Thinkbox unveils new ad campaign to promote TV advertising

Thinkbox is set to launch a four-week ad campaign to promote the effectiveness of TV advertising.

The marketing body for commercial television has teamed up with The Red Brick Road to design its second TV ad, which is to be screened on Channel 4, Five, ITV (GMTV), Sky Media, Turner Media Innovations and Viacom from Christmas day.

The latest ad features impersonations from famous TV ads, including Bodyform, Budweiser, Cadbury’s Whole Nut, Fairly Liquid, R White’s Lemonade and Sugar Puffs, according to reports.

It has been designed to show the power of TV advertising, not only as it is being shown but also in the future.

Lindsey Clay, marketing director at Thinkbox, said: “Christmas is a great time to bring our ad back to screens and capitalise in the fact that TV plays such a central role at Christmas, with families gathering around the TV together.

“It was very well received first time around, so we’re hoping people will welcome its return on Christmas Day. Getting the message across that TV remains the most popular and effective ad medium is as important as ever.”

The campaign comes after the IAB released figures showing that online ad spend had overtaken TV for the first time.

In September, the Internet Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers said online had taken the lead for the first time to become the UK’s biggest advertising medium, up £82 million in the first half of the year to £1.75 billion.

The online adspend study showed that internet advertising grew by 4.6% in the first half of 2009, despite the overall ad sector contracting by 16.6% during the period.

However, Thinkbox was quick to criticise the IAB’s report as it combined spend for everything directed online, including classified, display and search.

Thinkbox argued that if TV did the same, last year’s total revenue would continue to be the market leader at around £3.7 billion.