Advertising means business to Canadians who say the ad industry contributes
to our economic recovery

- 69 per cent of Canadians believe advertising plays an important role in encouraging consumer spending -

TORONTO , Jan. 20 /CNW/ - Is advertising a major player in consumer spending? Canadians thinks so - by a large margin. A full 69 per cent of Canadians say ads play an important role in consumer spending - closing the gap on the correlation between the advertising industry and economic success. This is according to the latest research conducted by the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA) and Ipsos Reid in a revealing survey* released for Canada's second annual Advertising Week, taking place January 25 to 29, 2010.

"Advertising plays an integral role in creating consumer demand and, ultimately, moving the economy forward," said Gillian Graham , CEO of the ICA. "As Canada rebounds from the recession, advertising's ability to influence spending behaviour has played a significant role in fostering consumer confidence, making it a critical driver for business success in today's market."

The power of advertising to affect consumer spending behaviour extends beyond sales. More and more Canadians are growing respect for the industry - and ads are influencing public attitudes in a positive way, specifically those that relate to social issues. Survey results found that three quarters of Canadians (78 per cent) believe the advertising industry has had a positive impact on Canadian attitudes towards the issue of drunk driving, while a further 69 per cent associate the industry with helping create more positive attitudes about healthy living and "green" (environmentally-friendly) living (71 per cent).

Beyond public perception is the idea of national sentiment as a possible economic driver, and the impact that patriotic advertising plays on the emotions of Canadians. The majority of Canadians (77 per cent) reported that patriotic advertising fosters a sense of national pride. Similarly, 56 per cent indicated that distinctly Canadian advertising is important to them; half (54 per cent) believe more advertising should be created in Canada ; and two-thirds (65%) express the desire that most of the advertising we experience in Canada is home-grown.

When it comes to eliciting a strong sense of Canadian pride, the Molson Canadian Rant, a popular TV commercial from several years ago, received the top "Canadian pride" score with 71 per cent of Canadians indicating it made them feel more proud about being a Canadian after viewing. Other favourites included ads by Hudson Bay (62 per cent), Tim Hortons (61 per cent) and Canadian Tire (61 per cent).

The survey results also suggest that humour is the primary ingredient in a memorable and persuasive ad with eight in ten Canadians admitting their love for clever advertising (78 per cent). And what type of ads made the grade? When measuring what people recall as the best ads in recent years, brands that topped the list included Budweiser, Apple, Telus, Coke, IKEA, TD, Molson and Pepsi.

"Advertising's power lies in its ability to connect with people by tapping into basic - but universal - human emotions," says Claude Carrier , Chair Advertising Week. "Humour, national pride, social consciousness are the ties that bind us together. This survey reinforces that most ads succeed when they combine creativity with a compelling message."

When considering the number of media forms today, TV remains the most influential source of advertising with an astounding 80 per cent, followed closely by in-store displays and newspapers.

Canada's Advertising Week is taking place from January 25 to 29, 2010 in six Canadian cities, including Toronto , Halifax , Montreal , Calgary , Edmonton and Vancouver . The week is designed to celebrate the advertising industry's social and economic impact on the Canadian landscape, create a dedicated public platform to showcase the industry's creativity in business communication, and to inspire and develop the next generation of talent for this industry.

About Advertising Week

Tickets for Advertising Week's events across Canada are now on sale at www.advertisingweek.ca. Space is limited and will sell out quickly.

Advertising Week is made possible by the generous volunteer contributions of several leading agencies, including: Bos (creative and graphic design), Publicis (Next Generation events), Cossette Communications and Optimum Public Relations (communications services), Ipsos Reid (research partner), Grey (web design), TAXI (advertising creative), Bensimon Byrne (Ad Women of Toronto and Ad Ball), F.E.M., (Ad Ball creative) and MacKinnon Calderwood Advertising (program).

Advertising Week is being spearheaded by the ICA, with support confirmed from the following Founding Contributors: Canadian Marketing Association, National Advertising Benevolent Society, Advertising Standards Council, Out-of-Home Marketing Association, Radio Marketing Bureau, Association of Quebec Advertising Agencies and Supporting Contributor: TVB..

Key sponsors of Advertising Week include: Corus, Canwest,, CTV, The Toronto Star, CBC, Microsoft Advertising, MDC Partners, Yahoo!,Canada, YouTube and Wind Mobile.

Special thanks to 27 Marbles for screening rights and access to 'Art and Copy'.

About the ICA

The Institute of Communication Agencies or the ICA (www.icacanada.ca) is the professional business association which represents Canada's communication and advertising agencies. ICA promotes thought leadership, higher standards and best practices. It serves as the largest source of information, advice, education and training for Canada's communication and advertising industry. ICA's member agencies and subsidiaries account for over 75% of all national advertising in Canada , with an economic impact worth more than $19 billion annually.

    
    * These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of
        the ICA from November 26th to December 11th, 2009. This online survey
        of 1,071 adult residents of Canada was conducted via the Ipsos
        Opinions Online Panel, one of Ipsos Reid's national online panels.
        The results are based on a sample where weighting was employed to
        balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition
        reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census
        data. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and
        a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-
        3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would
        have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled.
        All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of
        error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement
        error.
    

For further information: Media requiring further information please contact: Stefanie Niewada, Optimum PR, [email protected], [phone], [phone]; Tamar Nersesian, Optimum PR, [email protected], [phone], [phone]