In praise of newspapers p.

By: Editorial Staff WITH ALL THE gloom and doom about newspapers' loss of ad share that was presented at the Newspaper Association of America annual convention in Boston last week, publishers got some positive news from the co-chairman of one major retail chain.
James Nordstrom of Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. told of the "great results" his stores get from newspaper advertising.
"We have got to have newspaper advertising," Nordstrom told publishers. One reason is that Nordstrom likes to do one-product ads to pull people into the stores and that is just not cost-effective to do on television.
Nordstrom praised The Oregonian of Portland, the Washington Post and the New York Times for particularly good service and effective results.
Nordstrom had Chicago Tribune executives in attendance beaming when he related a story about a successful ad promotion in that newspaper. He said a three-day shoe promotion increased sales in that department by 70%. "Our most profitable stores are in Chicago and the Chicago Tribune has been bending over backward to take care of us," he said.
Nordstrom also praised the Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune for their service and effectiveness as ad vehicles.
"Most of our competitors who are using TV are losing money," Nordstrom said to the laughter of publishers in the audience. "Newspapers are so much better than television in so many ways."
Nordstrom said his chain will be expanding into Philadelphia with its first outlet store, and other store openings are planned for Dallas, Denver and Detroit.
Two more stores are also planned for the Chicago market, one in Connecticut and two more in New Jersey, including one in Short Hills.