From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Timing and strategy for releasing publicity about the B V model and other vehicles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\1\ img103 | |
| Date | 10th October 1940 | |
| C. to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Streamlined Lagonda. You received a copy of Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}'s note of the 4th October, in which he drew attention to the publicity that Lagonda's had received recently in "The Motor" and "The Autocar", and his additional remark that if we could get occasional articles on B V.{VIENNA} used for war work inserted in the Press, he thought it would be of value, as would also be articles on the pre- B V.{VIENNA} Bentley or any Rolls-Royce car. It would, of course, be a comparatively simple matter to get some publicity on the B V's, but up till now it has not been considered the right policy to make anything public concerning this model, and we have, as you know, deliberately withheld everything about it from the Press. We could, of course, at almost any time obtain publicity on this car, and whilst publicity is always useful at any time, I believe that it would be of more value to us on a more propitious occasion. Against this, it might be argued that some publicity now, and some more later on would be even better, and even that would be possible I think, if it were desirable. The whole question therefore turns on the policy of making public information which, up to now, has been regarded as secret, and then deciding whether the present time is the best for such publicity as we could obtain. As regards publicity for other products, the only Rolls-Royce car we have to use to-day of a current type is an unlicensed Wraith Pullman Limousine - not the sort of car that we could usefully lend to any technical Pressmen to drive himself in with a view to a write-up. As regards the Bentley of the pre-B V.{VIENNA} type, we have not an up-to-date car at all in our possession. Thus, it would appear that for the time being the only car on which we could obtain some good publicity would be the B V.{VIENNA}, if that were considered the right thing to do. No doubt I shall hear from you at a later date as regards your decision on these points. Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} | ||