PRESS ADVERTISING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 6 August 1929, Page 3

PRESS ADVERTISING

COLONEL Sin CHARLES WAKE " FIELDS TRIBUTE

It appears to me that one of the- most notable developments (writes Colonel Sir Charles Wakefield, C.B.E, LL.D., in the London "Newspaper World") of the past decade has been the steady increase fa the volume of advertisements in the newspaper Press—an increase, that as yet shows little sign of reaching a peak. Advertising in general has developed rapidly, mainly owing to the over-in-creasing competition between our great manufacturers to sell their products to the public, and to protect our home market from foreign onslaught. It is interesting to note, however, that Press advertising shows a greater percentage of increase lhan other forms of advertisement. 1 will ;iot suggest a reason •—for newspaper proprietors are all very willing to relieve me of this task !

Naturally, the newspaper, printing, and advertising industries have all prospered .accordingly—but are these all that have benefited? Cannot we also sa v that the rapid recovery of British industry generally from the economic upheaval of the Great War is in some degree dun to the increasing use of printed salesmanship'/ The man in the street benefits by the prosperity of the industry in which he is employed. Ho gains also in another way, in that ho can now buy a twenty-lour page daily newspaper for the nominal sum of one penny, so greatly have advertisers contributed to the cost of production. A feature of modern Press advertising that impresses me forcibly is the great improvement in quality of recent years. As 1 turn over the pages of my newspaper, my attention is held by advertisements which make their appeal through my aesthetic senses. Instead of the scrambling headlines, blatant and offensive, onco so common, one reads dignified yet arresting statements of fact, perhaps illustrated by clever artists, or telling photographs. The writer, the artist* and tho printer have all contributed to this achievement. I congratulate all those whose work and. pleasun; it is to produce these beautiful appeals to reason, for their efforts are largely responsible for maintaining the prestige and prosperity of tho great industries of our country.