'File 29/28 British Industrial Fair' [‎155r] (309/512)

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12 .—Enquiries resulting from Publicity.
First enquiries may be expected to reach distant Posts as early as December.
Although few details can be known six months before the Fair considerable effort
will be made to support overseas Posts with information as it becomes available.
As some of this may be overlooked the following notes indicate sources of informa
tion which should be available for consultation in December and January :—
(a) Available to all Posts :—
This Memorandum (reference B.I.F.748/48).
The Board of Trade Journal.
Booklet of Information.
Duplicated List of Exhibitors in Trade Groups.
Copies of Press Notices issued in London.
Catalogue and Times Supplement will be mailed in January.
{b) Available, in addition to the above, to many Senior Posts :—
Frequent cable messages, in Transmission 6, through the Central
Office of Information, for redistribution by Information Departments.
13.—Editorial Publicity.
Editorial publicity is probably the most effective in finally influencing trade
buyers to visit the Fair. The exceptional efforts made in this field by many Posts
is reflected in the evidence of press cuttings, which are generally in direct proportion
to the attendance of visitors. The co-operation of Information Officers has been
particularly appreciated in the return of some 3,000 cuttings within eight weeks of the
Fair. These, with subsequent reports, have enabled plans to be made for further
improvement in the promotion of editorial material for 1949.
14—Timing.
The most valuable publicity is that which will attract attention to the Fair
in time for intending visitors to make travel arrangements. It is impossible to
provide more than general information of the Fair until exhibitors can be
approached individually, and then only a very small proportion are prepared to
give the required information of their exhibits. First enquiries will, however, be
made in December this year : six weeks earlier than previously.
15—Central Office of Information Services
(Photos, Features, etc.)
Almost every service of C.O.I. will begin to produce B.I.F. material, as far as
possible, six months before the Fair. If Information Officers have not already
emphasised their requirements of any particular type of material this should be
done now. The Department will request C.O.I. to provide a programme of issues
intended.
16.—Overseas Press Service.
Transmission 6 should provide by far the most valuable source of information
on the Fair, and it is hoped that the most factual extracts will be circulated to
Officers in every Post who may have to deal with B.I.F. enquiries. ^
17—Broadcasting.
The B.B.C. will broadcast information in all overseas programmes, including a
long series in the North American and Overseas wavelengths, the times of which
will be first advised in O.P.S. Transmission 6. Copies of scripts can only be
provided, on request, after the broadcasts. The personal effort made by many
Officers in arranging for broadcasting from local stations for the previous Fair
is much appreciated by both the Department and the exhibitors.