Global advertising spend rose 8.8% year-over-year in Q1 2011 to total $118 billion USD based on published rate cards, according to Nielsen Global AdView Pulse data. Nielsen analysis indicates heavier TV spending, as well as increased investment in the Latin American and Asian consumer markets, drove growth.
TV Spending Up 12%
TV advertising spend rose 11.9% year-over-year and increased its share among other traditional media (radio, magazines, and newspapers) 3%, from 63.5% to 65.3%, in both developed and many emerging economies.
“With $6.50 of every $10 being spent on TV, it’s clear that TV remains the most important and cost-effective advertising medium for companies looking to reach new consumers, especially in booming emerging markets,” said Nielsen Global Head of Advertiser Solutions Randall Beard.
Radio, Magazines Follow TV
The closest competitor among the traditional media channels to TV was radio, which saw its global ad spend rise 8.5%. Magazine spend rose 6.4%, while newspapers could only rouse a 1% increase in global ad spend during Q1 2011.
Sharp Decline in Newspaper Spend Hampers US Growth
Nielsen data shows that advertising in the world’s largest market, the US, rose 5.4% to reach nearly $27 billion in Q1 2011, with stable increases for TV, radio and magazines. However, newspaper advertising dropped by more than 10%. Newspaper advertising also declined 1.6% percent in Western Europe during the quarter.
Emerging Regions Drive Growth
Growth in emerging regions of Asia-Pacific (12.4%) and Latin America (11%) drove global ad growth in Q1 2011, followed by Middle East/Africa, which still increased 10.4% despite a 51.3% decline in Egypt’s ad revenue as most companies temporarily halted advertising during the country’s social and political upheaval.
Western Europe posted the lowest growth rate of all global regions (2.9%), as Nielsen analysis indicates the region’s divergent economic performance sent ad spend in Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain into negative territory. This contrasted with double-digit growth in Europe’s more robust markets of Turkey (12.9%), France (11.6%), and Norway (10.2%).
Argentina, South Africa Lead Individual Countries
Argentina (37%) and South Africa (34.8%) posted the highest year-on-year Q1 2011 ad spend gains, while Nielsen says other emerging markets of China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Saudi Arabia also had double-digit gains in the quarter.
RAB: US Radio Ad Revenue Grows 3%
Building on a trend established throughout 2010, radio registered its fifth consecutive year-over-year growth quarter with a 3% increase in US ad revenue to $3.783B in Q1 2011, according to data from the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB). Strong growth in the digital (21%) and off-air (9%) categories helped propel overall growth.
