PRINCE’S APPEAL

Hokitika Guardian, 29 June 1931, Page 2

PRINCE’S APPEAL

REVIVAL OF BRITISH TRADE,

A NOTABLE SPEECH. NEW IDEAS FOR CHANGED P WORLD. A notable speech was delivered to a business audience at Manchester by the Prince of Wales shortly alter Ids return from his recent tour of South America. His Royal Highness, m a> review of the impressions of his tour, made- a. striking appeal for a new outlook in British methods of manufacture, salesmanhsip, and propaganda generally designed to place Great Britain, its people, ideals, culture and manufactured products prominently before the world. The following are- the chief points in the speech: “T have, during the last three months, formed the impression that among our manufacturers, there . are those vi ho adhere too closely t° pre-war types of manufactures that used to sell.

“We- forget what a change of taste has come over the world since the war. It is a world wide change, and it is very evident in our country, as it is evident abroad.

“In the past an article sold, or could he sold, mainly on account of its quality and durability—and that was because people could afford it—to-diy the majority of people appear to desire goods that will nut last- so long.

“The first reason is that they want cheaper goods. Another is that they a,re always looking forward to some improvement, to some new invention, find these come about quickly. y

HUMAN NATURE. “Another reason is that we have got' into the habit of very much more wanting change for the sake oi change. “Those of us who can afford luxury nr average commodities do not want to buy tilings that are going to last very long because we are sure that our friends will have something very much better soon. We always feel rather jealous of anything our friends have got that we have not. In fact, the taste of the world sis becoming as fickle as women’s fashions. “But, on the other hand, our reputation for quality -in South America is still as great as it always was, and it should always lie maintained. But T do think we want to bear in mind that there is a demand for change nowadays, and T feel this—that ii we are to succeed in’ meeting tin*' competition with which we are now laced in South America we must lie prep-red to manufacture the class oi goods which South America: is looking for, and which our foreign competitors arc providing. “There, is no reason whatever wily we should not turn out- this class of goods, maintaining at the same time a higher quality than our competitors. In order to bring ourselves a bit nearer to that competing foreign price we should sacrifice some of the high finish and the solidarity of some of otu

manufactures without affecting their mechanical efficiency or usefulness. “Then there is another matter which must not be forgotten, namely, ••’.at the South American mentality and, in fact, the whole atmosphere of the subcontinent calls for goods of a -bright rather than a sombre character. “The appeal to the eye is becoming more important even in our country, and in South America it is far more important still. “Let some of you make- a pojnt of going to South America yourselves, and after a month or two or three weeks there you will have summed u;y the position with regard to your own lines, and have made up your minds what line to take one way or another to improve your trade. When you get home you will s-ny, ‘we will do this’, ‘we will do that,’ or ‘there is nothing

doing.’ ' “May I say, too, that a little study —I do not say intensive study—of the language in use is well worth while. “Not only is the South American very pleased that you take- the trouble to learn his language, but I can assure you you -will get more pleasure, more enjoyment, and more of the atmosphere of the life there. “J learned a little Spanish myself, and I do not regret- one moment of the time I spent doing so.

LACK OF ADVERTISING. “We know the value of our chambers of commerce in Great Britain. I can tell you that our chambers of commerce in South America are very valuable institutions indeed, and where J found these .institutions I found a far better spirit.

“I am sorry to say that as a- nation we are very behind as regards advertising. That is one of our national characteristics. We do a great thing, invent things which are of great value to the world, Hut we never let the world know what we have done. Our foreign competitors advertise a great deal, and foremost among them are our friends in North America.

“T have heard a t great many Englishmen say that the American way ol boosting their goods, the American form of publicity, is very vulgar. That is entirely a matter of opinion, but the fact remains that our friends in the United Stoic- get-away with it. To use one of their phrases they ‘can put their goods across.’ If we • wish to push our goods better we have to take a leaf out of the-" Dm’:. Let me tell you quite brhfiy what are the daily experiences of the business man in South America. When he wakes up in the morning he telephones, and his service and his implements are of North American make. He. gets into his motorcar and drives to his office, and in 99 times out of 100 that motor-car is of American make. His office and its equipment and everything he uses during the

clay is an up-to-date, efficient article from the United 'States.

CALL FOR BRITISH NEWS

‘‘When he has finished his day’s work, his mind, if he can afford it, will tend ;o relaxation. His radio and gramophone come horn North America. So do the iilms that he sees in the movie theatre. Not only do they foreshadow the life and culture of the United States, but to make it even easier for hnn, the captions are in his own language.

“Finally, if he moves' around the city in which he lives in the dark he will find every manner of North America. manufactured goods attractively adverts d and illuminated in every available prom-

inent position in that c:tv

“1 have told you that South Anu ri'-n suffers from a surf.it of news in the way of (North American newspapers. That :s where I should like to say a word or two to my newspaper friends: Non really should do something very much better to establish a more efficient service of British news in that continent. Tt is very difficult to get much .English news m South America. It is, first of all, cheaper to cable to Europe by way of New York, and we do not seem ever to keep •them informed, or informed quickly ■enough, of our various important activities, ,

“There are things which are having a greater influence on the generation that is growing up now. The present generation knows something of the political and commercial connections with Great Britain and something of our best achievements. But that younger generation cannot possibly understand these things ! n the same way, and it >s their outlook that we must endeavour to affect, if we a ,uj to arrest what I know 1* a decline in our prestige in South America. “We in this country can 1 pride ourselves not only upon our roads, but also upon the designers of those roads, and the constructors. Better roads mean better motors, and our motor manufacturers have been set a fine example recently by those who have attacked the market in South America by designing an export model quite distinct from the

English models. ,ln the field of aviat on there are gi"at possibilities as well, and it seems an opportunity for our railways in South America anticipating the uneconomic competition of the future, to initiate some form of air service in co-operation with their railroad system.

"These, gentlemen, are all instances in which finance might advantageously cooperate with industry. I cannot help feeling strongly that not only in.,South America, but also in this country, there is not yet sufficient co-operation and understanding between those who finance undertakings and those who are responsible for the construction and the supply of material. “1 fou’nd a vast improvement m our selling organisation in South America since niv first visit in 1925. But there is room, gentlemen, for further improvement before we can say that our goods are being economically and efficiently represented. I advocate most strongly the system of group representation, not onlv for non-competitive, but for competing firms as well—in short, the abolition of the old-fashioned system of multiple agencies and its substitution of unified trade and selling organisations^ TOO MANY INDIVIDUAL AGENTS. “There are still too- many agents, and too much internal throat-cutting by individuals competing firms. us primarily try to get every order for Great Britain at the best possible price, and decide which firm is to execute it once it has been entered in the national orderbook. “One word, gentlemen, of how our industry can be helped, and that is a word about cultural influences. We have as yet done little in South America to make them realise that tte have in this country a culture equal to that of European nations. The South American is at present more attracted to pursue his studies and engineering and other forma of technical education on the Continent rather than in this country. “I am sure we could do more to open the doors of our universities, teehI nical colleges, and even manufacturing • plants to South American students anxi ious to obtain a technical training, and thus ensure a preference in after life for the British machinery with which their training has made them familiar. I “SHOW GREATER GENIUS.”

“It requires determination and attention to capture markets. Our forefathers proved themselves pre-eminent in this respect. Through no fault of our own we have lost some, hut let us show greater genius in the still more formidable task of recapture. “To achieve this we must have confklencie in ourselves, in each other, and confidence in our country. Believe me when T say that in the struggle that lies ahead you can always count on me; that T shall always he only too happy, if the opportunity arises, to pull my weight.”