FRUIT INDUSTRY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 35, 25 January 1932, Page 5

FRUIT INDUSTRY

DISCUSSES SELLING METHODS. The value of advertising was questioned by many speakers at the meeting of Canterbury fruitgrowers held recently to hear an address by Mr H. £. Napier, manager of the New Zea land Fruitgrowers’ Federation, in explanation of the proposed Dominion mark scheme for fruit this season and in future seasons. Mr Napier maintained that advertising was the soul ol business, and its possibilities were limitless. Mr K W. Cone and Mr G. E. Billson supported him, and then Mr C. E. Pope, in reply to tho criticism, produced concrete evidence of the value of small advertisements in the newspaper in bringing results. He said that up to 1918 the strawberry-growers of Canterbury had not done any advertising, and did not do a large business in selling strawberries for jam-making. Almost by accident advertising in a small way had been instituted, and the results were amazing. They were best borne out by the fact that to-day about £lOOO worth of the fruit was sold direct to the public by growers around Christchurch each season as the result of small advertisements informing the public that strawberries were available. Mr Pope said that he himself advertised, and, although he had not taken an absolutely accurate check, ho was certain that advertising had extended business and provided most invaluable support to the advertiser.