DISPLAYING WARES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 31, 29 September 1931, Page 4

DISPLAYING WARES

("Post" . Special Cpmmissioner.)

PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING.

, - ; WELLINGTON, Satur'day. The scope of the publicity work conducted by the Department of Tourist and HealtlTResorts and Publicity is outlined by the annual report of the Department, which has been presented" ,to Parliament and it is particularly interesting to note the efforts of other eountries in this direction. "It is unfortunate that financial co'nditions have necessarily limited the funds at preSent available for this work, and, while there has been sustantial curtailment and some leorganisation of the activities during the past year, every endeavour has been made to maintain a reasonable continuity of aetion to secure results, states the report. "The view is taken by the Department that publicity to be effective must be reasonably continuous, particularly in the highly competitive trade and tourist "markets" abroad. We are iorced to meet in America, Europe, Australia, and the East the very strong competition of the , tourist publicity put out by other Governments and large transportation companies. In fact, outsido Australia', at present our main tourist market, our e'fforts.are relatively insignificant in face of the enormous expenditure of other eountries. For example, it is reliably estimated that the Canadian Government, through various channels, spends annually, largely in North America, a sum approximating £500,000 on tourist publicity. In addition, the sum of £100,000 is set down as the estimated annual expenditure of the Canadian provincial and municipal governments on similar publicity.

Enormous Revenue. "This great publicity effort, baclced' by a favourable geographieal locat'on, results in an enormous total revenue to Canada, which for 1929 war. officially estimated at approximately £60,000,000 and for 1930 at £56,000,000. "Italy, Germany, France, and many other counties are also spending large sums in the endeavour to inicrease tourist trafiic. A large proportion of this heavy expenditure is released in America, where, of course, enormous sums are also spent by national and private interests seeking to draw trafiic to the tourist centres and scenic areas in the United States and Canada. "The area over which our publicity effort might be expended is so extensive that a sum greatly in excess of that now available would be necessary to provide effective and continuous results, and the Department is fully appreciative of the fact that the attractions and resources of the Dominion are relatively unknown over wide areas. It has therefore been essential to limit to some extent the areas over which efforts 'may be expended, and to carry out a reasonably complete programme in Australia with relatively more restricted activities in America and the United Kingdom. Efforts in Australia

"A number of different forms of publicity have been used. In Australia advertising in newspapers arid periodicals has been used, and the results from different publications and forms of appeal "keyed" as a guide to future action. To a minor extent only has it been possioie to use newspaper space in other eountries. Win-dow-display material, including "cutout" designs, posters, transparencies, enlarged photographs, and sporting trophies have been supplied, particularly to Australia and Canada, for use by travel agencies and in our own offices and in special exhibitions and shop-windows. Twenty thousand letter-folders, illustrated in colour were despatched to selected lists of Australian residents, and the results justify an extension of this activity to other fields dur'ing the current year. Special tour-books, giving details of itinerar'ies, attractions, costs, and bookingfaeilities were distributed throuehout

Australia, particularly through our local offices and agencies. Several thousand posters have been distributed in North America, India, South Africa, and Australia, for display mainly through railway organisations. "Articles of a suitable character have been prepared and satisfactorily placed with accompanying photographs in newspapers and periodicals in Australia, Europe and America. Photographs for similar purposes have been freely supplied to visiting journalists and ' to overseas papers, and publicity of an excellent character has been secured by these methods. A considerable extension of this work; is possible, and is now receiving attention. "Publicity f'or the direct purpose of trade-development is in the main earried out in the United Kingdom by the several Produce Boards of the Dominion. The _ Publicity Section of the High Commissioner's Office assists, however, in this work, particularly in the matter of exhibitions and window-displays. A large number of these exhibits have been made during the past year in trade and general exhibitions throughout the United kingdom, and very favourable comment has been made on the quality of this work.