ON ADVERTISING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23215, 8 December 1938, Page 12

ON ADVERTISING

DUKE OF KENT'S [VIEWS important influence ' ' J HONESTY TO THE PUBLIC " traoM otm own correspondent] LONDON, Nov. 14 -f;-' The Duke of Kent spoke on the enormous importance of advertising in everyday life, when he proposed the lfsp toast of the Advertising Association at its annual dinner. He congratulated those responsible for advertising matter in this country "for not abusing the use of the superlative." Comfort and enjoyment were, ho said, based as largely upon tho honesty of the adver- . , tisement, trade as upon anything.else. "It is obvious," said the Duke, "that an article widely advertised must bo of the quality whi,ch the advertisement claims if it is to hold its own in a free %v' market. This has led to the public trusting advertisements which thoy " read, and to their being seldom let ■ down. I think this state, of "affaire is I due very largely to tho principle that underlies all British business—and I include advertising—it is 'Quality counts.' "When one has only a very limited I income one must weigh the pros and cons of any purchase with the utmost care. A Problem o 1 Boyhood "As a small boy I can remember the conflicts in my own mind when I had \ ' to decide between spending my last 3d of 'pocket money on sweets or chocolate. If I decided on chocolate I was faced with the claims of a dozen manufacturers. I was not conscious of trying to extract the greatest value oui of my 3d, but I wanted the greatest enjoyment. "My problems were, of course, immaterial, because the sweets or the chocolate were only luxuries, but how < * much more serious is it for the housewife trying to make a home happy and comfortable. "Advertising has become a business undreamed of a few years ago. It is a mixture of fact, fiction, science, psycho- 'Silogy and art. But, above all, it is human. I doubt if there is any business thkt is so essentially human, for the f ■ whole merit of. a good and successful, advertisement is, surely, its public appeal." Women's Part in Trade Matters / Lord Southwood, who .presided, said the Duke's speech would give advertisers a new realisation of the part tbey played in the welfare of the country. "How happy and how fortunate are wo in having a .Royal Family possessing so clear an understanding of affairs affecting the everyday lives of our people! There is hardly an aspect of our national life that does not receive the inspiration and support of our Koval Family. " - j . "Women play an immense part in . advertising and in trade generally. They are goddesses on whom our very existence depends. Why, 80 per cent of the" goods purchased in this country are purchased by women, and, in fact, they hold our existences in their bands." No/less than £130,000,000 was spent every year in advertising, a fact that spoke eloquently of the position to , which the profession had attained.