§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will place in the Library evaluation 601W reports on advertising campaigns conducted in each of the last five financial years by (a) National Savings and (b) the Office for National Statistics. [92830]
§ Ruth KellyThe information is as follows:
National Savings and Investments
Every advertising campaign run by National Savings and Investments is monitored and evaluated.
Methods of evaluation:
Calls/sales evaluation
All press advertisements are media coded. Calls generated through advertising are monitored, and associated sales are monitored and evaluated in terms of return on investment to ensure the cost effectiveness of campaigns.
Brand awareness and perception of the brand
A continuous tracking study measures awareness of the brand and advertising campaigns and associated changes in the perception of the brand and consideration to save with us.
Independent auditing
All advertising spend is audited quarterly by independent auditors to ensure value for money is achieved in buying press space and TV airtime.
As regards to placing the evaluation reports in the Library, much of the information contained in these reports is commercially sensitive. We operate in a commercial marketplace to ensure value for money is achieved in buying press space and TV airtime. Making public the information on our advertising effectiveness would allow media owners the competitive advantage in negotiations and so jeopardise our ability to secure favourable terms for advertising in the future.
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics advertising expenditure for 1998–99 and 1999–2000 was £3,000 and used to promote the availability of statistics.
Expenditure on advertising in 2000–01 and 2001–02 was £1,272,000 and £1,770,000 respectively. The spend in these two years covered the campaign to raise awareness of the 2001 Census. It aimed to encourage the population of England and Wales to take part.
Evaluation was by results. These demonstrated that 98 per cent. of households completed and returned their Census form.
A review of the Census publicity campaign has been published on the National Statistics website. The web address for the report is www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/proj_pub.asp.
No advertising expenditure was incurred by ONS in 2002–03.