Scope for National Road Travel Film
Page 51
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TWO avenues of advertising which remain unexplored were mentioned by Mr. J. B, Hewitson, of the Thames Valley Traction Co., Ltd., in a recent address to the Omnibus Society on "Selling Provincial Road Travel." He dealt with advertising the activities of a bus company in a semi-rural, semiindustrial district.
The first unexplored advertising medium which he mentioned was the booking agent; the second was the cinema film. It would not be possible or advisable for individual operators to prepare films, declared Mr. Hewitson. All the leading operators in the country should co-operate in producing a firstrate travel film in a serial form, edited by a person of the calibre of Mr. S. P. B. Mais or Mr. H. V. Morton. Each instalment should deal largely with a different part of the British Isles and in it there should be no direct advertising by road-transport concerns.
Mr. Ilewitson pointed out that a great deal of good advertising is wasted in the inquiry office by an irresponsible, underpaid staff. In his opinion, the matter of relations with passengers or potential patrons is so important that every company, provided that it be big enough to retain an advertising manager, would do well to transform him into a public relations officer.
On the question of advertising expenditure, Mr. Hewitson said that, whereas a progressive increase in expenditure on publicity or advertising does not necessarily mean a progressive increase in effectiveness, reducing spending below a certain point would be most harmful. He crossed swords with those who held that their buses were their best Advertisement. He advocated the use of good, scenic photographs in advertising matter.