VALUE OF ADVERTISING

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1058, 23 August 1930, Page 11

VALUE OF ADVERTISING

A CHECK ON DEPRESSION ENGLISH EXPERT’S VIEWS “There is a delusion current among commercial men that when trade is bad advertising should stop. That is a complete error. You should advertise more than when trade is good.” With these words Lord Riddell introduced his speech to the Publicity Club of London last month Britain was not doing so well as we would like to do because the British manufacturer, as a general rule, did not believe in advertising, he continued. “We advertising people," his Lordship said, “have a serious responsibility. It is up to us to see that our country is properly represented abroad, that a proper mechanism is created for selling British goods abroad and that our manufacturers can secure expert advice in placing goods on the market in the best manner. “I am convinced that the future of British trade abroad depends on efficient advertising. “I am not one of those who think business is getting worse. I think, on the contrary, that we are not doing so badly. If you will look at the records of the public companies you will realise that most of those companies have done better in 1929 than they did in 1928. “I am not speaking on this subject because I am afraid for our country. This is, of course, an extraordinary country, with an extraordinary background and with an extraordinary export position. We have an excess of imports over exports of merchandise. You have to remember that we have large sums owing to us from abroad Whereas with such a country as Australia an excess of imports over exports spells ruin, with us it is, in many respects, a sign of prosperity."