- Mark Dolliver

With the recession driving companies out of business, some of the older ones that have survived (so far) make a point of mentioning their longevity in their ad campaigns. While this assures consumers they're not fly-by-night outfits, does it also make such companies seem stodgy and/or old-fashioned?

Apparently not, to judge by the results of an AdweekMedia/Harris Poll. Seventy-one percent of respondents said such ads make them think the company is "solid and reliable."

Just a handful said it makes them think "The company is trying to hide current problems" (3 percent) or "is old-fashioned and out of touch" (2 percent). Note, though, that 24 percent weren't sure how to take such advertising.

The polling (conducted in September) found female respondents slightly more inclined than their male counterparts to regard these advertisers as "solid and reliable," 75 percent vs. 66 percent.