The Time Capsule: Hester, a likely PR wizard of 1911

This week we present an example of what seems to be a nasty article of a type not seen in newspapers today—entertaining though it is.  Below the headline “SOME SAY THERE IS A SHOW IN TOWN,” we read the following, which was on the front page of a local paper published June 8, 1911:

It is rumored about the streets that a show known as “Hester’s Big Eight” is putting on a stunt called “Custer’s Last Fight,” or something like that. They floated into town in their private rail car sometime between last night and this morning.  The show does not think enough of itself to have a press agent or to even advertise its wares.  We think it must be a dinky performance and will attract only a very small crowd. 

So there, buster. You didn’t advertise with us so we’ll tell our readers what a crummy bunch you are and suggest they stay away from your “dinky performance.” It may have worked. On the other hand, though, I wondered if the free publicity might have been a good thing for Hester’s Big Eight.

I have a sister in advertising, thought she might enjoy the article, so sent it to her along with a question as to whether she felt Hester was damaged. 

She said no. She suggested, in fact, that Hester might have paid the paper to run what they did as a news article.  Making an ad appear to be news, she suggested, is not at all unusual. When the reporter belittled a performance without seeing it, used the bully-pulpit of the front page to do so, he likely caused readers to feel sympathetic, curious, made them more apt to attend than would a typical paid ad. She thinks Hester was probably a PR wizard.

She’d know more about it than I. Jo’s been in the business for 30 years, has been involved in the production of numerous television commercials and radio ads.  There’s little I can say about the specifics of her creativity, as my TV has a well-worn mute button and my car is equipped with a device that allows the radio station to be changed without taking either hand from the steering wheel.

She laughed at this and went into a lengthy dissertation on advertising techniques and nuances, on the millions spent not to advertise but to better understand why people buy and how to persuade them to choose a certain product. She likes print advertising—yellow pages, newspapers, magazines. Fewer people, she says, are annoyed by print than by radio and TV commercials, more who read ads are actually doing so with the thought that they might have a need, and they can read at their leisure.     

I don’t know about advertising and have little interest. What I’m curious about is Hester. How would he, or she, and the Big Eight have been received at the Wilson Performing Arts Center? Did they really have a private rail car? Did their version of “Custer’s Last Fight” have a better ending?

 Also, I’d like to know if the story was a plant. If so, it worked; even on this reader 102 years later. I’d stand in line to buy a ticket to see Hester and the Big Eight, whatever they are. 

Roy Marshall is a local historian and columnist for the Red Oak Express. He can be contacted at news@redoakexpress.com.