been met for the first time by the American Architect Specification Manual, a volume which was inspired by frequent similar expressions from representative architects.
As to the need of more specificity in advertising addressed to architects, it has been discussed in this page, but remains one of the salient points too often ignored by advertisers who fail to sense the atmosphere of the architactural field.
Advertising Talks—XIV
by
THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT
Suggestions to Advertisers
The letter published in this page of THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT of September 24th has aroused a flood of comment from the Profession, the greater part of which will be published.
One of the most interesting communications received is a letter from Sylvain Schnaittacher, A. I. A., San Francisco, enclosing a copy of a letter written in September, 1919, to a New York advertising agency, in which he acceded to a request to outline his views as to the uses of general publicity and of advertising addressed to architects. In this letter Mr. Schnaittacher said:
I believe that the whole field of advertising, in so far as building products is concerned, requires some system of standardization to fit the architect’s needs. Primarily, he should have the proper technical specification for every advertised article, together with fullest instructions as to its installation; also some means of determining the relative prices of articles so that a selection can be based on quality and price.
There seems to be an unwillingness on the part of manufacturers to give the full information that an architect should have. I believe for the reason that they wish to have as much direct information as they cm of the particular job for which the architect is specifying, and therefore, that if the architect is compelled to ask for information, they have what might be termed a “better edge” on the job.
In my own practice I have specified by preference articles on which I was given the fullest information in the print :d matter. A booklet, if complete as to its information, would be most valuable. Many of the manufacturers of pipe are in the habit of sending out pictures of buildings in which their pipe has been installed. To my mind this means nothing. This sort of material, must, in a majority of instances, go directly into the waste basket.
Advertising in technical publications tends to keep the product before the eyes of the architects, and as there may be fresh copy for each number, new information can be had, which would not otherwise be available.
Advertising in general publications, I think, is of value when applied to the whole product, rather than of an individual manufacturer, as it educates the public to the advantages of the article advertised.
It will be noted that the need of technically correct specifications, which Mr. Schnaittacher stresses, has been met for the first time by the American Architect Specification Manual, a volume which was inspired by frequent similar expressions from representative architects.
As to the need of more specificity in advertising addressed to architects, it has been discussed in this page, but remains one of the salient points too often ignored by advertisers who fail to sense the atmosphere of the architactural field.
Advertising Talks—XIV
by
THE AMERICAN ARCHITECT