Despite The Recession, We Are Inundated with Advertising Again This Christmas

It's all relative to previous years, but despite the volumes of depressing reports about the huge 2008 declines in both business and advertising, we are still inundated with advertising this Christmas season. Billboards. Radio. The Internet. Television. Magazines. Yes, even in newspapers.

There are no dead spots on the television screen during commercial breaks. There are only commercials. Lots and lots of commercials. Cell phones. Target. Norelco razors. "Save money. Live better" at Walmart. J.C.Penney merchandise. The "Magic" of Macy’s. Blackberries. The NFL. The NBA. Mastercard. Burger King. Budweiser’s beautiful Clydesdales. Pizza, many, many pizza ads.

Nothing yet from Barrack Obama. But we still have nine advertising days until Christmas and he probably has a few million bucks left over from the campaign.

What happened to the recession?

In our New Orleans Times-Picayune on December 14, there were 20 full color, multipage advertising inserts. They weigh a pound and a quarter. The rest of the paper wasn't too light either. It still had to be delivered in two sections, one on Saturday afternoon, one early Sunday morning. There’s an insert for Academy Sports. Another for Dominos. Michael’s Arts and Crafts. Radio Shack. Office Depot. CVS Pharmacy. Party City. Office Max. Rite Aid. Toys-R-Us. Verizon Wireless. Walgreens. Burlington Coat Factory. Etc. Etc.

Wonder what the inserts weigh in the New York Times?

He may have lost a few pounds and looks a little frazzled, but Santa has dropped into almost every ad and commercial. He's everywhere..

Recession or no recession, it’s beginning to look an awful lot like Christmas.

Merry Christmas and a very happy 2009.

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