GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 52, 29 August 1925, Page 13

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

PUBLICITY AND THE AMERICAN FLEET

SIXTY THOUSAND PUBLICATIONS

DISTRIBUTED

FINE WORK OF THE GOVERN

MENT DEPARTMENT,

The Hon. Q. J. Anderson, Minister in Charge of Publicity, has forwarded the following report on publicity effected during the visit of the fleet:

"Publicity work in connoction with the recent visit of tho American fleet commenced at Honolulu, to which port was dispatched prior to their departure for Australia some hundreds of advance copies of various publications dealing with New Zealand. As the majority of the ships were fitted with cinema projectors, a comprehensive programme of film comprising 60,000 feet of tho best selected pictures obtained during the last two years was forwarded for showing during the voyage to Australia and New Zealand. Inquiries among the officers of the fleet on. its arrival elicited the fact that the film was highly appreciated by all ranks. In addition, a gieat deal of information concerning the ports of call to be visited by ships of the fleet, together with 2000 maps of Wellington aud Auckland cities specially printed for the purpose, were forwarded for inclusion in publications issued by the printing divisions of the fleet.

"On arrival of the fleet in Melbourne and Sydney, two consignments cf 3500 selected publications conveying all manner of information about the Dominion "were distributed among the ships. GREAT VOLUME OF ADVERTISING MATTER "On arrival of the fleet in New Zealand over 30,000 copies of various publications, ranging from those describing the various tourist attractions, to farming and industrial subjects, were issued to all ranks. The special souvenir booklet prepared for the occasion proved most popular, no less than 20,000 copies ueing taken, practically exhausting the whole edition. Two presentation albums beautifully bound by the Printing Office and containing the best photographic gems of the Publicity Office collection vere presented to Admirals Coontz and Robisou respectively, whilo twelve smaller a 1 bums were presented lo commanders and captains of the fleet. Other officers received selecto I sets of photographs, copies of the history of th' 3 wars in New Zealand, and the Official Year Book, together with a number of presentation volumes. A»T THE BUREAU "All manner of information was available at the bureau, ranging from railway and steamer time-tables to tram and taxi farea and tho . tariffs of the various hotels and boarding establishments' in tho city. Officers of the battleship Pennsylvania showed, their appreciation of the bureau by requesting to be allowed to take back to America with them the welcome sign placed above the shed entrance depicting sailors of the fleet being greeted on landing by. a stalwart figure representing New Zealand under the caption, 'Welcome, O Cousin.' Their request was granted. 'Iho greater majority of the publications taken by the personnel of the fleet were posted to friends in the United States. Over 40,000 selected photographs were eagerly bought up at tho bureau. FOR THE FUTURE "One of the most important features of the visit from a publicity standpoint is the fact, that representatives of the various big film organisations in the "United States, together uith Government and naval publicity men who visited the Publicity Office, havo arranged to keep closely "in touch with the New Zealand office in tho future. They intend making tho fullest use of material provided for them during their visit, and will make special features of it in the various big newspaper and publishing house* . which they represent in America. Prom this standpoint alone tho effect made by tho Government will have important and far-reaching results.Total publications issued during tho visit . CU.oOO Vhotographs. distributed .... 5,130 Cinema film presented to fleet (feet) 50,000 "In addition to the above, several thousand names and addresses of persons ia America wore lefb at lh;> bureau at Wellington ruul Auckland, to whom booklets are oeing sort forward by tlio Publicity OtKctj "