Novel and Successful Advertising Stunt of Santa Cruz Retailer

tured by the company; another wallboard and its uses ; another showed the character of the trees they get their lumber from. Every visitor was given a numbered slip, giving him a chance in a drawing for a beautiful cedar chest, manufactured in the firm's own mill, which was given away at the close of the celebration.

In addition they gave away hundreds of smaller presents and souvenirs to t'he visitors, many ironing boards, cedar glove boxes, biscuit boards, redwood plaques made by cutting a Redwood log abont 6 inches around at an angle of 75 degrees, making a very attractive souvenir. These were run through the sander and then varnished, and a photo pasted on. They rlso gave away gladiola bulbs and coat hangers. In front of the olfice there were green and red fires burning at night, and the Redwood trail was lined with red, white and blue lights. Every machine in the mill was in operatior while the visitors were calling.

WOOD BROS. BOOTH AT BUSINESS SHOW

A most satisfactory and successful advertising stunt was "pulled" in May by a California retail lumber dealer that the other live merchants of the state will undoubtedly be interested in. Most lumber merchants want to know "What sort of publicity pays best for the lumber dealer ?" and this is one good answer to the question.

The retailer in this case is Wood Bros. Co., of Santa Craz. The merchants on their side of town give a special celebration during May every year. The business houses open to the public, specially decorated, etc., there is plenty of entertainment provided, r.ro goods are sold, but interesting souvenirs are given away. The grocery and dry goods stores distribute souvenirs and samples, but at first it seemed difficult for a retailer of lumber to enter into the spirit of the thing practically. Wood Bros. Co., solvecl the problem for themselves, and made a tremendous hit with the recent affair.

They built a Redwood trail from the public street to the entrance of their very beautiful office (which has been pictured in these columns before). Then the trail zigzagged, from the back of the office to their mill. The trail was ten feet wide and eight feet high, and.completely surrounded with Redwood boughs. Along this trail there were special booths arranged. One booth displayed millwork manufac-

The affair kept open two nights. Besides the Cedar Chest they gave away a Redwod Taboret, made in their own mill, on a guessing contest. The contest was to guess the number bf rings in a Redwood butt cut which they had on display, and which was 7 feet across.

One of the pictures shown herewith, is one of the booths, the other is the display window in the office of the Wood Bros. Company, showirg the display at the time of this celebration. They keep this window trimmed interestingly at all times, and change it frequently to give it variety.

They express themselves as tremendously pleased with tire success of their effort to attra,ct the public to their place of business, and undoubtedly made one of the best exhibits in the entire affair.