TOOLEY STREET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26903, 15 October 1948, Page 5

TOOLEY STREET

CENTRE OF BUTTER WORLD NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATIONS RENEWED From A. W. Mitchell, N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 14. Tooley street, famous for its associations with the butter world, is again to become the address of the official New Zealand dairy representatives in London. The New Zealand Dairy Products Commission returns to St. Olaf House to-morrow to reoccupy the offices vacated by the former marketing department of the export division after .a flying bomb hit the premises during the war. In former days Tooley street, the headquarters of the butter buying and distributing firms, was the place-for dairy farmers all over the world to conjure in their conversations. Its influence on the butter and cheese markets, however, has greatly decreased since the Ministry of Food has become the chief buyer of British food imports, and to-day the streets principal'function is distribution. It is with the Ministry of Food and the distribution agencies in Tooley street that the New Zealand Commission, under Mr H. E. Davis, has its chief business, while also ensuring that the primary interests of New Zealand produce are maintained. “ Prestige ” Advertising

Part of the commission’s work is to carry out “ prestige ” advertising of New Zealand products. It supervises, under the direction of Mr H. R. Hill, the advertising manager, what is known as “ dealer assistance ” in stores and shops and, in association with the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, carries out an advertising “ background ” of dairy produce and meat in periodicals, cinemas, schools, and exhibitions.

For the past two years substantial sums have been spent in providing retailers with material drawing attention to New Zealand butter and cheese in their shops. During the. past year, with the removal of war-time regulations, retailers have had the option of selling butter and cheese as “ New Zealand,” “Australian,” “ Danish,” or “ Canadian,” and in some of the big London and provincial stores it has been possible for housewives to have their differing choices met. The retailers, it has been found, have welcomed the advertising material provided for their shop windows and counters, and it has been decided to increase expenditure to meet the demand. In the bigger London and provincial stores it is now possible to see photographs of New Zealand scenes as well as advertising material, and there is no doubt that many of the smaller shops would welcome the opportunity of making such displays. The limiting factor, however, is the shortage of paper, and in some cases of labour.

In conjunction with this type of advertising the commission, with the Meat Board, is spending £40,000 this year in advertising New Zealand butter, cheese, lamp, beef and pork. One of their chief slogans is “ Fine quality food for Britain.” It appears on posters, in advertisements in women’s journals, and on cinema slides. Advertising is also placed in exhibitions as they occur, and is made available in story form to schools. Looking to the Future

The purpose of these campaigns is not, of course, to sell New Zealand produce, 'for to-day all of it is rationed. It is rather to emphasise the contribution now being made by the Dominion to the British larders and to maintain goodwill against the day when rationing will be a thing of the past—whenever that may be. Many housewives, of course, remember pre-war days when they had before them a wide range of foods frohi which to make a selection. A new generation of housewives is arriving, however, and it is them, as well as the school girls of 12 to 15, that the present advertising is designed to impress.