Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-05-24
to.
the EDITOR

Rio Grande Valley unless the grow
ers get together IN one big CO.
operative marketing agency. we
are manufacturing grapefruit in the
Valley on a big scale and we should
be marketing grapefruit as a unit.
As a grove owner looking on from
the outside and subscribing 10
nearly al OF the daily and weekly
papers OF the Valley I have been
keeping IN close touch with the
progress OF the cooperative mar
keting ides. 1t locks now like petty
Jealousies, short-slghteo politics and
local squabbies were going to stand
In the way OF Q real cooperative
marketing agency.
The big competition Of the VAL
ley Is Florida and other citrus pro-
ducing sections. There should not
be competition in marketing within
the Valley itself. Unless we get to-
gether 70 combat the huge adver-
Using campaigns OF Florida and
California we growers in the VAL
ley are headed To- financial ruin.
We viii be getting bills tor our
freight instead OF . net return for
our fruit.
II takes good advertising to ere
ate markets. no matter how good
the product may be. To VIII take az
least T5eo Of the Valley grapefruit
going through one Rreat cooperat-
live agency ta provide an advertis-
ing appropriation large enough to
make much Of a dent in creating q
demand for Texas grapefruit.
III a $4,000 carload crop should
be realized and If Ii were all mar
keted through one agency under
one brand. with SC a box set up for
advertising the total appropriation
would be only 100000 That may
seem like a lot OF money. but It Is
not a big advertising appropriation
as advertising appropriations go.
IL would take all OF that 10 do a
really effective job Of creating a
demand for Texas grapefruit strong
enough to bring Us growers a larger
net return.
But even with only one big CO.
operative III the Valley we could
not expect TO have an appr0pria-
ton that large. AS matters are now
shaping up II looks like We would
have q divided appropriation for
the Valley. This would be fatal. one
brand would be competing
another Texas brand with
out either one getting anywhere.
II we have only a 10000 "a crop
next year and succeed in market
ing 75T OF II through one agency.
that would provide an advertising
appropriation OF only $3.50 0 With
two sO-called coOperatlveS In Tie
this appropriation would e.
divided into two appropriations adj
Vertising competitive Texas brands.
Folks. we should be fighting
lnitediy for the markets Of the
1orld, instead Of eaCn other.
one OF the big objects or organ
aing 10 market comparatively is 20
an advertising appropriation
enough To effectively tell the
world about Texas grapefruit.
At the present rate VI cOnsump-
ion Of grapefruit there Is going 70
y a huge oveTproduction when all
II the new groves now planned
'ome into bearing unless powerful
advertising Is used 70 increase de-
nand and consumption. There viii
not be an misrepresentation III our
Trowers can rise above petty local
;quahbles and get a vision OF the
-oEsitilities Of united effort IN Gre
lting larger markets Tor Texas
grapefruit.
TIE people Of this great Chicago
market "a logical Texas market)
know there Is such a thing
IS Texas grapefruit. They do not
znow that Texas grows a better
luaiity fruit. The largest campaign
hat the Valley can have in the next
lew wears even with y big CO.
operative. would hardly be SuiIl-
70 cover this Ons bic market
With n trading area OF over 4iOOO,-
700 people.
II would be futile 70 spend u
money unless we Can all get to-
7ether and market and advertise
together. No wonder the govern
nent refuses 70 loan money TO our
,rORers unless there Is more eVid-
Of real cooperation.
The Lower Rio Grarde Valley Is
,nly a small speck on the map but
0 can make itself felt as a mighty
in marketing grapefruit with
advertising. How can the
Magic Valley. with two puny adyer-
Using appropriations expect 10
make any headwav against such
,amuaicns as the Florida campaign
~ described in the March issue on
The Seald-SWeet Chronicle?
The strongest campaign ever re-
on Florida Citrus fIuit. Re-
produced above are specimen pieces
OF COPY being used In the news
phase Of the tremendous ex-
change advertising campaign on
S~eald-Sweet and MOrjuce Florida
fruit. This copy Is appearing in a.
newspapers IN the So La Fest mark
cts IN the country. These papers
have a combined circulation OF
:. 1853 go. Two, three and sOme-
times four insertions of large size
space per week are used.
Added to this tremendous circu-
lation is Over 100000 additional
In the national publications-Am-
Weekly. Liberty, Golfers,
and Physical Culture.
Huge outdoor 24-sheet posters in
25 cities OF the east and middle
win be G and read BY
many more millions. Posters III the
New York subway and Chicago ele-
waited add a circulation OF $780,
900 more.
The aggregate effect gained IN
the repeated use or these many
media assures Florida growers Of
effective sales contact with over
half of the consuming families in
The United States.
Not only Is the market literally
blanketed BIZ Exchange advertis-
ing but the advertising Itself takes
oranges and grapefruit right out OF
the luxury class and makes them 4