Barnum kept advertising strong for even his most popular exhibits.  Biographies and posters as the one on the left about Tom Thumb were distributed by the thousands to communities where Barnum would tour.  Barnum learned that he could please editors by providing much advertising dollars in local papers.  The outcome was doubled, because happy editors would provide glowing, newsworthy accounts of Barnum and his shows in their paper.  Barnum knew that drawing attention was critical.  He explained in his autobiography, "It was my monomania to make the Museum the town wonder and town talk . . . I often seized upon an opportunity by instinct, even before I had a very definite conception as to how it should be used, and it seemed, somehow, to mature itself and serve my purpose."  One such occurrence was when a man walked into Barnum's office looking for work.  Barnum gave the man minimal wages and asked him to take a few bricks out to the corner on Broadway.  The man was instructed to place the bricks down . . . then exchange them continuously.  Naturally, a large crowd of curious onlookers gathered.  Every hour, the "brick man" would enter Barnum's Museum . . . along with several following, curious patrons.  Barnum claimed this stunt had the pure elements of his advertising philosophy: "it employed novelty, demonstrated ingenuity, and achieved free publicity."

     Barnum's power in the world of advertising was far reaching.  In one incident the owner of the New York Herald bought Barnum's lot from his burned down museum.  The publisher realized that he paid too much, and asked Barnum for some money back.  Barnum refused.  Therefore, the Herald refused advertising from Barnum.  Barnum was well aware that it was the advertisers that made the media, not vice versa.  Barnum helped fuel a fire in the entertainment industry to boycott the Herald for advertising.  Eventually, the Herald buckled.  They lost considerable money due to lost advertising revenues and circulation due to the media circus.  Barnum knew that advertising was powerful . . . and he was a powerful man in the industry.  

     When Barnum's show hit the road, he would stay in New York.  From there, Barnum could play his role as "chief idea person and promoter, overseeing press relations, show advertising, and the acquisition of new talent.  Barnum realized that his show had been built upon his power over publicity; he desired to focus his own time into that area.  He would design brilliant posters like the one below.  Barnum would send three press agents on the road with the show.  They would plant stories in local papers and provide a behind-the-scenes preview for local journalists.  These employees were critical to show, and therefore to Barnum.  He would personally pick each one; one of them (J.L. Hutchinson) would become a full partner in the show.