ADVERTISING OF BUTTER

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28776, 23 December 1958, Page 10

ADVERTISING OF BUTTER

More Vigorous Policy Urged

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 22.

New Zealand needed to adopt a more vigorous approach in advertising its butter in Britain, said the new princinal of Massey Agricultural College (Dr. Alan Stewart) on his arrival from England in the liner Rangitane todnv.

“My advice is: take the gloves off in fighting with the margarine interests.” he said. “They are quite ruthless in deoreciating butter in their advertising, and we should meet them with the same weapons.”

Dr. Stewart said that margarine interests advertised their products extensively on television every evening. One of their favourite catch phrases was: “You can’t tell the difference between butter and margarine.” “But,” be added, “vou seldom see any advertising lauding the virtues of butter. New Zealand should definitely snend more on advertising its butter, either on its own or in conjunction with other butter-producing countries.” Dr. Stewart said that the decision bv Argentina to restrict the exportation of beef to Britain would benefit. New Zealand in more ways than one. As well as keeping beef prices up. it would encourage British farmers to cut down their dairv herds, and so improve the British market for imported dairy products. Dr. Stewart, who is 39 is a former New Zealand Rhodes Scholar. He was senior lecturer in dairv husbandry at Massey Agricultural Cdllege from 1950 to 1954. Since 1954. he has been chief consulting officer of the Milk Marketing Board of England and Wales. He said that a large-scale inquiry into town milk standards was in progress in England at present. As a result it was very likely that the present standard of solids-not-fat content would be lowered, and this would possibly have an effect on the similar standard in force in New Zealand.