"More persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing nothing, than by believing too much."

     In order to get the grand attention of his attractions, Barnum needed to ATTRACT.  Therefore, he became an aggressive advertiser, beyond anything that had ever been attempted before him.  Barnum filled the papers with ads like those on the right, showing off his attractions.  The ads were riddled with exciting, albeit exaggerated, copy, usually written by Barnum himself.  He placed gigantic banners on the outside of his building.  During the night hours, he hung transparencies to project lighted, "boiling and bubbling illusions" on his buildings walls.  He knew that all he had to do was break through the monotony of the city to attract attention.

     Barnum even had "Free Music for the Millions," a band that played music on the balcony of his museum.  However, Barnum confesses to his ulterior motives, "I took pains to select and maintain the poorest band I could find -- one whose discordant notes would drive the crowd into the Museum, out of the earshot of my orchestra."  Barnum believed that he was doing no wrong.  "When people expect to 'get something for nothing' they are sure to be cheated, and generally deserve to be, and so, no doubt, some of my out-door patrons were sorely disappointed."

     Barnum was never afraid to advertise.  He enjoyed living in the thralls of capitalism.  He claimed, "I fell in with the world's way; and if my 'puffing' was more persistent, my posters more glaring, my pictures more exaggerated, my flags more patriotic and my transparencies more brilliant . . ."  He had a real intensity for advertising in his venture.  As you can see from the surrounding advertisements, Barnum grabbed attention with unusual depictions and startling headlines.  He would then do the convincing with enthralling, compelling copy.  He would create whole histories for his attractions in the advertisements.  The readers' curiosity would eventually persuade them to "see for themselves.  Barnum would further use the power of anticipation in advertising by releasing ads in advance to attractions.  He knew the "buzz" the ads caused would be just as effective as the advertising, itself

     Barnum's museum was a chance to appeal to all classes in American culture.  He offered a low price ($0.25) for entry.  Furthermore, he would feature Irish performers, model of Dublin and special St. Patrick's Day events in order to appeal to the working class Irish population.  However, he would also feature performers like Colonel Chaffin, who would be advertised as a "favorite with the fashionable elite at . . . popular watering places throughout the country."  Barnum knew that his attractions were important, but the way he presented them to the public was equally important.  Click on the most significant attraction to Barnum's rise, Tom Thumb, to continue.