FOURTEENThe Advertising Manager at Work(In John Martin's office.)John Martin:Oh, hello, Joanna!Can you find somewhere to sit?Joanna Harvey:Thanks.Now there are two things I'd like to tell you.Could we take the regular advertising programme first?John:O.K.Joanna:Well, I'm changing the style of our advertisements.I think the old slogan 'H. & G. is your guarantee' is a bit out of date now.John:I agree it's old-fashioned, but it's been part of our publicity for so long now that it's almost a household expression .Joanna:I think we should change it.We need to project a forward-looking image.You know, modern efficiency plus elegance and old-time product reliability.John:I certainly think that applies to the new desk range, but I'm not so sure about... well, the old 'steadies' like the 'Windermere' range, for instance.That's run for years, and its still selling well.That style of desk is still far from the end of its product life cycle.Joanna:If you think that, I won't change the slogan for that range.The advertising agency are all for keeping it, too.John:And we've got a lot of older customers who trust our reputation, so let's keep the new campaign for the new lines .Joanna:Now we come to the new desk range, the 'Standfirm'.I'm very excited about this.It's a most attractive range.John:I think so too.We've got great hopes for it.Joanna:I've planned a teaser campaign.We'll run it for two months before the official launching, and that, as you know, is to be at the International Office Equipment Exhibition.Here are the suggested layouts.What do you think of this one?John:The girl is marvellous.But where are the desks?Joanna:That's the idea!Here's the perfect secretary, the ideal office: all the boss needs now is one of our magnificent 'Standfirm' desks to complete the picture.Details will be given later.John:Splendid!Now what about the direct mail shot?Joanna:We'll despatch that to two thousand potential customers.I think it should go out a few weeks before the exhibition.John:How's the exhibition stand coming along?Joanna:It's the first time we've taken a stand at this particular exhibition.I got hold of an exhibition contractor to design and build it for us.I've been down to the stand designers to see how they're getting on.From the drawings it's going to look very nice indeed.John:Are we going to see it before the exhibition?I think we should see it assembled first, before it's delivered in pieces to the exhibitionSo many things can go wrong.Joanna:Well, I've already authorised expenditure for this quarter in excess of my budget, and the contractors charge an extra fee, so I'll take a chance on it.John:Right.Joanna:Now the next thing is... er... I think it's very important that we should have a launching ceremony here at the factory.I suggest we invite all the representatives of the trade press, as well as a number of other journalists, anyone, in fact, who might give us a write-up in their paper.John:Why not ask H.G. to make a speech?Joanna:Good idea!We'll have the blue executive-type 'Standfirm' desk draped in purple cloth at one end of the Board Room.All H.G. will have to do is pull a cord, . .John:... exposing our beatiful new desk to an eager world!Joanna:Yes, that's it.And another desk like it will be on display on our stand at the exhibition, complete with leather blotter, telephone, inter-office communication system, the lot.Everything the ambitious executive dreams of sitting in front of.John:Just the job.Don't forget the real live pretty secretary standing by to answer questions on prices, and so on.Joanna:Oh, I won't forget that.I'll be interviewing some girls with exhibition experience tomorrow.(On the site of the exhibition.)Peter Wiles:Are you there?Oh, hello, how's the stand going?I thought I'd come along to see if I could give you a hand.I heard from Sally that the contractors were behind schedule.Good Lord, what a mess!John:Isn't it frightful!Joanna telephoned me from this madhouse earlier this afternoon, and I came here at once. Apparently the stand contractors have got two carpenters away ill.Peter:But it'll never be ready on time.The show opens tomorrow morning.John:It's got to be ready somehow.Peter:Where are the men who're supposed to be assembling the stand?John:Well, we've got Fred somewhere — ah, here he is.You've been working here since dawn, haven't you, Fred?Fred:What?Oh, it's always like this with these exhibitions.I've been doing them all my life.There's always a last-minute panic.Peter:Look, give me a hammer.Just let me take my coat off first.I can knock those nails in, Fred, while you do some thing that requires skill.Only don't go on strike because I'm not a union man, there's a good chap!Fred:Well, don't let the representative see you then.Peter:Where's Joanna?John:She's gone to try and get some new lampshades for the wall lights.The ones she ordered haven't arrived.Oh, here she is.Joanna:Hello.I got my foot in the door just as the shop was closing and bought these.I think they'll do.How's it all going?John:Slowly.Do you realise that in a remarkably few hours' time you and I, Joanna, will be back on this stand getting our big smiles ready for the opening crowd?Joanna:Oh, don't remind me!At this moment I never want to hear the word exhibition ever again.。
