PESSIMISTS REFUTED

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1930, Page 16

PESSIMISTS REFUTED

LORD RIDDELL ON THE

OUTLOOK

.1 '.'There is a delusion.current among commercial men that when trade is bad advertising should stop. That is a complete error. You should advertise more than-when trade is good."

' With these words, Lord Kiddell introduced his speech to the Publicity Club of London. America is doing well, he; continued, because she advertises, because she is creating an American atmosphere. Britain was not doing so :well )as we would like to do because the British manufacturer, as a general rule, did not believe in advertising.

""We advertising people," his Lord-, ship,,said,."have a serious responsibility. It is up to us to see that our country is properly represented abroad, that a proper mechanism is created for selling; British goods abroad, and that our manufacturers can . secure expert aftyice in placing goods on the market iii the best manner. v

•', "I am convinced that the future of British trade abroad depends on efficient advertising. .

"I am not one of those who think business is getting worse. , I think, "on the contrary, that we are not doing so badly. If you will look at the records of the public companies you will realise that most of those companies have done better in 1929 than they did in 1928. ■

"I am not speaking on this subject because I am afraid for our country. That is, of course, an extraordinary country, with an extraordinary background and with an extraordinary export position. We have an excess of imports over exports of merchandise. You have to remember that we have large sums owing to us from abroad,, (Whereas with such a country as Australia an excess of imports over exports spells ruin, with us it is, in many respects, a sign of prosperity).

"It is a very extraordinary fact that if a British importer wants information about foreign markets he must go to an American advertising agency to get it. That is not as it should be.

"It is a very difficult thing for .us to appreciate that otfi'er countries have changed during the last ten years almost in the same proportion as this country has changed. It is very difficult for traders who do not go abroad to realise that the selling methods that ar^required in foreign countries have changed, that advertising has advanced there as much as it has over here."