Value Of N.Z. Trying To Sell In Europe Queried

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30038, 24 January 1963, Page 7

Value Of N.Z. Trying To Sell In Europe Queried

(Special Correspondent N.Z.PA.) , LONDON, January 23. The Department of Industries and Commerce will exhibit in Leeds, Milan, and Salonica this year and, with producer boards, will spend another £20,000 in advertising and promoting the sale of New Zealand dairy produce and lamb. This will bring the total spent in this way in Britain and Europe during the last five years to about £lOO,OOO.

Is New Zealand getting value for thus money? It is doubtful, especially in Europe. There are at least tiwo points of view. One is that of the department and the New Zealand Meat Board: New Zealand must show the flag in European cities to make her and her produce known and endeavour to break down any prejudice against frozen lamb. Once this is done the demand for lamb should follow. The theory is sound but there are a number of snags. They include quotas, tariffs, and restrictions in various European countries, and com-

plications such as in Italy where fresh and frozen meat may not be sold in the same shop. Meat Firms’ View There is also the point of view of the meat firms. At their most enthusiastic they are not much more than lukewarm about pioneering in Europe, while some have said plainly that Britain is their market. The result has been that while here and there —and in the last five years New Zealand has exhibited in Cologne, Amsterdam, The Hague, Brussels, Bologna, and Milan. There has been some interest buit there has been no steady continuing increase in sales. No Follow-Through After exhibitions, advertising had dried up and sales promotion had not been actively continued. The way had been partially opened up but there has been no followthrouglh. The question therefore arises: Is it the best policy for New Zealand to hop from country to country dispensing penny packets? She is going to Greece for the first time in September. Or would it be better to select one particular country where sales of lamb seem most likely or promising and announce a promotion drive lasting anything up to say five yeans? Would meat firms then be more interested? The fact that nobody seems altogether certain raises the point that there should be a committee in London working out a policy for advertising and sales promotion in both Britain and Europe. For the last 10 yeans or so this idea has been debated on and off and there reportedly has been a desultory correspondence with Wellington. But nothing has been done. No doubt one reason Is

that producer boards do an effective job in Britain. They spend something well over £600.000 annually and their advertising and publicity is disseminated through public relations firms. Loose Link-up But there is no more than a loose link-up with the Trade Commissioner at the Department of Industries and Commerce, who is often occupied in Geneva or Rome, or with the public relations officer at New Zealand House on anything in the nature of one concerted publicity drive in Britain and Europe. And in Europe, New Zealand has only one trade commission in Paris. One suggestion which has been debated on and off over the years is that the boards, the Trade Commissioner and public relations officer should form a committee under the chairmanship of the High Commissioner. Its job should be to decide programmes for both Britain and Europe. How much it proposes to spend, and to engage expert advice. It is believed that, like good deeds, everybody is in favour of the idea. But nothing has ever come of it. It is believed /that under the spur of changes, whether Britain is in or out of the Common Market, it is being (revived again and sent to Wellington for contemplation. But will anything come of it now? At the very least it would not be a bad idea if some independent body could give an assessment of whether or not New Zealand has got any lasting value from the £lOO,OOO spent in Europe during the last five years, and whether the efforts of producer boards could, or should be, linked more closely together with Government publicity to sell New Zealand in Britain.