ACA ADVISES ONTARIO ADVERTISERS TO SEEK COMPENSATION FOR ELECTION
By Adnews Staff
The Association of Canadian Advertisers is advising any advertisers with campaigns booked to run in May in the province of Ontario to consider speaking with their media agencies to ensure compensation for the dilution of their advertising message during the month-long election campaign. According to the ACA, studies have shown that advertising clutter reduces effectiveness, and television is one of the most cluttered media. That problem only increases during an election. As a result of this increase in clutter, the ACA says it is right for advertisers to seek protection of their television investment for the time leading up the June 3 election. The ACA suggests three actions for advertisers during election time. First, ask for written guarantees or contract addenda for clutter maximums in the shows and time slots booked. Second, examine all pre-emptions and make-goods and ensure they hear about them now and not after the election. Finally, demand a re-negotiation of the terms of the purchase in light of the changed environment which did not exist at the time the contract was signed. An election campaign creates an extremely cluttered television environment because broadcasters are not required to count political ads as part of the usual 12-minutes-per-hour advertising limit.