Through the many discussions we have with our client companies everyday who put their trust in us for advice in sustaining a brand or an idea about their organization, the question that seems to be popular in these times is, ``With our budget constraints, should we be advertising at all in this period of recession?`` This is usually a good time to understand again the fundamentals of why we advertise in the first place.

So, let's look at a few of the many reasons why large companies and small business alike place importance on their advertising dollars.
For many it's to...

· Energize new commerce
· Imprint their brand to attach an emotional component of the buying process
· To establish a reputation as member of the community in which they do business

Yes, the recession affects all of us in its own way. It has been a challenging period over the past year a half. Many businesses have had to make the tough decisions, such as a reducing their head count and taking a much tighter approach to fiscal responsibility.

But I believe that when things go a little bit sour, it is often a time when the message of your advertising becomes even more important.  It's a reminder to your business community and networks that your company is agile but at the same time has an understanding for what is going on in the world and to your business community. This is an important reminder so that when business is on the upswing for your customers you will be the one remembered, and at the same time have built a certain type of loyalty that is often harder to gain in the modern sense of the word.

"The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time" – Henry Ford

Daryl MacDonald - Commerce Advertising and Marketing