The decision by Thinkbox to launch its first TV ad campaign is a clear signal of the industry's concern about the possible depth and duration of the recession. Commercial TV's marketing body is not alone, however. Newspaper publishers and outdoor operators have also been helping their respective associations promote their media.
While it is refreshing to see all these groups taking a positive stance in response to the tough market, the strategy invites the inevitable conclusion that the ads are there because there is space to fill.
'It's true that if the market was very buoyant there wouldn't be as much opportunity to use this type of campaign,' admits Alan James, chief executive of the Outdoor Advertising Association (OAA).
The OAA has traditionally left the promotion of outdoor advertising to the media owners, but said the option to advertise centrally was 'constantly under review'.
Before announcing its TV campaign, Thinkbox had to establish how it would comply with Ofcom regulations. Promotional airtime can be used only for messages that relate to the audience as viewers, rather than advertisers.
'It has been much harder for us to get to this point. Other associations have the huge benefit of an ad inventory, but TV doesn't work like that,' says Thinkbox marketing director Lindsey Clay.
The press trade bodies have consistently run campaigns to promote advertising on both a national and regional level. Robert Ray, marketing director of The Newspaper Society, which fights the corner of the regional press, says it is not necessarily more important to advertise the medium at the moment. Instead, the priority should be to ensure that there is something relevant to say. 'If there is a strong story to tell, it works. We've had a more strategic approach to our campaigns since 2006 and this has demonstrated the mass reach of local media,' he says.
The Newspaper Marketing Agency (NMA) has run a press campaign every year since 2003. It aims to 'practise what it preaches' and runs each push in line with the advice it offers its clients, according to NMA chief executive Maureen Duffy. The NMA's campaigns run across all national newspapers and are often supported online.
The strategy of supporting traditional advertising with online activity is one upon which most of the associations agree. Thinkbox has promoted itself online since its launch. The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), meanwhile, is running an online campaign promoting radio as a good platform to use alongside other media.
The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), however, disagrees with such self-promotion. 'We wouldn't dream of it,' says Kieron Matthews, director of marketing at the IAB, who is not convinced advertisers are persuaded by such ads. 'It doesn't instil confidence in the platform and can seem desperate.'
Yet Paul Rowlinson, investment director, audio and visual at media agency MindShare, believes that such campaigns can be very successful as they buoy the profile of both association and platform. 'They can offer a slow build-up of awareness and marketers could then be more inclined to look into it,' he says.
The RAB is a prolific user of advertising and takes a humorous line to avoid alienating listeners. It claims that the downturn has not altered its approach. 'We have always advertised on radio and are not doing more because of the recession,' says Simon Redican, the body's managing director.
Funding can be an issue for some associations. Not all are offered an inventory, and the creative for the campaign also needs to be financed. The Cinema Advertising Association does not advertise, a situation it says is due to the lack of funding. 'It's something the association is looking at but we don't have the backing that other industries do,' adds a spokeswoman.
For those trade bodies that do have the financial support, it makes sense to shout about why advertisers should invest in their platform.
If every other ad were an inventory-filler, the danger signs would be clear; but, at the moment, that is not the case. If Thinkbox creates an ad that can entertain as well as inform, it might just be worth a watch for advertisers and consumers alike.