Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Maria Miller lauded the advertising sector as a “driver of growth” as she delivered the keynote speech at an industry summit.
Miller, herself a former advertising executive herself, said that the sector is worth more than the UK’s TV and film industries, and more than the architecture and design sectors combined.
Leading figures from the worlds of advertising, media and politics attended the second annual Lead 2013 conference. Other speakers included easyJet boss Carolyn McCall and Channel 4 chief executive David Abraham and Independent editor Chris Blackhurst all among the speakers.
The President of the Advertising Association president Gavin Patterson presented a landmark report on the advertising industry’s economic contribution, showing the sector’s £16 billion spend results in a contribution of £100 billion to the economy, 7% of total GDP. He called for a “new conversation” with the Government on the economic benefit of advertising.
