I remember a tax on advertising which was introduced sometime in the 1980s. The industry came together as one and launched a strong protest following which the tax was repealed. That draconian tax threatened to wipe out the business.
There was also a time in the 1990s when corporates could fund their book debts on all items – except advertising! Those were days when advertising was seen as a wasteful expense. The mood in the Government has changed for the better, and advertising is today acknowledged as an engine of growth.