Euro recovery drives positive ad revenue forecast

Europe’s economic recovery is spurring a global uptick in advertising revenues according to new research.

ZenithOptimedia’s latest advertising expenditure projections mark the first time in over a year it has not downgraded its ad spend forecasts, which it said was a “promising sign of stability in the global ad market”.

Globally and across all mediums ad expenditure will rise 3.5% this year taking the total to US$503 billion. There will be stronger growth next year and in 2015 – of 5.1% and 5.9% respectively – Zentih added.

Despite recent concerns about growth slowing in some developing markets, Brazil, Russia, India and China are still driving the increases in ad spending. The US, however, remains the single largest contributor of new ad dollars to the global market.

The Eurozone recovery has helped lift the figures but the worst hit countries in the Eurozone and northern Europe areas will remain in negative territory this year while all other regions, globally, will register growth.

The top ten largest ad markets worldwide will remain largely unchanged between now and 2015 with the US, Japan, China, Germany and the UK taking the top positions. The one difference will be that France will exit the top ten and Russia will make an entrance by 2015.

Internet advertising is the fastest-growing category, but TV still takes the largest share. By medium TV accounts for 40% of all advertising dollars in 2012. It’s overall share will peak this year at 40.1% before falling back slightly to 39.5% in 2015.