Day 048 - 08 Nov 94 - Page 40

     
     1        continue going down?
     2        A.  There is a few things in there.  I cannot give a
     3        projection for the future.  We do not make our marketing
     4        decisions based simply on levels of expenditure rising or
     5        falling in different areas.  It is very much a question of
     6        the job to be done and the needs of the company.  So it
     7        would be very difficult for me to predict the future in
     8        that way.
     9
    10        The previous point about, does it start at a certain level
    11        and continue to go down, the same thing really applies.
    12        Different regions may take off differently at different
    13        timescales, and it would, certainly in different regions,
    14        show different patterns.  Those figures are based on a sort
    15        of national show, right across the country.  It would vary
    16        by region.
    17
    18   MR. MORRIS:   But the overall trend, is it projected back from
    19        1992 to when it started in 1974, going downwards?  That
    20        would be the general pattern, in terms of the proportion of
         children's advertising----
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  If you actually look at the figures, it has
    24        been virtually the same over 1990, 1991 and 1992, to within
    25        less than five percentage points; and the witness has said
    26        he cannot give a projection on children's advertising for
    27        the future.  It obviously depends on current factors.  So
    28        there is not a downward trend over the last three years.
    29
    30   MR. MORRIS:  But going back to the '70s and the early '80s, has
    31        that trend down to 14 percent, would that be reflected
    32        going back to -- would that be the general pattern?
    33        A.  I would have to look back at the numbers.  It could be
    34        that one region affects the national average.  London is a
    35        more expensive medium than Scotland, so that would change
    36        the percentages, again.  There are so many other factors in
    37        there that it is really difficult to give you a general
    38        answer without going back and trying to look at all the
    39        numbers.
    40
    Q.   You do not know the figures before 1986, then, which was
    42        31 percent -- or do you know the figures for the early
    43        '80s?
    44        A.  I personally do not know, no.
    45
    46   Q.   If we can clarify, these are figures that you have given,
    47        and what we have looked at is for under eight or
    48        nine year-olds who specifically watch children's
    49        programmes; yes?
    50        A.  Over what time period? 
    51 
    52   Q.   In general, what we have been looking at in the documents 
    53        early on and the figures you have given in your statement;
    54        we are talking about, I think you said, something like
    55        between under, around about eight or nine year-olds, under
    56        that, in general?
    57        A.  The problem I have with that is, as I stated this
    58        morning, our buying strategy changed many times across the
    59        course of those years.
    60