ADVERTISING.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20612, 30 July 1932, Page 16

ADVERTISING.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION MEETS. ADVICE TO MANUFACTURERS. '.FEOH OCR OWK CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, June 24. Thirteen hundred delegates were at Ijiverpool for the annual Convention ol Jhe Advertising Association, which was presided over by Lord Leverhulme. Lord Leverhulme declared that the theme which was intended to run through the Convention was "advertising in Britain's year of opportunity." •'What can advertising do to help? We cannot, alas, secure prosperity just ky advertising for it. The part which ive have to play as advertising men is to realise more than ever the essential part which advertising plays in this modern world in stimulating the production of goods and in facilitating their distribution. First we must avoid, it we possibly can, cutting down our advertising merely because such a course would seem to be the line of least resistance in a temporary difficulty. Our first duty is to maintain our faith in advertising; our second duty is to study the problem of advertising more thoroughly than ever before to make Bure that we are employing its power more efficiently and effectively than ever before. If we can believe, as I for one believe, that the power of advertising is just as essential to a business as its factory power plant, we ought to apply to both these two forces the same kind of scientific study." Mr*' John Colville (Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade) said that if British manufacturers were to keep on selling British, they must pay greater heed to the need for a more attractive presentation of their goods. To the production of first-class materials must be added the form of design suitable to the needs of a consuming world which was becoming even more exacting. They must no longer leare it_ to others _ to. produce goods both artistic and original in design. In addition they must study their markets and. increase the effectiveness of their selling organisation. Sir Francis Goodenough (president of the Incorporated Sales Managers' Association) said that all the Scandinavian countries, including Denmark, desired to buy more British goods than they were doing, but British manufacturers still persisted in trying to sell to the Scandinavians what they wanted to Bell, while competitors were only too filling to make and offer for sale what tie Scandinavians wanted to buy. As a result, Great Britain was constantly losing orders to those who understood and practised scientific salesmanship. Advice to Advertisers. "There must be something wrong with advertising,'' declared Mr Edward Tillett, of the "Yorkshire Post," in a speech in which he hinted that the ■ advertisers themselves might with ad- . vantage "clear the cobwebs out • of the corner of their own house in place of just putting a coat of paint on the •outside. There will continue to be something wrong while the public con- : tinuee to fall for gifts in exchange for coupons; while people can still wink, •It's only an' advertisement'; and while advertising is treated as if it were, a luxurious adjunct to marketing, -instead of an essential factor' in selling goods at the lowest possible sellmjrcost.'j . The principal thing wrong with adhe contended, was a lack of stability. This manifested itself in various ways, including constant attempts by agents to reduce rates, offers of newspapers themselves to depart from their scale rates, employment of adventitious aids by newspapers to increase circulation, advertising devoted merely 'to hitting at competitors, and attempts to obtain unmerited free publicity. The Temedy for lack of stability was clearly some better understanding and a greater measure of co-operation between newspapers, advertising agents, and advertisers, together with more discrimination between the actual value of circulations in various parts of the country. "Tt seems to be imagined," he said, "that the same .copy will appeal to the leisured Southerner as to the virile Northerner."

Advertising New lanes." The Hesearch and Publicity Comifuttee of tbe Advertising Association have for some months been enquiring deeply into the effect of advertising upon trade and exploring new avenues of possible expansion. Some account of their activities was given by Mr Eric Q. Underwood, who stated that two oat of three concerns which increased, their profits last year were advertisers. Out of non-successful firms non-advertisers were twice, as numerous as advertisers. He stated that many successes had been achieved during the year by firms which had introduced new lines and advertised them. Like many obvious things this had been widely overlooked, and the committee was convinced that a very laryge number of British firms could with advantage adopt similar tactics. False Circulation Figures. Newspapers and periodicals "whose business methods do not bear the light of truth, and honesty," formed the subject of a vigorous attack by Mr Thomas Bell, of Kodak, Ltd. He was appealing for a fuller membership ' of. the Audit Bureau of Circulations ' on the part of publishers, and declared that a number of publications would not join the bureau for the simple reason that they were afraid to do so. This applied in the main to the trade and technical Press, with some notable and honourable exceptions. "Dare a paper join the A-E.G.," lie asked, "which secures its advertising on a professed circulation of 4000 copies when its printing order is for less than 300 f" "There are scores of papers living on false circulation figures; thsre are scores which could not come into the A.B.C.' and live, and it is /ear that keeps them out —the fear of death." The whole aim of the Bureau was to ensure a standard- method of arriving at circulation figures. They did not want to pry into : the publishers' secrets, they did not wont to interfere with the management of a newspaper; all they wanted was reliable information and figures arrived ft in the same way by all publications. Only in this way could any reliable contrasts be made. "I think it will be conceded by every, fair-minded man of .business," he flaimed, "that the purchaser is entitled to certain definite information regarding the product which he buys in the open market; ,*>nd I have never met a publisher who did not agree that the advertiser who purchases newspaper space has not the same rights as the pur- «•«* of other commodities."

Empire Trade. The Maharajah Jam Sahib of Nawa r.agar. (Ranjitsinhji) ,in a message stated: Could'ncSt the business men of Bri- , tairiL and the business men of India:! get together somewhere where they will not be disturbed by the politicians and; see whether a policy cannot be framed which will be to the advantage of both countries? You want, to trade with us; there are many in India who want to trado with 'ycru. If Grfeat Britain could at this juncture enlist the synipathies of the industrial and commercial mag- ( nates of India I believe that a great ! fillip could be given to Empire trade. Mr F. J.Marquis/managing director I of a well-known northern store, considered that newspapers in this country had an amazing asset in the public respect for the printed word, and he was convinced that there was no more valu-1 able medium than newspapers for carry- | ing trado to the public and for getting quick results. Newspapers "Holding Their Own.", At the annual conference of the National Federation: of Retail Newsagents, Booksellers, and Stationers, at Brid-' lington, Mr A. McLaren (secretary) I paid tribute to the way in which newspaper circulations have been maintained during this period of economic depression. "All the great national and provincial papers are holding their own," he declared. "In these times of stringency and economic distress it is very heartening, indeed, to know that newspaper reading has become a settled habit of the public. It is increasing rather than decreasing. We ought to pay a tribute to the newspapers which in these difficult times have done their best to keep up circulations at the present high and satisfactory level." Press Mergers Condemned. The conference expressed sympathy with the newspaper workers thrown out of employment in consequence of mergers, and decided to send £2lO to the Printing and Kindred Trades Federation for the benefit of those affected. A resolution protesting, against newspaper mergers was carried unanimously. PRICE OF GOLD. (rr SITED PBEBS ASSOCIATION— BI ELIOTBIO | TEICQBAfH—COSSBIOHT.) (Received July 29th, 5.5 p.m.) _ , „ LONDON, July 28. trold (.per fine ounce) is quoted as follows: . £ 8. d. July 28th • • ... 5 16 7 July 27th ... ... 516 4 July'26th ... ... 515 9 PRICE OF SILVER. (BBIWfIH OrTICIAL WIRELESS.) (Received July 29th, 5.5* p>m.) liUQBY, July. 28. i ouver (pence per ounce) is quoted as follows: — ' July 27th. July 28th. Spot ... 171-16 17 j Forward . ... 171-16 17 3-16 BRADFORD TOPS MARKET. (UKITE-D PKBSS. ASSOCIATION—BT -JitJSCTjaiO TKtSCBAPH—CCPTEIOHT.), ; (Received July 29th, 5,5 p.m.) LONDON, July 28. Business m the • Bradford tops market is quiet. Quotations:-- I July 22nd. July 28th. j d. " d. Seventies ... • 23 23 Sixty-tours */. j® 22 Sixties i,. 21 21 Fifty-sixes ... 17 17 ■ Fifties Forty-sixes -j., :9£ .•, , 9§ Forties ... 9 9 . -— —*• BUTTER AND CHEESE. ! LONDON MARKET. (TOITED n:KBS ASSOCIATION—BV- ' EZJOCTBIO 1 TKIEQEAPK—COPTBIOHT.) LONDON, July 28. The demand for butter is quiet, with a holiday market. Quotations: — Danish—ll2s to 114s. New Zealand—lo6s. Australian--102s to 103s. Unsalted—Australian 106s. The demand for cheese is quiet. New Zealand white, 56s and coloured 555. The National Mortgage and Agency Co.; of N.'Z., Ltd., have received the following; message from their London principals. A. J. Mills and Co., Ltd. Butter—Market slow. New Zealand finest, 105s to lG6s; firsts, 104s to 105s; unsalted, IGSb to 110s; Danish, 118s to 1205,' Australian, 102? to IOSs Cheese—Harket steady. New Zealand, white 56s to S7s, coloured 55s to 565; Canadian c.i.f., 565.

Dalgety and Co., Ltd.,. have received the following cablegram from Samuel Page and Son, London, dated July 28th:— Butter—Market slow. Danish 116s to 120s, finest New Zealand .105s to 106s, finest Australian nnsalted 105s to 107s, salted 100s to 102s, g.a.q. 96s to 98s. Cheegerr-Market slow. Quotations:—New Zealand' white 55s to 565, and coloured 54s to 555; Canadian spot white 56s to 575, and coloured 55s to 565; Canadian c.i.f. 55s to 565. t * S. laterson and Co., Ltd., advise having the following message from j. and J; * Lpnsdale and Co.* (London), Ltd., with itegard to dairy produce markets:— Butteij—All markets idle owing to holidays Danish "demoralised, lower than before last week, tnorease ; hopeful some. . improvement next week,, , Danish 100s, New Zealand 105s to 106s,- Australian lots to 1025.' Cheese—rMarket weak on . larger Canadian shipment and offers. White cheese 56s to 575, coloured cheese • 54s to 555, Canadian 56s c.i.f.' AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. MELBOURNE MARKET. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BT, ELECTRIC ' TBtEOBAPH—COPTRIOHX.I : MELBOURNE, July 29. Flour—£B 12s ; 6d. Bran—JS* 10s. . ' Pollard—£s 10s." Oats—is lid to 2s. Barley—Unchanged. : 0 Maize—-4s lid. Onions—-Steady, scarce, £2l to £22. LONDON PRODUCE MARKETS. i" ' - LONDON, July 28. Fl<jur— r The market is firm and dearer. Australia, ex store, 19s per sack. Barley—Steady. Australia Chevalier, es store, 28s to 82s 6d. Oats are dearer. Beans and pear are firm. Tasmanian Maples 72s 04 to 755. New Zealand, ex ship to «r- ] rive, 67s 6d to 68s.