Advertising management - Army & Navy Stores Ltd

Dates: 1871-1981
Description: Advertising management is the activity of managing the attraction of public attention to a product or business. Advertising may be done via periodicals (eg newspapers, shopping publications, magazines), direct mail (eg circulars, leaflets, catalogues, store publications), telephone, broadcast advertising media (eg tv, radio), internet and outdoor advertising.

Biographical history
The Society did not originally advertise widely, due to the fact that it was not open to the general public. It did, however, advertise its products and services to its members. From 1872, it regularly published a general price list of all its goods (ref: FRAS 313). The price list was originally published quarterly and could be obtained at the store or posted on application to the secretary after payment of postage. Alternatively, on payment of an annual subscription, members could have a copy posted to them each quarter immediately after publication. From January 1879, the price lists were published half yearly instead of quarterly. At the same time, the Society introduced a monthly circular (ref: FRAS 504) which featured seasonal goods, price alterations and new lines stocked by the Society since the publication of the previous general price list. The circular was published on the first day of each of the months in between the general price lists. It was sent free to shareholders and life members in the UK. Annual subscribers had to pay a subscription to the secretary. Both the price lists and the circulars included tradesmen's advertisements. By 1913, the Society had introduced a special Christmas circular which it issued in November. It had also introduced spring and autumn fashion lists and winter and summer sale lists, which it issued in January and July. All of these were sent free to members upon application. By 1908, the price list was issued yearly, and, by 1925, only from time to time. In 1939, because of the short supply of merchandise during the second world war, the production of the general price list and the monthly circular was discontinued. The Society also published separate price lists for its branches in India. Of these, only the 1933 price list for the Bombay branch (ref: FRAS 582) and the title page of the 1901Calcutta branch price list (ref: FRAS 583) survive. In the 1880s, the Society began publishing specific price lists for particular departments or products, in addition to the general price lists and the circulars. A list of these special price lists was printed in the general price list. In the 1908 general price list, 36 were listed. In the 1925-1926 issue, this had risen to 60. All special price lists were sent free on application to the secretary. During the late 1900s, trade became less buoyant and efforts were made to attract custom by advertising on railway stations and omnibuses. In the 1920s, when trade was depressed, the Society published an illustrated advertising booklet called Utopian shopping (ref: FRAS 527). Later, in 1952, when the company was attempting to extend its business, it launched a massive advertising campaign. Between 1953 and 1968, the company acquired several other stores. Most of these stores retained their original names but the company began to advertise and promote them under the A & N banner. The 1960s and 1970s saw a continuation of the company's high level of advertising, as is witnessed by a scrapbook of its advertisements, 1966-1973 (ref: FRAS 696). Advertising policy was set by the board of directors. Any decisions regarding advertising policy were recorded in the board minutes (ref: FRAS 305).