ADVERTISING METHODS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19889, 7 March 1928, Page 12

ADVERTISING METHODS.

AMERICAN NOTE DEPRECATED ENCOURAGING CASH BUSINESS. Truth and humour were subtly blended by Mr. Julius Hogben in addressing the Auckland Advertising Club yesterday on aspects of advertising as seen by an average man. He loosed his first shaft in the opening sentence, when he said it had been suggested that, because he was honest enough to speak the truth, he was a humorist, a reputation he disavowed. Art, science and business all had a part in advertising, said Mr. Hogben. Dr. Samuel Johnson had remarked that "large promise was the soul of advertising." That was true to-day, with the addendum that fulfilment was just as important. In addition to statements of fact, advertisements must carry an appeal to the imagination, stressed the speaker, in citing instances to illustrate his comment. Voicing one criticism of New Zealand advertising methods, Mr. Hogben said there was too much evidence of Americanism. That class of advertising was based on American methods of salesmanship, which were foreign to us. Advertisers had it in their power to do a wonderful work in educating the public, but he "inclined to the view that the opportunities were not being fully seized, Referring to the time payment system, Mr. Hogben described it as one of the greatest dangers to the country's prosperity. One of the most iniquitous pieces of legislation ever introduced in New Zealand was the statute of 1924 which made possible time payment sales on the scale evident to-day. "I venture to say the tit; >d payment system has reduced the purchasing power of the general public by at least 33 1-3 per cent.,'' he said, "because people are using their earnings to pay for goods which they cannot afford to buy. The business of a lawyer to-day takes him more frequently to creditors meetings than anywhere else. "You may ask what all this has to do with advertising. You cannot create a demand for goods which people would otherwise do without unless you spend extensively on advertising, and, if you have to create an artificial demand, the cost of advertising is not a legitimate addition to the price of the goods. If advertisers were to join together and declare they were going to create a cash trade, they could in a.short time by proper advertising, create a feeling in the community that the only proper system is the cash system. As it is now, I understand the only thing you cannot buy on the time payment system is a coffin. Poster advertising acted only as a stimulant. Alone it would not bring in many sales, said Mr. Hogben. Auckland posters repelled rather than attracted. Newspapers and window displays were the ro° Kt efficient means of advertising, but they should be employed in association. Personally, he resented finding that an article advertised in the newspaper was not displayed in the window of the advertising firm, and in that, way Auckland businesses time and time again failed to follow up their newspaper advertising. "To my mind, Auckland shopkeepers diffuse attention by putting too much m their windows," added Mr. Hogben. A mass of chipped glass, or whatever it is, in a jeweller's window, for instance, does not attract. It is far bettor to put one shirt in a window than a dozen shirts and huge piles of ties and socks. Auckland advertisers also seem diffident about telling tho price in their window displays, although, curiously enoucrh, the average prospective buyer is sometimes interested in that question."