, 1935-05-19
PRESS HEARS
ADVERTISING
DISCUSSIONS
Citrus Publicity And
Other Problems OF
Industry Are Talked
At Mercedes Meet

MERCEDES. May 10 Repre-
~sentatives OF the press Of the Valley.
Of Valley shippers and Valley cit
u growers. put their feet under
the table, dined together at the
New Manhattan Cafe here Friday
night, and entered into a frank
discussion Of problems confronting
the citrus industry Of the Valley.
Scheduled as a discussion Of q cit
u advertising campaign, the
speakers and their listeners soon
discovered that a discussion of an
advertising campaign could not be
held without bringing In many Of
he problems confronting the entire
industry.
Out Of the discussion there came
two central convictions shared by
practically every one present. ID
that Texas citrus fruit must be ad-
vertssed, and ca that the industry
must be reorganized II a successful
advertising campaign is to be
staged on behalf the Valley premier
crop.
Advertising Ia Answer
j. M. Hager Of the Rio Grande
Valley Citrus Exchange started the
discussion and referred frequently
to his Is years Of experience IN the
citrus marketing business in Cali
fornia. He warned his audience
that with the w increasing ad-
vertising appropriations Of the man
ufacturers Of tomato juice, prune
Juice. pineapple juice and sauer-
kraut Juice. All Of these products,
Hager stated, are In competition
with grapefruit and oranges, and
III the Valleys crop Is TO hold It's
own with them On the markets OF
the country, advertising lis the
answer" Hager said.
Records of the Texas Citrus Con-
troll committee show that $50 firms
or persons made application for
certificates allowing them to ship
citrus fruit from this section DUR
ing the past season, according 70
Frank Hall of Mercedes. sales agent
for the Rio Grands Citrus aSsocia-
ton OF that community. OF this
total, only so shipped 10 or more
cars of fruit, Hall said, and only
Al shipped from 5 to 10 cars; 81 OF
these firms shipped 5 cars or less
INC oGu 1Iulo ollPP<0 AC1S sA0A SA~
car Of citrus fruit.
Such a condition must be elimi-
mated before the Valley can hope
to establish q reputation Tor grade
and quality, Hall stated, pointing
out that this section last season
shipped 20 per cent Of the total
grapefruit shipments OF the country.
we have not reached u peak,
and probably will no. reach 1t next
season, but when we do 1t viii be
disastrous to the grower unless we
find some way out Of the situation.
Hall exclaimed.
a belief that an advertising cam
paign will help out the SITUATION
was expressed by Hall, who also
stated that II an advertising cam
paiRn should be started, an assess
ment of SC a box should be LEVIED
tc supply sufficient funds TO carry
On a suitable campaign.
Distribution Discussed
Problems Of distribution present
an obstacle to successful merchan-
dising OF the crop at present was
the opinion expressed by Don Relo
Of the McAllen Monitor. secure
sufficient trade outlets In the va
rious sections Of the country, ana
then back the jobbers and retailers
up with awell thought out advertiS-
ing campaign. he advised.
Some OF the sideiights OF CO.
operative marketing experiences
were brought out by W. +. Shaw.
pioneer Mercedes resident and q
member OF the Rio Grande asSo-
citation of that city.
The Mercedes cooperative has 80
members. Shaw said, and 10 per
cent Of its membership last season
shipped nearly 90 per cent OF the
fruit handled by the association.
That growers Of the Valley favor
an advertising campaign and be-
lleye that a part Of the cost should
be borne by shippers as well as
growers was the sentiment express
Cd by II. NJ. Riddle Of San Juan,
representing the Texas Citrus Fruit
Growers League.
.The league stands for three
things, extension Of the shipping
season, elimination Of the green
fruit shipments and q better price
for the crop" Riddle said, and an
advertising campaign, in the opin-
on Of most of the growers. would
helm bring a better price"
Consumption Of Valley grapefruit
and oranges can be materially
increased right here at home in
Texas. Marvin Goodwin, Mission
developer and grower, stated and
enumerated his experiences with
the rroup OF Houston men COM
nris,nr the recent goodwill tour
from that city to the Valley. He
has received letters from many. who
we're in the party promising that
in the future their families viii
eat Valley citrus fruit or none at
an Goodwin stated and backed up
his assertion by reading excerpts
from several such letters.
Advertising WI Pay
advertising viii pay. Just this
little bit Of word OF mouth advertis-
ing that ! did with these Houston
people while they were down here
rot results. An advertising cam
baign over the state viii get bigger
an better results he said.
The discussion was closed by
Ralph T.. Buell.. editor OF Tbs
prcw1l Eille Herald. who stated
that in his opinion the rejuvenation
or the citrus industry is one Of the
foremost problems confronting the
economic life Of the Valley. He
expressed the opinion that the COM
ing two years. while Texas Ia cele-
hrating It's Centennial anniversary
and state pride viii be at q high
flow Of enthusiasm, viii be q moss
uFopitious time 10 inaugurate such
A campaign In the state.
HHowever." he said. either q
master brand Of some sort or an
other must be devised for which the
advertising may be carried. or the
crop must be bulked with one sales
Otherwise the good the
win do viii be counter
balanced BY shipments Of poor