News & Events

Marketing woes threaten Grade to the wolves

Date posted:

5th August 2008

Marketing recruitment has been suffering throughout the recent economic slowdown and ITV's latest financial report will demonstrate the potential effects that are yet to be seen.

Marketing recruitment has been suffering throughout the recent economic slowdown and ITV's latest financial report will demonstrate the potential effects that are yet to be seen.

While the broadcaster is expected to have done relatively well so far this year (it releases figures this week), there are concerns that the level of marketing revenue it will be enjoying in the autumn will be down by as much as 20 per cent year-on-year.

To have kept a steady marketing income so far this year, despite a turbulent past six months, is commendable, but executive chairmen Sir Michael Grade will nevertheless face nervous share holders concerned about the drop in revenue over the next three months.

A business' advertising budget is one of the first to be cut in times of an economic slowdown, and many forms of media reliant on advertising revenue have been struggling as a result this year.

Speaking about the security of Sir Michael's position within ITV, one source told the Guardian: "These are lean, mean times where the strongest survive and the weak are thrown to the wolves. No one envies Grade at this point in the economic cycle."

Blue Skies Marketing Recruitment works on behalf of both permanent and freelance agency and in-house candidates across the creative, design and branding, digital, DM, events, experiential, integrated, PR and sales promotion sectors.