The Northern Advocate Daily MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1936. NORTHLAND PUBLICITY

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1936, Page 4

The Northern Advocate Daily

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1936. NORTHLAND PUBLICITY

Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper.

It is generally admitted that the attractions which Northland has to offer'to the tourist are second to none in variety and appeal, while the agricultural and pastoral potentialities of the area are of a character which ensures for it a great future. These are claims that cannot be questioned, but it should be Unnecessary to urge that unless its attractions for tourist and settler. are made known beyond its borders, the development of Northland must be slower than it would otherwise be. It is for that reason that publicity abroad may be described as an essential requirement, Northr land has suffered from want of publicity in the past: it is due to lack of publicity that it remains a terra incognita to a very large section of the people of the Dominion, apart altogether from overseas. This is only natural, for advertisement is the moving element in business of any description ; only firms which advertise largely and, of course, have the'goods to justify the advertising claims, make adequate progress. The same thing applies in respect of the tourist traffic: it instinctivelyflows to those districts the claims of which are the most widely advertised. Northland, being little, advertised abroad, compared with other tourist areas of New Zealand, has been omitted from the [itineraries of overseas travellers, and of New Zealanders themselves, though the reports of returned tourists who have gone northward are steadily increasing the volume of tourist traffic. This growth, however, is puny compared with what would occur if wide publicity were indulged in. It is for that reason that the generous offer made by. Mr Stewart, the Publicity Manager of the New Zealand Railways, should be accepted by the local bodies of Northland. The Publicity Department of the New Zealand Railways is in a particularly favourable position to advertise Northland, As travellers know,

the department maxes use of all sorts and conditions of advertising media. It advertises in the daily press; it publishes illustrated booklets; it utilises railway carriages and stations as hoardings on which artistic posters are displayed; it brings strategic points on roads into use by erecting signboards; and, more important, it distributes its literature in hotels, on board ships, on overseas railways and at tourist resorts (this being done by a reciprocal arrangement whereby it gives publicity in New Zealand to. the overseas benefactors); and. in general, has at its disposal avenues of publicity which are not available to any other New Zealand organisation. If the department were entrusted with Northland publicity, advertisements of this territory would reach the very class of people whom it is desired to reach. Other centres in New Zealand—notably Rotorua and Tauranga — have proved the value of the denartment’s publicity methods. Tauranga was astonished at the success, of its campaign, the increase in the number of visitors being remarkable, and the Bay of Plenty town, as well as Rotorua, wants to repeat the experiment. There can be no question as to the need for Northland publicity,'and we know of no medium other than the Railway Department which could give so much service for a given expenditure. Mr Stewart states that if a Northland campaign costing £4OGh-which is the minimum campagn that would be satisfactory to all parties—were authorised, the department would donate £IOO, leaving Northland to raise £300: ' *

For this expenditure there would be provided 20,000 copies of a 12-page booklet with a three-colour cover, which would be distributed where most likely to produce results; 5000 high quality posters 40 inches by 25 inches, displayed at all railway stations and by all overseas railways with which, the New Zealand Railways reciprocate; 15 roadside hoardings 15 feet by 10 feet; newspaper advertisements and “write-ups;” screen advertising in main centres; and magazine advertising. In addition to this, a great -deal of service would be provided in the shape of keeping filled racks in hotels, tourist offices, railway stations and other places.

We are of opinion that -the public bodies of Northland should, with the least possible-delay? get together arid authorise- a campaign to raise, say, £750, which, with the Railway Department’s donation of £250, would give ’£looo for publicity purposes. Carried out by the Railways’ Publicity Department?'publicity on this scale would give the whole of Northland a forward push such as it has never' experienced. It would be , for the local bodies to allocate their shares in a contribution of £750, but this could be djone in a mariner which would rest lightly on each, and, at the same time, not necessitate a call on private individuals. We suggest the following: Otamatea, Hobson,. Wliangarei, Bay of Islands, Hokianga and Mangonui Counties, £75 each; Whangaroa County, £SO; Whangarei and Dargaville Boroughs, £2OO pro rata; Onerahi, Kamo, Hikurangi, Kawakawa, Kaikohe, Kaitaia and Rus-

sell Town Boards, a sum of £SO between them. This would provide £750, which, added to the Railway Department’s donation of £250, would make £IOOO for publicity purposes, a sum sufficient to put Northland prominently on V the map. The advertisement of Northland in New Zealand and overseas is a matter which should be given a broad view, for the pooling of resources would make possible the advancement of every part of Northland. This will be realised when it is remembered that there are no less than 63 beaches on the coast line extending from Mangawai on theeast to Pahi on the west. The beaches are to be found in every county, which would receive its share of the wealth which visitors represent. The attraction of visitors on the scale that might be anticipated would call for energetic action by private enterprise within the territory to make preparation for the influx. Accommodation, provision of tourist and picnicking amenities at beaches and other spots, and concentration upon attention to I the needs of visitors, as well as j publicity within Northland, would be urgently called for. The first thing to be done is to attract visitors, and this is a matter which it is to be hoped the local bodies and others interested will push forward in conference when the Railway Department’s proposal is considered. *