BURY businesses faced with the endless task of making consumers sit up and listen shouldn't underestimate the value of TV advertising.

A study commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) has disclosed North West consumers are influenced by television advertisements more than any form of advertising.

More than half of those surveyed in our region said they were most likely to respond to TV ads compared to only 17 per cent for newspaper and magazine ads and only eight per cent for radio.

The research also revealed that television was rated the most informative, entertaining and interesting form of advertising. Despite the growth in mobile phone and Internet advertising, only one per cent of North West consumers recalled ads from mobile phones on a given day and in a given week 79 per cent said they had not been exposed to Internet advertising.

John Hartley, northern director of the CIM, said consumers were subjected to as many as 1,300 advertising messages a day which meant businesses had to find creative ways of making themselves seen and heard.

He said: "The Internet and other new media have now moved forward into the mainstream as essential elements of communication.

"However, it is clear that they have a long way to go before they make as much impact as television."

He went on: "For North West businesses unable to tap into television marketing, they have to find alternative ways of effectively reaching their target audiences."