Ad investment during CV-19

Australia’s leading premium content creation companies have joined together to launch a campaign to show marketers the competitive advantage of maintaining or growing their advertising investment during CV-19.

The ‘When they go dark, the spotlight is yours’ campaign, inspired by the work of the UK’s Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), draws on independent analysis of advertising spend patterns during the 2008 recession in the UK.

The research found brands that maintained or increased advertising investment, relative to competitors, gained market share during and after the downturn. The IPA in the UK was kind enough to allow ThinkTV to share its research.

When the economic future is uncertain, it can pay to look at the lessons from the past. Evidence collated by the IPA and its partners shows cutting ad budgets – relative to competitors – is a high-risk strategy exposing brands to market share loss, foregone sales, and delayed profit recovery over the long-term.

The IPA and the FT, along with EffWorks, a cross industry marketing initiative, have partnered to support more effective advertising by businesses.

Check out the advice from the IPA

The ‘When they go dark, the spotlight is yours’ campaign has appeared in the digital, print, TV and Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) channels of Foxtel Group, Foxtel Media, Network 10, News Corp Australia, Nine and Seven West Media.

The Premium Content Alliance chair and executive chairman of News Corp Australasia, Michael Miller, said: “Providing safe and trusted environments for brands is crucial in times of crisis and that is exactly what The Premium Content Alliance does reaching four out of five adult Australians every week[1]. The evidence from previous periods of economic downturn confirms that now is the time for advertisers to shine, not go dark, and the campaign clearly communicates this message.”

The best way to ensure long-term brand growth is to maintain ad spend

If the wrong parts of brand spend are pruned, or brands go dark for too long, re-starting ad spend is costly and it takes a lost of time to regain the ground lost to your competitor.

Download 'What Happens If I Stop Advertising' now

The Premium Content Alliance CEO Kim Portrate said: “We know what a difficult time this is for advertisers and consumers. We firmly believe advertising is a business driver that has a flow on effect for brands, and the evidence supports the need for marketers to continue to connect with audiences. Brands that connect in trusted premium content environments will be best placed when the worst of the COVID-19 crisis is behind us.”

[1] Source: emma CMV Nov 19; OzTAM