Edison stuck to the mores, business models, and audience awareness of the
late 19th century far too long. He came from an time when the people who built
the best machines, for the best prices, got the most business. He relied way
too much on word of mouth, and skimped on advertising.
Edison also inexplicably missed out on the fact that from 1900 on, American
cities boomed, and the rural audience that had been so loyal to him began its
long, slow decline that continues to this day. Victor seized the moment.
They advertised heavily, and often, in large, urban-oriented publications. To
see one of Victor's lavish, colorful spreads in a magazine from that era
almost
makes an Edison fan wince. Victor also invented the "star" system, with
their long-term contracts. Edison thought it was better to get a half-dozen of
the great artists' best titles, and not be "stuck" with paying them any more
money for "lesser material."
It is fitting that one of the world's most famous trademarks, (Nipper,) has
a gramophone painted over an Edison cylinder machine, and that one of the
most famous Edison advertising pieces has two toothless geezers singing along
with a cylinder machine.
DISCLAIMER!
To all of you toothless geezers out there. Please do not take offense. I am
approaching geezerdom at an ever accelerating pace, and my dentist takes more
of my money every year.
Randy
