PRODUCER AND CONSUMER.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 155, 21 October 1926, Page 4

PRODUCER AND CONSUMER.

QUALITY AND REGULAR SUPPLIES. *

The Essence of Advertising.

The Empire Marketing Board has clone some very excellent investigatory work in connection with the marketing of Empire products. One phase of the problem is thus succinctly summarised:— Action with a view to increasing the consumption of Empire produce cannot be treated as a question apart. If there is one principle which has lately been more emphasised than another by experts in advertisement it is that advertisement fails and money is thrown away unless the advertisement and organisation of business are closely interlocked. To be effective, publicity must be supported both by excellence of quality and by regularity of supplies. QUALITY AND PRESENTATION.^ “ In regard to quality, it must be borne m mind that the production of * some kinds of goods has reached a * lgher stage of development within the Empire than the production of O er kinds. As we have already said, the consumer, however well disposed to buy Imperially, cannot in the vast Ifiajonty of cases afford to do so uness satisfied in regard to price and quality. It must therefore be recogmsejJ that identification is accompanied by responsibilities as well as privileges. There is no more certain way of driving an inferior product from the market than by indicating its origin in such manner as that the * consumer will recognise it whenever R is offered for sale. We are convinced that the Overseas parts of the Empire can produce goods as excellent m quality, as efficiently prepared, and as attractively presented as the goods produced in any other parts of the world, but, as our enquiries into the marketing of meat and fruit have already shown, there is still room for improvement. We strongly recommend that the Overseas Governments of the Empire should continue to encourage the better grading, packing and presentation of goods in order that they may secure the full ad- m vantage which identification will' provide. Given identification, it cannot be too strongly urged that the onus of quality and presentation rests wholly upon the producer. CONTINUITY OF SUPPLY. “ But excellence of quality alone will not suffice. There must, as we ' hav e already said, be regularity and continuity of supply. It is clear that publicity undertaken in respect of foodstuffs which are irregular in supply and insufficient in quantity will merely cause disappointment and dissatisfaction. It appears to us that there is scope for useful correlation of supplies from different parts of the Empire so as to prolong- the number of months during- which Empire produce of any given kind may be on offer in the shops. As a general proposition we are informed by the experts that advertisement is efficacious very much in proportion to its persistence; but ooviously persistent ad- \ ertisement would be comparatively useless without continuity of supply.