An article from today's AdWeek, "Study: Ad Spend Underpins 20% of Economic Output," by Mark Dolliver, explains that a report commissioned by The Advertising Coalition says that "ad expenditures 'account for $5.8 trillion, or 20 percent, of the $29.6 trillion in U.S. economic output' and 'support 19.8 million, or 15 percent, of the nation's 133.4 million jobs.'" The article goes on to say that "putting it another way, 'each dollar of ad spending generates, on average, $8.77 of additional sales' and sets in motion a 'ripple effect' as a company buys goods from its suppliers, which in turn purchase goods from their suppliers. Thus, each $1 million in ad outlays 'supports 69 American jobs.'"

As an advertising and economics double major, I find this really interesting. This is an example of the multiplier effect, the idea that a dollar spent ripples through the economy to have a greater effect. This shows how important advertising is to the economy, providing many jobs, and helping during the recession. Twenty percent of the U.S. economic output is substantial. That means that a lot of people who work outside of advertising depend on advertising for their job. Whatever the arguments against advertising are, the economic argument is clear.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/esearch/e3id03412c644d4e5cdabbcbd48410e43c1