SOMETHING WRONG

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 788, 8 October 1929, Page 11

SOMETHING WRONG

AUCKLAND ADVERTISING HOME TRUTHS BY EXPERT If the tactics adopted in half the advertising put before the people of Auckland were adopted for personal salesmanship by Auckland businessmen they would go out of business. Something is wrong with Auckland advertising methods, stated Mr. F. W. Petterd, at the Auckland Advertising Club luncheon today. Mr. G. C. Codlin presided. Advertising men were the poorest advertisers of their own goods in the world. Good advertising was much the same as good salesmanship. Clear, convincing and simple statements always sold goods and were a proof of sound salesmanship. “Compare much of the advertising circulated in Auckland on that basis,” said Mr. Petterd, “and you will agree that it appears as cheap trickery. “It a salesman came into your office and applied the methods used in much Auckland advertising you would regard him as a clown. “Half the advertising space is sold, not because it sells goods, but because it sells your personal vanity,” he continued. “Advertisers should pay greater attention to design and appearance. More use could be made of blocks.”

Something was vitally wrong with Auckland advertising, concluded Mr. Petterd; he urged all to attend the advertising convention scheduled for later in the month where a concerted endeavour would be made to find exactly what was wrong.