PESSIMISTS REFUTED

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 September 1930, Page 5

PESSIMISTS REFUTED

LORD RIDDELL ON THE OUTLOOK. ■There is a delusion current among commercial, men that* when trade is bad advertsing should stop. That is a complete error. Yon should advertise more than when trade is good.” With these words, Lord Riddell introduced his speech to the Publicity Club of London. America is doing well, lie 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 Lordship said, “have a serious responsibilty. It is up to use to see that our country is properly represented abroad, that a proper mechanism is created for selling British goods abroad, and and that our manufacturers can secure expert advice in placing goods on the market in the best manner. I “1 am convinced that the future of

“1 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 wo are not doing so badlv. 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. , “T am not sneaking on this subject because T am afraid for our country. Tliis is, of course, an extraordinaryJ country, with an extraordinary hackground and with an extraordinary oxnort position. We have an excess of imports over exports of merchandise. You have lo remember that we have large sums owing to us from abroad. rWhereas with such a country as Australia an excess of imports over exports spells ruin, with us it is. in , manv respects, a sign of prosperity.! “ft is a verv extraordinary fact that if a British importer wants information about foreign markets lie must go to an American advertising agenev to get it. That is not as it should be. “It. is a. very difficult thing for us to appreciate that other countries have changed during the last 10 years almost” in the same proportion as this country Ims changed. It is very difficult for traders who do not go abroad to realise that the selling methods that are room rod in foreign countries Vmve changed, that advertising has advanced there as much as it has over [here.”