A review of: Advertising Psychology and Technique:
Theory and Practice of Modern Advertising

by Alfred Politz, Berlin, 1929

It is amazing to think that in 1929 advertising could be conceived in the context of a booming industry. In this article, Politz claimed that the average person was aware of the evolution of the advertising industry by their surroundings. In his words, "every time [one] glances through newspapers or journals with their voluminous advertising sections, or even when he walks through the streets, with their innumerable posters and electric signs, he is caught in a tremendously powerful net of advertising, which leaves out hardly a single hour of his conscious life."

The ubiquity of advertising caused the industry to strive for objectivity in its development. In other words, the constant pounding of a message was leading advertising to become clearer in explaining facts and providing reasons for the value of the advertised article. Consequently, Politz viewed advertising as a "salesman," complete with sound explanation and a convincing sales pitch. To him, advertising did not need to wrap itself in tricks, false pretense and misrepresentation. In other words, Politz believed the advertised article itself should attract and captivate the reader, appealing to their intelligence. In his view, advertising should not only be void of misleading statements; it should encourage truth in advertising.

Politz not only believed that truth and logic was necessary in advertising, he also felt a broad understanding of the psychological influences on behavior was critical to the development of successful advertising messages and theory. Though he believed it was important to continuously improve the theoretical understanding of advertising, Politz openly questioned the relationship between advertising theory and practice. He felt theoretical thinking could create a tendency to draw rash conclusions and regard rules as absolute. Furthermore, he reasoned that in theory, rules and ethical standards were relatively easy to construct and incorporate into advertising, but much more difficult in practice. Therefore, he felt dogmatically clutching to theory led to a shallow understanding of advertising effects and therefore, improper and/or inappropriate advertising executions.

Politz understood there were multiple psychological influences impacting a reader of advertising. Overall, he felt advertising was best understood through a marriage of psychology and theory, but claimed that "fundamentally a sound instinct in the psychology of advertising yields better results than theory." The psychological influences noted by Politz had implications for creative execution, media research and research methodology.

Politz believed a theory should be able to stand the "practical test." In other words, to follow a theoretical rule meant that it must ultimately increase the practical effect of advertising. Politz believed a good advertising practitioner would be acquainted with and strive to consult theory in their work because "facts show that for the practitioner who is well acquainted with theory, an enormous increase is possible--that even in favorable cases the result will be multiplied."