244 MODERN FHTIT MARKETING 



brands of coffee, tea, spices, etc., but fruit has been ne- 

 glected. Individuals like J. H. Hale have made an envi- 

 able reputation by advertising and various trade-marks 

 appear from time to time, but their efforts have been 

 feeble with no permanent results. 



In 1912 the International Apple Shippers' Associa- 

 tion added an advertising committee to its list and in- 

 structed it to investigate the possibilities of advertising 

 the apple industry. With an appropriation from the 

 society and donations from individuals and organiza- 

 tions, $900 was available for the initial start. It was at 

 once foreseen that with an apple crop averaging about 

 $100,000,000 annually and distributed over such a vast 

 territory, that the task would be no easy one. It was 

 also foreseen that if the advertising was to stimulate con- 

 sumption that the interests of the consumers would have 

 to be reached. 



How to do this and maintain funds for the work was 

 a big problem. The first efforts were directed at the 

 retailers. About 13,000 retailers were advised that if 

 they would run a bargain counter of apples, the 

 sales would greatly increase. Most retailers expect to 

 make about 100 % profit on the fruit they sell. The 

 poster given out by the association explained that if they 

 would reduce the price so as to make only the legitimate 

 10 or 15% profit, that sales would increase and the total 

 profit would be greater for each day. A number of the 

 retailers saw the wisdom of this and tried the experiment 

 with very satisfactory results. Many reported that the 

 sales had increased from 5 to 50 times. 



Fruits as a Food. The next step was to place before 

 the consumer such literature as would create a desire 



