PEs dee, gee Send //177 THE Magazine Advertising rspetteneee :: 271 Madison Avenue New York 16, N. Y. NAME FOR GAME Marlin FINE GUNS SINCE 1870 THE MARLIN FIREARMS COMPANY MU 5-2210 THIS BULLETIN MAY NOT BE REPRINTED WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE ADVERTISER = éf MARLIN FIREARMS ADVERTISING MAKES THE OF MOST THE BEST The Marlin Firearms Company of New Haven is one of the oldest and most famous of sport- ing arms manufacturers—old only in years, however. In products and marketing, Marlin is aS young and dynamic as a new day. Since 1950, the company has climbed from fifth to third place in sales volume. Over the past 10 years sales have increased approximately 40 to 45 percent—and 1956 is showing its heels to an excellent 1955. This performance reads like a textbook clas- bought The Marlin Firearms Corporation. Twelve years later, the firm was producing more guns than ever before, wartime excepted. World War II brought another high mark in production, followed by postwar problems. And a new upsurge in progress and growth. For this, both Lawrence B. Ferguson, the company’s advertising and sales promotion manager, and Philip E. Genthur, Marlin account executive at Geyer Advertising, Inc., pay great tribute to Roger Kenna, who, as company president, spearheads a vigorous policy of a superlative product, heavily merchandised. re- Mr. Kenna believes this is particularly important in the arms industry, with its high mortality rate and peculiar problems. Over nearly a century, the Marlin firm has seen the personal gun decline as an essential weapon world-famous for food and survival, the hunting lands shrink In Some of Marlin’s innovations such as the solid top receiver and side ejection port, so before expanding population. Two world wars have blacked out civilian markets. The company has had to give and take tough, often revolutionizing competition. Its own uncompromising quality standards spell slow product vital to safety and handling, are still essentials obsolescence. in the Marlin line. On the other hand, there are: the long continuity of the Marlin brand name and reputation; the proud record of technical achievements, of which the new Marlin Micro-Groove rifle barrel with its 20-25 percent greater accuracy is perhaps the most newsmaking in recent years; the ability of management to create or stimulate new markets, from the target shooter to the sportsman who collects specialized guns; the aggressive, sustained advertising program. sic on how to make the best and then make the most of it. In fact, from the beginning in 1870, John Mahlon born founder, Marlin, the made excellent volvers. His for remarkable its Annie Connecticut first rifle became accuracy. pistols the farmand 1890's, Oakley was doing sensational shooting with her Marlin .22. John Mahlon Marlin didn’t hold with the better-mousetrap theory. He was a pioneer advertiser, using magazines and direct mail very successfully, as does The Marlin Firearms Company today. The current Field & Stream Treasury Book has a reproduction of its April 1896 Marlin ad. In World War I, the company, no longer family-owned and with over 12,000 employes, made history again with its machine gun which, among other things, helped to establish air warfare, as the Lafayette Escadrille proved. A new era began in 1924 when Frank Kenna This program is principally a magazine story, though newspapers, television and other media are carefully tested. The Marlin Fire- arms Company today is using some 20 national , G