Advertising Pays

The British Advertiser's Weekly tells of a new and vigorous counter-attack against the competition of the cigarette coupon gift schemes which has been launched by John Elkan Ltd., the jewellers.

This firm are now retaliating by giving away cigarettes to every purchaser of their jewellery, watches, and fancy goods, and are attracting a lot of attention by the display they are making of the scheme at one of their city branches.

The purchaser receives twenty cigarettes for every 5/- worth of goods purchased, whilst a guarantee is given that there has been no increase in prices. Moreover, the purchaser can have his own particular brand of cigarette.

An amusing instance occurred in the case of a customer who was purchasing a £100 engagement ring. When he found that he would be entitled to no fewer than 8,000 cigarettes with it, he promptly enquired whether the firm would also give him a tobacconist's license, so that, without breaking the law, he could sell the surplus cigarettes to his friends.

The point that emerges from this new angle to the coupon war is that, whoever wins, while the battle rages the ammunition, cigarettes, will be used in increasing quantities by both sides.