Advertising on Railway Frontages
A Notable Beautifying Work.
Some Striking Examples.

The corner of Davis Street and Thorndon Quay, Wellington, before the erection of Railway Advertising panels. (Compare with picture below).

From time to time during the past few years, various Beautifying Societies and local bodies in New Zealand have considered the question of the utility of advertising hoardings and put forward certain principles regarding the choice of localities for their display. In other countries, too, similar organisations have been actuated by such motives and, as embodying the consensus of ideals aimed at, there may be quoted the standards of practice and code of ethics which govern the operations of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (Inc.); probably the largest organisation of its kind in the world. These principles provide that hoardings shall not be placed so as to create a hazard to traffic; on rocks, posts, trees or barricades; on streets and/or those portion of streets which are purely residential in their nature, or in other locations where the resentment of reasonably-minded persons would be justified; on streets facing public parks where the streets surrounding the parks are residential; in locations which would mar natural scenic beauty spots. There also is a prohibition from tacking, pasting, tying or erecting cards, posters or signs of any description, except on standardised hoarding structures.

These principles agree so closely with the practice followed by the New Zealand Railways Department that their reproduction at the present time is both interesting and opportune in view of the press prominence given to recent criticism of this form of advertising on railway frontages.

To-day, Outdoor Advertising is recognised and used by advertisers as an efficient, economical and convenient means of creating sales. It is an important element in the business life of the community and is regarded, by right of economic necessity, as a substantial and permanent industry. Outdoor Advertising has reached such a stage of development that it contributes materially to the reduction of selling and distribution costs, through mass selling. This economical distribution and sustained consumption of commodities is of utmost importance to the prosperity of the country. For, just as the failure to create a satisfactory demand for the commodities produced in a community results in periodic depressions in that community, so does a proper distribution of the commodities, coupled with sufficient demand through effective advertising,

The same corner after the erection of Railway Advertising panels. (Compare with picture above.)

assure that community of a continuous and prosperous development. The offset to low labour costs in foreign centres of production, is increased production in this country. And increased production is made possible only by greater or more sustained distribution, realised through effective advertising. It is an accepted fact that the prosperity of a city or a country may be measured by the amount of advertising done in that community. Outdoor Advertising results in the constant stimulation of the buying public, which tends towards increasing the sale of commodities which the advertiser has to offer, thus contributing to the prosperity of the community as a whole.

No advertiser of commodities or services dependent, as he must be, upon the favour and goodwill of the public, would purposely place advertising where it could be more damaging than helpful to himself, hence every successful advertiser exercises very great care in the selection of the positions for his advertising panels. As railway yards, from the very nature of the work for which they are used, have not any aesthetic value, railway frontages page 46 page 47 usually present an ideal position for advertisers to display, in attractive form, their artistic and colourful appeals for public patronage. Such hoardings, placed in these positions, add to, rather than detract from, the aesthetics of the neighbourhood. It is in this belief that the Railway Department permits its suitable frontages to be used for advertising displays and encourages, by providing the facilities of modern art studios, the use cf the highest standards of commercial artistry and skill in the preparation of designs for these panels of business information.

If the Railway Department were to refrain from accepting these advertising panels—from which, of course, a very substantial annual revenue is derived—it would not reduce the total volume of outdoor advertising. The value of this form of advertising is too firmly established. Advertisers would simply be compelled to look elsewhere for places to put their outdoor displays and, as the supply of ideal locations would be reduced through the elimination of railway frontage spaces, other positions would be used which were less favourable for the advertisers' immediate purposes and more likely to be harmful to aesthetic considerations in their new surroundings.

The national aspect would also be changed for the worse, as the present revenue derived by the Railways from advertising would have to be met out of general taxation, while the amount would be transferred to the profits of private advertising companies.

Whenever the Railway Department proposes to erect hoardings to carry advertising panels, the position is carefully selected to see that the aesthetics of the locality will be improved rather than injured by such;panels. The position is photographed before and after the erection of the hoardings, and subsequent inspection in every case indicates a definite aesthetic improvement through the introduction of these panels—many of which, indeed, form an attractive addition to what has been described by high authority as “the people's picture gallery.”

Petone railway crossing (near Wellington) before the erection of Railway Advertising panels.

Petone railway crossing showing the improvement effected by the advertising panels. (Compare with picture above.)

Thorndon station approach (Wellington) before the erection of advertising panels.

Thorndon station approach after the erection of advertising penels (Compare with picture above.)