Minister backs 'pioneering' British ad industry

Speaking ahead of the IPA President’s New Year reception, the minister for culture, communications and creative industries said the British advertising industry was ‘world-beating’ when it came to creativity and well ahead in terms of ecommerce and internet advertising.  

Vaizey said: "I see the advertising industry in this country as pioneers. I think we forget in this country we are a very creative nation but also a nation that is an early adopter."  

The minister for the creative industries pledged support for the business community and said he was in regular contact with the treasury and hoped there would be further good news for business when Chancellor George Osborne delivers the forthcoming budget.  

Vaizey added: "George Osborne is very focused on business and there are a whole range of different initiatives, whether it is things like the enterprise investment scheme, to help people start new businesses, or the reduction in corporation tax. Even in a very difficult economic environment he’s reducing the taxes on businesses."  

"The creation of enterprise zones - Tech City a massive creative hub, in East London - again which will be a great place for ad agencies both to set up but also do business with emerging new hi-tech businesses. All are massive opportunities for creative industries. We talk to the treasury all the time and I’m hoping there’ll be further good news in budgets to come, for many years to come, under George Osborne."  

The IPA revealed yesterday that its UK member agencies had increased employment by 2.8% last year, taking the total employed above the 19,000 mark for the first time since 2008.  

Vaizey said it was important "government and the advertising industry worked together to give people that first step on the ladder".  

"It’s really important we get behind the government apprenticeship scheme. We’ve got John Hayes, the minister for apprenticeships, and we’ve created more apprenticeships now than have been created for something like 50 years, about a quarter of a million. It’s really important creative industries participate in that and again advertising is leading the way in establishing creative apprenticeships."