AID TO BETTER TRADE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 70, 22 February 1932, Page 2

AID TO BETTER TRADE

VALUE OF ADVERTISING. NEWSPAPER - STILL PARAMOUNT. “The complete change in the economic situation during the last 12 or 18 months has made necessary a complete adjustment of ideas in respect of the function of advertising,” said Air Will Appleton, director of the Charles Haines Advertising Agency, Limited, in an address at the advertising convention in Auckland last week. Air Appleton’s address was on the present affd future of advertising, and he showed that instead of making a bid for public patronage on the score of fashion and. appearance, as had been the practice in the boom years, advertising men had to' adopt utility and economy as their key words to meet the diminished buying power of tho community. It was notable, said Air Appleton, that the public, because of reduced incomes, had become much more discriminating, and never probably, was there a time when the seryices of expert advertising men had become more necessary. Dozens of products that used to be regarded as necessities were now in the luxury class, and if the manufacturer or trader were to succeed under present conditions he had to use the best brains and ability available. He said tho service being given by newspapers to-day was better than it had been for many years past, not only in regard to the class of vehicle provided and the quality of reading matter and illustrations, but because newspapers were carrying approximately 40 per cent, less business and were, therefore, in a position to give more atten-tion-value than previously and it was this attention-value that the advertiser paid for. NEWSPAPERS READ MORE. Because the newspapers were carrying a lesser volume of business they were more closely read, and as advertisers were getting better locations it stood to reason that the advertising messages were being absorbed in greater degree. One factor which should be taken into account also was that, owing to the depression, hundreds of people were not leaving their homes so much, and the newspaper, therefore, was read more thoroughly than perhaps was the case when money was more plentiful. He explained that owing to the lessened volumo of business and because production cost had not fallen to any extent, it was impossible tef make any substantial reductions in . newspaper rates. In a sense rates had been reduced because of the greater atten-tion-value and the better locations available. Following the post-war boom it was comparatively simple for most advertisers to get a quick return for their money. This applied not only ,to locftl advertisers but to national advertisers. Twenty years ago, said Air Appleton, the position was different. In those days it was considered quite reasonable if a national advertiser could get a fair return on his money after about three years’ plodding. He did not refer to drapery sales. Experts at that time considered that it took at least three years to mould public opinion in sufficient volume to get the original outlay back. ADVERTISING AN INVESTAIENT. Air Appleton said the time had come when we would have to get back to the pie-war basis and regard advertising as more in the nature of an investment over a' term of years and not judge on the returns of a short period. Business quickly built up was quickly lost, and it would be found by. manufacturers that while it would be more costly and take more time and effort to win trade to-day, such trade would be more permanent and the advertising investment mote satisfactory in the long run. In the case of most businesses of a national character which were firmly established it would be found to be more costly to stop than to continue, and it would be folly to jeopardise the effort of past years by ceasing publicity now. While he said that trade recovery would be slow and it was necessary for business ’ concerns to live within their income just the same as individuals, lie thought it wise economy not to cease sales activity. While advertising, said Air Appleton, was the most economical form of salesmanship, it was not sound business to withdraw if the firms concerned could possibly manage to carry on. Air Appleton said that while other forms of advertising were desirable and necessary in certain cases, experience proved that the newspaper still held the paramount position of being the best advertising medium. The reason for this was not hard to find. People read a newspaper to be informed and when scanning it they, were in a receptive frame of mind. If the newspaper kept pace with the times, as he was sure it would, it would continue to be the best possible vehicle for publicity.