- A number of major brands have asked their advertising agencies to maintain their advertising campaigns amid the attack on the US Capitol.
- At least one TV network stopped conducting commercial interruptions during the coup attempt.
- Advertisers seek advice on what to do next, and the news coverage also leaves a question mark over what will happen to campaigns presented on the inauguration day on January 20th.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Several major TV advertisers have halted campaigns in response to the attempted US coup, sources at two of the leading advertising companies said.
Advertisers usually pull off TV ads to prevent them from seeing ads that are full of scary newscasts. One of the holding companies said that the keyword lists of advertisers had been updated to reflect the news events within an hour after the Capitol building violation.
Advertisers are not just getting rid of linear cable TV – some are also asking to get their ads off social media and digital news sites, the source said.
One source from the media agency said that a “majority of customers” interrupted TV and digital ads for the next 24-48 hours, and that several also moved late-night and early-morning purchases to later in the month.
The historic event, which involved pro-Trump protesters breaking into Senate offices and waving guns and flags on the same day that the Georgia Senate voted, confirmed that two Democrats had won the Southern State was the shocking TV look.
Fox News stopped broadcasting ads at about 1:30 p.m., a source told Insider. This is typical of TV news when there is news.
Officials from Fox News, CNN and MSNBC did not immediately respond to comments as to whether they had also drawn commercial interruptions.
The source said marketers are calling for their campaigns to be suspended while reporting on violence at the Capitol. One advertiser requested to stay off the air until the weekend.
The news coverage also leaves a question mark over what will happen to brand campaigns that are underway on the inauguration day on January 20th. Advertisers who use patriotism in their messages may miss the point if the protests continue.
Citi’s outgoing British chief executive, Michael Corbat, issued a statement late Tuesday saying: ‘I am disgusted by the actions of those who stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to disrupt Electoral College certification,’ ‘ a process commissioned by our Constitution as part of our practice of peaceful transfers of power between presidents. He added that he hoped that “people will be held accountable for their actions”.
Brett Bruen, a former diplomat of President Obama and CEO of the consulting firm Global Situation Room, told Insider his company is currently sharing protocols with clients on how to act during civil unrest.
Asked what brands should do in this situation, he says businesses should not keep quiet, but ‘invest in initiatives that strengthen respect in the process’.
He added: ‘There is no harm in coming out in public and aggressively for unity and respect. We need strong voices not only to market the megaphone they have, but also to send the American story. ‘