STIMULANT TO TRADE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 71, 23 February 1932, Page 2

STIMULANT TO TRADE

VALUE OF ADVERTISING. BUSINESS INSURANCE. Special reference to present-day needs was made by Mr Frank Goldberg, governing director of the Goldberg Advertising Agency, Limited, in an address on “Advertising as a Stimulus to Trade,” which was given at the final session of the advertising convention held in Aucklarid in conjunction with- the conference of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association. Many manufacturers and distributors were blinding themselves to the main point at issue, Mr Goldberg said. The question upon which they should concentrate was not -whether they could cut down expenditure on advertising, but whether they could re-organise their sales campaign in ordA- to secure' greater effectiveness. This involved a thorough examination of the plan itself, a study of the product and an investigation of the market. Mr Goldberg said that an advertising campaign was identical in almost every respect with the erection of a building, with its planning and building pieoe by piece. An advertising campaign was preceded by a wealth of research so that it might achieve the object for which it was' originally intended—that of closing the gap between the product and the market. In planning the campaign two factors stood out —“the study of the product” and “the study of the market.” The intermediary steps, such tfs the girders, the ferro-concrcte and the stonework of the building, were tho channels of distribution, the buyers, customers and users and the media which should bo chosen to carry the advertising message. The whole campaign was fabricated and assembled according to a carefully preconceived plan and eventually stood out as a tribute to tho advertiser who had the courage of his convictions to see it through to a successful finish. “Advertising is a business force to bo reckoned with,” said Mr Goldberg. “Harnessed to sound selling methods, it is the motive force behind every phase of commercial endeavour. It is a science which calls for a general knowledge of the problems of distribution and a particular knowledge lof the best means of overcoming them. It calls for the greatest endeavour possible, and, if planned soundly, executed intelligently and persisted in faithfully, advertising is the most powerful form of business insurance known under the present-day commercial system.” Referring to the position of New Zealand to-day, Mr Goldberg said that one of the forces behind business recovery was the state of the mind. He cited the case of a business executive who questioned 47 men and women picked at random. Practically all agreed that business was bad -nd that they were spending less. The majority admitted that their income had not been greatly affected but few could give a reasonable answer why they were spending less. THE LEGAL ASPECT. ERECTION OF HOARDINGS. An interesting address on “Advertising In Its Legal Aspects,” with particular reference to hoardings, was given by‘Mr R. E. Barrowclough at the final session of the advertising convention. <- Mr Barrowclough said advertising, like practically everything else, came into contact with the law. Broadly speaking, the laws of the country provided sufficient control over advertising to safeguard tho community. The town-planning aspect regarding hoardings was not so clear and there was room in that direction for legislation. The speaker referred to the Domin-ion-wide movement by local authorities to prohibit the erection of hoardings, and particularly those on roads leading into towns. Under the general principles of law, a man could reasonably do as he liked with his property, but the wishes of the community were entitled to be considered. Touching on the question of the liability of landowners to pay rates on advertising signs, Mr Barrowclough said the English and New Zealand systems of rating were vastly different. In England the rating was on the basis of occupation, but in New Zealand all land property, with certain exemptions, was rated. One New Zealand local body had obtained English text books on rating and had unsuccessfully endeavoured to levy rates on advertising signs.