'File 29/28 British Industrial Fair' [‎154v] (308/512)

10 —Bulk Supplies. (Catalogues, Invitations, and Requisitions for Display Material.)
The following will be despatched in bulk, according to requisition, or as
supplies permit.
(i) Catalogue, Advance Edition. An experimental re-organisation will permit
publication, at the end of January, of the advance edition of the London catalogue,
limited to 7,500 copies for world distribution. The advance list of Birmingham
exhibitors will also be available in January. A despatch of bulk supplies will be
sent immediately, in proportion to attendance at the previous Fair, to the senior
Posts in every territory which can be reached before April 1st. Posts will be
requested, separately, to advise on this proposal in advance. It is considered that
for each territory only one package should be sent, for redistribution by the senior
Posts, in order to avoid the higher proportion of delay, which would be incurred
at ports of entry by many smaller packages. All requests received in U.K. for
advance catalogues will be passed to the Overseas Officers concerned.
(ii) Reference Copies. (Separate Distribution.) No further catalogues will be
available in quantity, but in addition to the above an immediate despatch of one
or two advance catalogues, for reference, will be made by the quickest routes to all
Posts. During the Fair specimen copies only of the final catalogue will be similarly
distributed. The balance of copies of the final edition only will be sent from U.K.
to individual requests after the Fair.
(iii) Posters. Will be produced in three sizes, and ten languages, for free display
under local arrangements.
(iv) Poster Stamps. Intended for use on Officers’ outgoing correspondence,
and similarly by local British firms, Chambers of Commerce, etc.
(v) Showcards. For free display especially in official offices, etc.
(vi) Menu Cards. Owing to paper restrictions it is not possible to produce
these in the most suitable sizes for every territory. A slightly larger card has been
printed for 1949, decorated with Coats of Arms of the Fair and the Cities of
London and Birmingham. It is hoped that the card will be offered exclusively
to hotels, clubs, etc., frequented by business men.
(vii) Booklet. Instead of the folder previously supplied a simple booklet of
eight pages is being produced in ten languages, incorporating as much information
as was available at the time of ? printing.
(viii) Invitation Cards. A large proportion of the cards handed in at the Fair
had been distributed by Overseas Officers, but many visitors presenting these cards
are not recorded because their name and address had not been entered on the invita
tion. Special attention to this point will be greatly appreciated.
(ix) Special Supplements. In the first week of January The Times will publish
a special supplement of the Fair ; this will be mailed, by The Times, direct to
40,000 trade buyers in proportion according to territory. Limited supplies available
to the Department will be despatched in bulk to Commercial Diplomatic Officers
and Trade Commissioners and to Information Officers through the Foreign Office
and Commonwealth Relations Office.
(x) Requisitions. (Time of Transit.)
Forms for the requisition of supplies of the above (excepting the catalogue
and Times Supplement) were sent to all Posts in June. Where full quantities
are not available, these requisitions will be used as a guide for distribution in
proportion.
As the Foreign Office bag is definitely not available for transport of this material,
and since economy prohibits general use of air freight, every effort is made to ensure
despatch at the earliest moment. This will begin seven months before the Fair,
and the balance of supplies available will be offered to head offices of international
organisations in U.K. for transport to their branches overseas.
11. — B.I.F. Symbol.
It has been decided to suspend the use of the “ key ” symbol for the
1949 Fair, and to substitute a new design which may prove to have advan
tages in use. The new “ gearwheel ” motif will therefore be used exclusive
ly, and line drawings of the design will be distributed to assist Officers in
taking every opportunity for promoting its use.