A Letter from the Publisher

Dear Time-Reader: One of the great means of mass communication in these times is the institution known as the convention. Every year some 10 million Americans go to conventions to exchange ideas, thresh out problems, see new products, hear of new discoveries.

TIME is represented at many of these conventions, particularly at the trade shows and industrial meetings. Our reason, too, is communication: we want to show the conventioneers something of TIME'S own operations, and how we function as an advertising medium.

On the average of once a month our Merchandising Director Briscoe ("Beezer") Ranson crates up his exhibits, alerts his truckers and carpenters, and sets out to tell TIME'S story to some major gathering. Different conventions call for different types of exhibits. At one convention of retail clothiers, for example, our exhibit was labeled "Mr. TIME'S Bedroom." It was simply a bedroom containing the precise number of hats (3), shoes (6 pairs), suits (7) and personal effects owned by the average male reader of TIME. The articles displayed were, of course, those of TIME advertisers. On top of the wellstocked bureau was a wallet. The wallet was the key to this exhibit. Visitors were supposed to guess the amount of cash the average TIME reader carries in his pocket at any given time. (Correct answer: $30.70.)

One of our recent sales-convention eye catchers is a large electrically controlled panel that looks like a cross between an electronic calculator and a mammoth pinball machine. It is called "The TIME Visualizer." Its aim is to demonstrate how TIME reaches top executives and management in almost any company in practically any industry you can name--and it does so graphically, by means of flashing lights, bouncing colored marbles and glass tubes full of bubbling liquid.

Another exhibit is used to demonstrate TIME'S broad readership. This is our Post Office Booth, where we have a file of the names and addresses of all U.S. TIME subscribers broken down by states. The people attending a convention are invited to look over the list of our subscribers in their own home towns. Usually they are challenged to name a post office anywhere in the U.S. which does not have at least one TIME subscriber. If by chance they can do so, they get a prize of a silver dollar.

Sometimes we have to pay off, but I am glad to say not very often.

Cordially yours,

James A. Linen

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