A Bright Spot in the Advertising Arena
The recession has created a world of worry for advertising. U.S. and worldwide ad spending has been dragged down and the prospects remain discouraging at best.
But not all the news is doom and gloom. As demand for paid-advertising has declined, it appears the number of timeslots for public service advertising (PSAs) is on the rise.
According to the National Media Survey of Television Community Service Directors released this week by Noral Group International, Inc, media directors see a bright spot for PSAs at their stations.
Noral interviewed 130 television community service directors across the U.S. Twenty-five percent project a rise in the time allotted for PSAs, and a further 6 out of 10 said that PSA time will hold stable even while other advertising declines. Those who are favorably disposed to PSAs generally are also those most likely to find the opportunity for increased exposure for them in these times. So the two-thirds of media directors who say PSAs are extremely or very useful are two times more likely to forecast an expansion in PSA time rather than a reduction. So if you release PSAs, your media director “friends” from previous campaigns are likely to be even more accommodating in
the coming months.
The optimistic forecast for public service advertising comes at a time when PSAs are needed more than ever. With the economy so sluggish, major issues such as education, the environment, good parenting and family needs in the wake of financial stress weigh on the minds of so many. PSAs that provide information and solutions can help people feel more optimistic, engaged and in
control again.
Those who principally develop PSAs, non-profits and federal agencies, should renew their efforts and be heartened. There is a “silver lining” in the recession for PSA messages.
