Embrace age of austerity

By

Your Leader on the need for government to communicate with its public will get the industry nowhere (MW 3 February). It’s time for some honest debate.

The last government ran out of ideas, talent and money, but tried to hoodwink the public into thinking that promoting a policy in the media was the same as doing something. It was all smoke and mirrors, and the ad industry was a grateful recipient. No agency was going to say: “It’s a waste of money, minister.”

The coalition is modelling many of its austerity measures on what happened in Canada, where every departmental budget was cut in the early years and everyone felt the draught equally. The country quickly bounced back.

Don’t expect the government ad spend to be treated any differently. In fact, it is probably ripe for some heavy pruning.

Dave Ketteridge
Tickled Pink Bridalwear

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