John Wanamaker: Half Ads Wasted

Posted by admin on Thursday, July 4, 2019

John Wanamaker Money Quote saying what everyone knows is that most ads are ignored and if we knew which ones, we could save the money spent on them. John Wanamaker said:
 

 

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half” — John Wanamaker

 

 

In this quote, John Wanamaker is reflecting on the uncertainty and inexact science of advertising. As a pioneering businessman and advertiser, Wanamaker understood the importance of promoting his stores and brands.

However, he also acknowledges that it can be difficult to precisely measure the impact and ROI (return on investment) of any given advertising campaign or expenditure.

Some money spent on ads may have little effect or fail to attract customers, while other expenditures could prove highly successful in generating sales and visibility.

The challenge, as Wanamaker notes, is not knowing in advance which half of an advertising budget is truly being “wasted” versus which half is yielding results. Overall, the quote reflects the trial-and-error nature of advertising and marketing, where the effects are not always immediately clear.