A REAL SERVICE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 936, 1 April 1930, Page 10

A REAL SERVICE

VALUE OF ADVERTISING AID TO BETTER HEALTH That advertising performs a very real service for the community formed the text of an argument put very convincingly by Mr. H. A. Lawrence, late of London, at the Auckland Advertising Club luncheon today. \ Giving what he termed a few points to •■justify advertising,’’ Mr. Lawrence stated that the advertising craft was now attracting to its fold some of the best brains of the world. Artists, literary men, business men, and in fact members of all professions and spheres of commerce, were realising the opportunities for self-expression in advertising. When one realised that over £100,000,000 a year was spent in advertising in Great Britain alone, some idea of its importance to the community could be gained. Experience had prpved conclusively that mass production was essential to success in any worth-while industry. Mass selling, helped mainly by advertising, was just as essential. No sound business man considered pulling down the blinds of his shop windows to avoid the expense of dressing them; similarly, no wise business man considered shutting down on advertising expense as a means of saving money. Experience proved that it was much easier to sell welladvertised lines. Advertising was educational, and it was largely due to advertising that the standard of living of the masses has shown such an improvement over the past quarter of a century. The prevention of decay in teeth, the use of food in hygienic packages, the use of labour-saving devices in the homes, and the subsequent improvement in the health of the housewife, had all been brought about largely by extensive advertising campaigns. The day was not far distant when the people would be saving more money as a result of thrift advertising campaigns on the part of savings banks; when the health of the people would show an even greater improvement; and when the British Medical Association would do much to prevent tho spread of epidemics, all through the medium of advertising. It had been said that £200,000 spent at the right time in judicious advertising could have prevented the Great War and the enormous losses which had resulted. It was a very moot point, but when the psychological effect of sound advertising on the masses was considered it could be seen that there was much in the argument.