NEW ZEALAND LAMB

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 78, 1 April 1936, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND LAMB

PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN

BRISTOL AND BATH

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, March 7.

- The outside staff.of the New Zealand Meat Board has completed, a successful publicity campaign. , in. .Bristol and Bath. . ■• .. -~"

Bath has a population.of 70,000, consisting mainly of. well-off'people, who prefer home-killed' meat. The retailers are, rather, conservative, andthough, they, , have .stocked imported lamb they were-inclined'to < keep it in. the background.. Australian.lamb had also made considerable ; headway in Bath, especially as." there was more profit than on New Zealand lamb. After certain initial difficulties, the" New Zealand canvassers succeeded in interesting the trade in the campaign, and 29 entries for the window-dressing competition were received. The cam-, paign was on^similar lines) to those of last year, and, included Press advertising, hoarding-posters, slides and cinemas, window-dressing competitions, and children's painting competition. All the children who had competed in the painting were invited to a cinema showj and 900 accepted the invitation.; Three "cash prizes Were given, 20 boxes of paints, .and 20 jig-saw .puzzles of a New Zealand sheep scene. .. IN BRISTOL. In Bristol also, which has a population of ,400,000,. the canvassers found that Australian lamb had obtained a good' hold. Messrs. H. S. Pitter and Sonsopened a J''new. wholesale , depot' in Bristol at the same time as the publicity campaign, and in circulating the trade undertook to meet all demands for new season's New Zealand lamb. With the poster and Press adver-1 tiding -the distribution of advertising material, and an "electric" newspaper across the face of a building in the heart of the city, retailers began to interest themselves in.-.the New Zealand produce. Fifty thqusand sheets for the painting competition were distributed through the. shops,.and 1500 children attended the r>si|al display of New Zealand films,'T-'hejiv the prizes Were distributed. : In the cycle: competition there were 39 entries. In the window-dressing competition there were 200 entries. .-. ; . IMPORTANCE OF THE BRAND. Both in Bristol and Bath, a new feature was introduced in the window competitions. Prizes were offered for the best windows which emphasised the method of branding New Zealand lamb. Australian lamb is .branded "Empire," and once the 'public have realised that New Zealand lamb is always branded "New Zealand", they are not likely to accept "Empire" lamb, under the impression it is from New Zealand. This part :of the campaign was very effective. ■ : ' : ] x :\ .-'Both campaigns wer.e brought to a, conclusion \ by ■ a prize-giving ceremony, held', in Bristol, When the president of the. National, Federation of Meat Traders' Associations made1 the presentations, and his wife was presented with a bouquet of flowers as a token of thanks from the New Zealand farmers.