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Editorial

DAVID CIJTI,ER publisher

A Dlamond In The Redwood

Seventy-five years ago, sixteen redwood lumber manufacturers met for the express purpose of doing something to cause the sale of more redwood.

The result was the establishment of the California Redwood Association. And the results of the CRA's efforts to discharge their stated purpose of increasing redwood sales has been a case study in successful marketing.

In l9l6 redwood was strictly a regional species, confined almost exclusively to the west coast. Even there, its unique qualities and features were not well known. Three quarters of a century later, redwood is popular throughout the country and is respected and admired and used everywhere on earth. Due to vigorous promotion, redwood today is a strong market player that gives fits to its competition and joy to users who have discovered over the years its features and benefits.

Unlike many promotions, redwood's was not a short term, start and stop, start and stop affair. The CRA elders wisely understood that they needed to keep their foot on the organizational throttle in bad times as well as good. While budgets varied through wars and depressions, the continuity paid off. Applications of redwood today range all the way from humble duty in the back yards of America to the highest quality paneling in mansions and executive suites. The lessons of CRA's success apply to any association or business promoting its products: stick to it and you will be rewarded in the end.

The California Redwood Association is to be commended not only for reaching its diamond anniversary, but for perseverence in successfully doing its job.