Commentary

1st Quarter Ad Spending Up First Time In a Year

1st Quarter Ad Spending Up First Time In a Year

According to the latest figures from CMR, this is the first year-over-year comparison where advertising spending rose instead of declined, since the first quarter in 2001. CMR estimates that total ad spending for the first quarter in 2002 came in at $23.5 billion, compared to $23.4 billion for the same time frame in 2001, up a slight 0.41 percent.

Some increases for the first quarter in 2002 were:

  • Spanish language network TV (21.2 percent)
  • Network radio (13.9 percent)
  • Newspapers (9.2 percent).
  • Network TV (6.6 percent)
  • Spot TV (2.5 percent)

Decline in ad revenues included:

  • Cable TV down 13.7 percent.
  • Syndicated TV down 12.5 percent
  • Internet -12.4
  • Magazines -9.6 percent
  • National newspapers -8.5 percent

"With 2001 behind us, ad spending is steadily coming out of its slumber, already showing some signs of recovery for the year," said David Peeler, president and CEO of CMR. "With the Upfront season in full swing and an overall positive first quarter standing, we expect to see modest increases in spending by the third quarter."

Top advertisers for the first quarter included General Motors, spending $609 million, up 9.7 percent compared to the same time period last year; P&G spending nearly $480 million, an increase of 12.3 percent; and AOL Time Warner Inc., spending more than $406 million, a rise of almost 4 percent. Other leading advertisers continued to trim ad budgets for the first portion of the year. However, Philip Morris and DaimlerChrysler decreased their ad spending by 18.9 percent and 23.6 percent, respectively.

Find more data here.

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