The IPA Bellwether Report is a quarterly survey outlining companies’ marketing spend intentions and financial confidence.
The Bellwether Report is researched and published by S&P Global on behalf of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. The report features original data drawn from a panel of around 300 UK marketing professionals and provides a key indicator of the health of the economy. The survey panel has been carefully selected to represent all key business sectors, drawn primarily from the nation’s top 1000 companies.
"With growth back at the top of the Government’s agenda, it's encouraging to see businesses increasing marketing investment at the strongest rate in more than two years, underlining advertising's role as a driver of demand, competitiveness and economic prosperity."
"It's particularly encouraging to see upward revisions across every Bellwether category, with main media recording its strongest budget uplift in nine quarters. The sharp rise in sales promotion spending is also understandable as businesses look to drive immediate results. But while promotions have their place, marketers should be wary of becoming hooked on short-term activation. Recent evidence suggests that over-reliance on promotions can erode long-term value.
“In uncertain times, the most successful businesses are those that balance demand capture with demand creation, recognising that an excessive focus on today's sales can come at the expense of tomorrow's growth."