Forty years of PIM advertisers

PIM advertisers

PIM first entered the magazine field 40-years-ago this month to supply Islanders with interesting news about themselves, items of world interest, and to critically publicise trends which could jeopardise Aus tralian trade relations with the Islands.

Those interests have changed somewhat over the years. And at the same time our advertising has changed to suit new trends, sell new products and promote new modes of travel.

Sections once devoted to shipping and trading now also feature the airlines, the travel agencies and the new hotels, all of which have made an increasingly apparent impact on the Islands.

Our first issue featured 12 pages on just about everything happening (from the Australian point of view) in the Pacific of 1930. Among our first advertisers were: Tooheys (beer). Lister Lite (genera tors), Capstan (cigarettes), Alladin Industries (lamps), Sydney Pincombe (typewriters), C. G. Piggott (health foods), Alfred J. Briton (“muscular strength”), Alex Hale (opticians), AWA (communications), Mortein (flyspray). Murdochs (cricket gear), Arthur Yager (lottery tickets), and the Mt. Cook Tourist Company (travel to New Zealand).

Burns Philp and W. R. Carpenters, who have supported PIM without a break for 40 years, began advertising in issues No. 2 and 3 respectively. Arnotts, W. D. & H. O. Wills and Brunton’s flour were also in our third issue. Other consistent advertisers from the first issues have included W. Kopsen and Nelson and Robertson.

The second year brought Gillespie Bros., Shell, Tulloch, Tooths, Vacuum Oil and Wunderlich. Third

year brought the Bank of NSW, Garrett, Kodak, Noyes Bros., Steamships Trading and Taits.

Fourth year brought Aspro, W. Jno. Baker, Blaxland Rae, Ransomes Sims, Coleman Lamps. Masse Batteries, Mungo Scott and Wright and Co. Fifth year brought Angus and Robertson, Breckwoldts, the Grand Pacific Hotel. Morris Hedstrom and Ford Sherrington.

By the 10th year had been added Cystex, A. B.

Donald. W. H. Grove, Kerr Bros., Nestles, Yorkshire Insurance. Sullivans, Oscar Nordman, Electrolux.

Amplion, Riverstone Meat, Gilbey’s Gin and Colonial Wholesale Meat. And by that time, 1939. PIM had about 140 advertisers —most of them regular supporters.

Then came World War 11. By February, 1943, we had only 50 advertisers, less than at the end of our first year in business. A bad casualty of the war was Amalgamated Wireless of Australasia, which had given bigger support to our first issue than any other advertiser.

After 1945. the Islands clamoured for more goods . . . more everything. And advertisers appeared in PIM to give it to them.

Modern times mean modern advertising and many of the old-fashioned style ads have been replaced—by the large, bold, messageful ads of today. But the old fashioned style ads that PIM still carries today show that some firms still believe that the image of traditional reliability and honesty is the image to be proud of.

There's more about PI M's 40 years on p. 83