FT launches campaign to boost businesses

by Arif Durrani, Media Week 17-Oct-08, 11:20

LONDON - The Financial Times is set to launch a new advertising campaign tailored to businesses trying to manage the global economic downturn.

The multimedia campaign, created by DDB London and bought by BJK&E, includes print, outdoor and online activity, and is a continuation of the business newspaper's 'We live in Financial Times' marketing push launched earlier this year.

From Monday (20 October), in recognition that advertising budgets are among the first casualties in companies looking to cut costs during tough times, poster sites across London will appear stripped back to bare boards, with only a small copy panel posing the question: 'Global downturn. What's the first mistake businesses make?'

The campaign will also feature in trade press and is supported by a special microsite, www.ft.com/budgets, which is intended to provoke debate on this subject using case studies on the benefits of continuing to advertise.

Frances Brindle, global marketing director of the FT, confirmed the topical creative supports the argument that cutting back on ad spend in recessionary or turbulent times hands a significant advantage to business competitors who don't.

The push comes less than one week after the IPA Bellwether report highlighted that marketers had already slashed budgets at an unprecedented rate in the third quarter of 2008.