Artemas Ward began his career as a business paper editor and was credited with initiating advertisers¿ support of business papers. His first position was in 1863 with the New York State Soldiers¿ Depot. Later, Ward moved to Philadelphia, entering the Cuban export and import business, and next founded and published the Philadelphia Grocer. The distinction and individuality he gave to the paper attracted attention in the trade and brought from Enoch Morgan Sons¿ Company an offer of the position of advertising manager of Sapolio.
After changing to the advertisers¿ side of the business, he used mass advertising to direct the widespread and highly successful introduction of Sapolio soap, a household cleaner. In this campaign, he introduced the use of transit ads carrying jingles for Sapolio in almost all public transit vehicles in the country.
After 25 years as advertising manager for the makers of Sapolio, he opened his own transit advertising agency. He shrewdly obtained an exclusive franchise for the advertising facilities on New York City¿s elevated railway and subway systems.
For many years he contributed a column to Printer¿s Ink and authored several books of historical significance.