The Chartered Institute of Marketing reveals true impact of Government marketing

 The Chartered Institute of Marketing has today launched a new paper which examines marketing in central Government. The paper, 'Don't stop me now', explores the value of public sector marketing campaigns and concludes that Government marketing is cost-effective, needs long-term investment and is proven to gain results.

The benefits of public sector campaigning are revealed in the paper, and in light of the current freeze on all 'non-essential' Government marketing, the private sector stands ready to take on the role of delivering these essential and often behavior-changing messages to the public.
The risk of this, warns The CIM, is that marketing campaigns will take on more commercial and profit-led facets rather than focusing on the core social benefit. Looking ahead, using trusted partnerships and stakeholder relationships will aid Government in progressing the public education and behaviour changing message through marketing.

The paper, produced in consultation with many central Government offices, explores the impact of recent campaigns including HMRC�s online tax assessment campaign which, for example, saved Government �1.65 for every pound invested.  Campaigns such as the anti-obesity Change4Life, are also shown to be successful in creating behavior changes - Change4Life has already seen over one million mothers across the country alter their children�s diet or activity levels � which can cut costs to public services such as the NHS in the long term and should therefore be seen as an investment.

Such successes in Government campaigns highlight the benefits that marketing can bring both to the public sector and also to the wider public. The paper found that:

�         The �cost� of marketing should not be measured, rather its �worth�; this measurement takes into account return on investment but also the wider benefit.
�         In times of cuts, ring-fencing marketing leads to greater success as proven in the commercial sector. The public sector should also apply this theory to Government marketing, and in particular behaviour change marketing, where results have a wider public benefit.
Mark Blayney Stuart, head of research at The Chartered Institute of Marketing comments:

�This paper has been launched at a time when funding cuts are not just at the top of the Government agenda, but they are the agenda.  With the success of public campaigning demonstrated throughout the paper, it is argued that public campaigning is a long term investment rather than a cost.  With the freeze on Government marketing now in place, it is inevitable that more will need to be done with less, using trusted stakeholders to champion the Government message through accepted channels.�