Marketing key to crafts growth

Press, 20 May 1987, Page 22

Marketing key to crafts growth

By GARRY ARTHUR Marketing is the key to growth in New Zealand crafts, in the view of Rosemary Shannon, the newly appointed director of the Crafts Council of New Zealand. Ms Shannon is a marketing specialist from the Department of Trade and Industry. She spent four years in Vancouver promoting New Zealand products in western Canada, and subsequently assisted New Zealand companies exporting to the United States and Canada. “There are a lot of problems related to the exporting of craft, such as the questions of volume and freighting, but they

can be overcome,” she believes. “The opportunity is there. People could sell to an organisation, like the Crafts Council perhaps, or some entrepreneur, who could take on the responsibility of marketing. “I believe the market is there,” she says. “We are making things that are significantly different and price-competitive. But they would have to be selected and *niche-mar-ketcd’.” Crafts which Ms Shannon identifies as ripe for export are glass, ceramics, wood and fibre. “Certain areas in the fibre field are outstanding,” she

Certain other areas in the fibre field are apparently not so outstanding. The judges’ last-minute decision to cancel the Handcrafts in Wool Award last week on the grounds that the standard of entries was too low, was a blow to those working in that field, but Rosemary Shannon takes a positive view. “I’d have to see it as a challenging thing,” she says. “It was controversial, but it issues a challenge to craft people to stop and focus on elements of design and construction. “They shouldn’t be disappointed that there was no exhibition. What the judges are saying is that they’ve got to look at those components." . Ms Shannon says the four judges, including one from the Wool Board which put up the $3OOO award money, made their decision on the basis of their selection criteria — that the work showed a thinking, innovative and original approach; that it extended the boundaries of tradition; that it showed sympathy and understanding of the material; that it showed technical competence; and so on. “I’ve come back from four years in Canada, and in wool crafts we haven’t made the progress that we have in ceramics and glass,” she conceded. “The Crafts Council is active in trying to improve those standards. We have a resource centre on design and technique, and we are active in promoting courses on craft design.” The Craft

helped the Education Department to set up the new two-year multi-media craft design courses at polytechnics around the country,, and it is now working with the department on a proposed diploma course, which it is hoped will start next year. It promotes the Crafts Council’s own gallery on The Terrace in Wellington as a place for people to exhibit their best work. “The gallery has a’ very high profile,” says Ms Shannon. “Ministers of the Crown shop there. The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, walked in last week with the Singaporean Foreign Minister, who bought a beautiful' glass bowl. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs often buy representational gifts from the gallery.” Rosemary Shannon says the emphasis is on the highest standards of design and execution. “I don’t think New Zealand is about mediocrity any more. If we are to succeed overseas we’ve got to show that we can produce a high standard of work that can compete overseas. “We’ve got all the resources — the brainpower and the ability to compete right at the top. We shouldn’t compromise that I’m so aware that we must encourage people to produce the best Then the dollar return will be that much higher.”' Export marketing of crafts calls for a longterm commitment, Rosemary Shannon says, but right now there is a lot more to be done in

selling crafts within New Zealand. ' ' “I don’t think we’ve plugged into the tourist market,” she says. "For example, there’s no craft store at any of the airports that is packaging properly for the tourist If we had really good stores able to bubble-pack in nice containers for tourists, that would do a lot to /promote our crafts. ; “There’s nothing worse than having your purchase wrapped in newspaper and popped into a plastic bag for you to take with you on your flight. “It’s all about packaging and image. The Japanese are so good at it We have all the materials and should be doing it too. We’re a bit casual.” Another aim of the new director is to market the Crafts Council itself to craftspeople. * ; , “It’s got a reasonably high profile,” she says, “but it needs to be lifted. We have to make craftspeople' aware that they must belong, and that they get real benefits.

“The Crafts Council carries out lobbying on their behalf to improve awareness of the crafts in New Zealand and overseas. It is working to introduce /educational courses for the crafts, to Improve standards of design and execution, and it provides 'a resource centre Jtor- accessing information. Its magazine, ‘New Zealand Crafts,* provides really good background, and then there’s the gallery to promote their work.” She te also keen to encourage more businesses to sponsor craft events. v \ “The interesting thing is that the Queen Elizabeth II Arte Council’s recent survey, showed that of all the things that people go to see, 33 per cent are craft exhibitions. I think the private sector is beginning to realise' the benefits of being seen, to be involved in New Zealand activities other than sport” •'