FED: Wool caught out by missed cricket promotion

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-1999
FED: Wool caught out by missed cricket promotion

BRISBANE, April 12 AAP - The wool industry had missed a great opportunity to promote itself
internationally by failing to advertising its close association with the victorious Australian
cricket team currently in the West Indies, a rural women's lobby group said today.

Judith McGeorge, spokeswoman for the Regional Women's Alliance, said the Australia XI was
outfitted by request in Sportswool, a special lightweight woollen material.

"This is a promotional opportunity to die for but nobody knows about it," Mrs McGeorge said
today.

Lightweight woollen sports and leisure wear had been identified as an excellent prospect
for growth and to miss such a opportunity was unthinkable, she said.

"Can you imagine Nike for example, failing to capitalise on the use of its product by the
sports elite of the world," Mrs McGeorge said.

She said it was just one of a number of promotional opportunities lost to the industry.

"Australian athletes at the Commonwealth Games were also wearing Sportswool and it was not
promoted."

Mrs McGeorge said wool growers, who funded research and promotion through a four per cent
levy on their gross income, needed an explanation.

She said the current slump in wool prices was partly due to a drop in demand and every
promotional chance should be taken.

AAP geb/bm

KEYWORD: WOOL

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