New research out today shows that consumers are more likely to have confidence in those financial institutions that are still advertising, whether they're actually struggling financially or not.

While I'm guessing that no one at AIG is reading this post, these findings have definite implications in the retail world. Further down in the article appears this gem:

“This research shows that ‘out of sight’ can mean ‘out of business.’”

So, simply put, remember that if your business is not a daily destination for your customers, the only thing letting them know you're just as open for business as you were last time they visited you may be your advertising.

This is a good time to be fiscally wise, but not a good time to stop advertising.