ICSC TV ad asks for passage of COVID-19 Recovery Fund

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many firsts, the latest one being the first national TV ad campaign from the International Council of Shopping Centers.

The “Your Business” campaign encourages Congress to pass a recovery fund that would provide debt-free capital to retail businesses returning to the marketplace. The first spot—now airing on CNN, CNBC, FOX, and MSNBC—paints retail shop, hair salons, pharmacies, and fitness clubs as “the backbone of our communities and the souls of our cities.”

The spot concludes by saying, “Let’s bring our businesses back to life, and life back to our communities.”

The idea for the legislation was proposed by America’s Recovery Fund Coalition, which ICSC founded together with 100 other associations that, all told, claim to represent 45% of the United States workforce. These include dentists, carwashes, insurance agents, casinos, franchisees, venue managers, and several chambers of commerce.

“We’ve launched this ad campaign to illuminate a necessary next step: the establishment of a recovery fund which would provide the debt-free capital needed for revival,” said ICSC president and CEO Tom McGee. 

“Without federal action, there is a substantial risk of a future of empty storefronts and vacant shopping centers in communities across our country,” McGee added.

America’s Recovery Fund would help ailing businesses retain and rehire staff, pay rent, adapt to new requirements, meet certain debt obligations, and pay state and local taxes. More than $350 billion in economic output has already been lost and 78% of small businesses say they need more help, according to the Fund Coalition.