Have We a Decline in Advertising Appropriations?

Abstract

Are advertiing appropriations, as related to share of national income, at an all-time high? Most advertising men say “yes” without hesitation. But this is not true, as a distinguished business historian demonstrates in this article. Actually advertising's current share of national income is lower than in any decade from the 1890's through the 1930's. The author points out that this phenomenon is related to the fact that advertising expenditures in constant dollars go farther than thirty years ago. In fact, they result in 2½ times greater per capita exposure to advertising.