The government spent £540m on marketing and communications during 2008/2009, up 43% on the previous financial year.

The COI's annual report, published today, shows that £211m was spent on advertising, an increase of 35%.

COI said the significant increases were needed for the government to "effectively communicate important information to the public". During 2008/2009 the government ran high-profile campaigns on obesity, smoking, road safety and climate change.

“The need for government to communicate with the public is greater than ever as society faces challenges such as obesity, climate change and the recession. Government campaigns can help save lives and save money,” said Mark Lund, COI's chief executive.

“Changing behaviour is difficult, but the benefits to the taxpayer and society can repay the investment many times over,” he added.

Although the report showed an increase on traditional ad spend, the proportion it accounts for total COI spend continues to decrease.

Digital marketing grew 84% to £40m and the COI said almost all areas – from events and direct marketing to research and PR – displayed growth in spend year on year.

COI said its centralised buying position meant it was able to negotiate a 49.9% reduction in media costs, saving the government £241m.