ADVERTISING IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22042, 26 August 1933, Page 2

ADVERTISING IN NEW ZEALAND

OPPORTUNITIES FOR BRITISH MANUFACTURERS ADDRESS BY MR W. APPLETON (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July 21. Mr W. Appleton was one of the speakers at the Empire session of the Advertising Association Convention at Olympia. He addressed the delegates on the subject of “.Advertising in New Zealand.” The loyalty of New Zealanders, he said, was proverbial. It was lip-service, but it was translated into definite discrimination when it came to choosing between a British or a foreign-made article. Unfortunately, in the past they had had in many cases no option because the British manufacturer either could not or would not meet the Dominion’s requirements. One heard few complaints of this nature nowadays, however, and the average British firm now recognised the wisdom of not only catering for the special needs of the customer,,' but of providing service in the way of readily accessible spare parts and accessories in the country in which the goods were sold. In the arrangement of her Customs schedule no other dominion had so liberally treated the 'Mother Country as New Zealand. Approximately one hall of the British goods entering the country were on the free list, while in respect to the balance a preference over the foreign article was given to an average extent of 20 per cent. There was an old saying that “ the proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Well, the practical worth of the Dominion’s preferential policy for British goods was well demonstrated by her import figures. New Zealand, like most other countries, had felt the full effects of the economic blizzard, but the tide had turned and with world recovery in prices, which now seemed imminent, the Dominion would speedily recover her oldtime vigour and once again be a splendid outlet for British goods. Never was there a more propitious time for British manufacturers who were already in the field to extend their activities by increasing their advertising and selling pressure or for those who contemplated tackling the colonial market to gain a footing in a country which was essentially British in its habits and customs. THE OPPORTUNE MOMENT.

Now was the time to increase appropriations and to plan fresh campaigns, for the shelves of both wholesalers and retailers were very bare of British goods at this juncture. Through economic conditions with which they were all familiar and the uncertainty regarding business generally, imports had been severely restricted, but they were now in a position to reorder. Without being unduly optimistic it could be claimed that within the next few months bumper orders would be received for British goods.

Mr Appleton went on to speak of the newspapers of the Dominion, and explained the facilities for advertisers to reach the public. “ The presentation of the right copy and correct illustrations,’’ lie said, “ offers no great difficulties to the British advertiser, because in the main what appeals to people in Great Britain appeals to our folk. Pare needs to bo exercised, however, in advertising in conformity with the seasons, because at times one sees ludicrous advertising from British firms —a cold-weather announcement in the,middle of a sweltering summer, or something of that kind. On this point, however, it would be in the best interests of all if a greater measure of co-operation existed between the British and the New Zealand advertising agents.” Mr Appleton spoke of railway facilities, electricity supplies, the distribution of the population, and showed that New Zealand was a highly developed community. He explained the influence of the various newspapers. With some lines of goods, he said, one active distributing agent for the whole of the dominions was requisite, but with many lines district agents were to be preferred because they worked the territory more thoroughly. In the appointment of agents care should be exercised because some firms took on more lines than they could properly supervise and handle. BRANCHES OF BRITISH FIRMS. “ The British Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, Mr L. A. Paish,” said hir Appleton, “is doing valuable work in this connection for British manufacturers, and his advice and help should be sought when appointing suitable distributors. New Zealand offers a valuable field also for British firms to open up branches of their own. In many cases it would pay to manufacture in the country, and this is already done !>y a. number of leading houses. In the old days service was much neglected by the British manufacturer, and this was especially the case with agricultural machinery and motor vehicles. Since English cars have been made more suitable for 4 the colonial market, and proner service and adequate stores of spare parts and accessories have been made available, the British share of the trade has more than trebled. To-day over SO per cent, of the motor car trade is in British hands. It should not be overlooked, also, that a colonial market is an expanding one, and in this regard New Zealand has wonderful potentialities. With a population of only one million and a-half her natural resources have not by any means been greatly exploited, and the country is quite capable of carrying five to six million people. Consider what that will mean to the British manufacturer in the years to come! ” On the subject of the exchange rate, Mr Appleton said that while temporarily imports had been restricted, the raising of the exchange rate would ultimately help the British manufacturer inasmuch as by assisting the farmer out of the mire it would enable him and those dependent on him—and, after all, they all lived on the men on the land—again to purchase British goods. In reply to questions, Mr Appleton said that the New Zealand newspapers supplied an appeal to a thousand people at the rate of 1 l-5d per 1000, and lid per inch per 1000 was considered good in this country. There was not the overlapping there was in Great Britain. Now Zealanders were home-lovers, and there papers were well read. One could advertise for 12 months all through New Zealand at the cost of one page in London’s big dailies. '