TO SELL—ADVERTISE

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1934, Page 15

TO SELL—ADVERTISE

LONDON MERCHANT VIEWS. DAIRY INDUSTRY CAMPAIGN. Mr. Alec. Nathan is chairman of directors of Joseph Nathan and Co., Ltd. He was born in New Zealand, trained for the land at Canterbury Agricultural College, and had considerable farming experience in the North Island before linking up actively with his father’s firm. He now lives in England. He writes from London to the Wellington Dominion as follows:— Sir,—ln your leading article of March 14, 1934, you urged that the New Zealand dairy industry should “bend its every effort to overhauling the better prices that England consistently pays for Danish butter and Canadian cheese.” ' Assuming you are correct in diagnosing the fundamental evil, I submit its remedy is simple. It lies in the direction of Press advertising. It is generally claimed by New Zealanders that they manufacture and sell first-class, if not the best and most nutritious butter, in the world. But the British public does not know that New Zealand butter has these exceptional qualities that make it equal or superior to other butters.’ The importer and wholesaler do not contact the consumer. The retailer does; but is there any reason or inducement for him to sell or push the sale of New Zealand butter in preference to Australian or Empire butter? None at all. What percentage of New Zealand butter is sold as such, and what as Empire, where it loses its identity? Possibly 70 per cent, to 80 per cent. There is only one permanent remedy—which, if and when successfully applied, will cause New Zealand butter to be purchased by the British public, at a premium similar to Danish—that is to advertise its peculiar qualities that cause it to be superior to other butters, and thus create consistent suction of demand. If this were persistently and consistently done for three years, there is little doubt that this country would consume so much more New Zealand butter and less of foreign butter and at the same time pay a premium for the privilege. The advertising would not only pay for itself but would be profitable. Butter is no different in this respect from any proprietary or branded article. Its sale and its price are influenced if not determined by its reputation and its acceptance by users or consumers. This can be created more effectively and cheaper by Press advertising than by any other method. It is the one and only economical method that can be adopted where it is necessary to influence the buying customs, change buying habits, and create a mass favourable public opinion. Advertising can be made more powerful, potent and effective than any official rules or regulations in regulating the trade and yielding more profitable results. For over thirty years the sale of Danish butter has been controlled and organised. The sale of New Zealand butter- is neither controlled nor organised. Controlled exports and controlled selling is necessary. If this is accompanied by advertising, New Zealand can do for its butter in three years what it has taken 50 years for Denmark to do. Control of the export and selling of butter and cheese without the support of advertising will be worse than futile: it will be harmful. The cost to the individual supplier will be negligible, say 10/- a ton for each ton of butter and cheese exported. This would provide £60,000 and £50,000 respectively—the cheapest, most effective, productive and profitable subsidy the Government could grant to the Dominion.