Americans Welcome Return to Advertising Normalcy.

A recent study provides the most promising news yet for a recently embattled advertising industry. According to a survey by Wirthlin Worldwide, nine out of ten Americans say it is important for companies to advertise at this time.

The majority (62 percent) of Americans say they feel advertising provides a signal that things are returning to normal. Twenty-seven percent see advertising as an important factor in the health of the economy. Seventeen percent said that by continuing to advertise we are showing terrorists that “they can’t beat us.”

The telephone survey of 1,001 adult Americans was conducted September 21- 26 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

Commenting on the results, Wirthlin Worldwide Advertising & Communications Practice Leader Patricia Kidd said, “These findings are precisely what a tentative ad industry has been waiting for. This data suggests that advertisers should feel comfortable running regular campaigns, but should screen creative to be certain it contains no content that might be offensive in context.” She added, “Although the overall mood is patriotic, overt ‘flag- waving’ ads should be undertaken with care and tested with consumers prior to release.”

The survey was part of a series from Wirthlin Worldwide tracking America’s response to the recent terrorist acts. Other findings address how Americans view the future of U.S. consumer spending and investing, the prospects for war, changes in travel plans, and more.

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