What Lengths Would P.T. Barnum Go to Advertise Today?

Summary: As the economy struggles to improve, I seek comfort in simpler times. Master marketer P. T. (Phineas Taylor to his mom) Barnum was a showman who became famous in the 19th century for bringing people “spectacles and wonders.” In short, Barnum knew how to pique peoples’ interests and to get them talking. Today, he is associated with the Barnum & Bailey Circus, but his real art was selling. His thoughts are as relevant to advertisers and marketers today as they were a century ago. By the way, Barnum never said the quote he’s most known for, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” He probably would have said something like, “There’s a customer born every minute.”