U.S. Internet advertising sees 2008 growth; Fort Smith no exception
by April 1, 2009 6:51 am 49 views
Internet advertising revenue pushed past $23 billion in 2008 despite the difficult economy, according to a report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Total internet advertising revenue in 2008 totaled $23.4 billion, up 10.6% over 2007. The growth marked the fifth consecutive year of record results. Also, fourth quarter internet advertising hit $6.1 billion, up more than 2.6% over fourth quarter 2007, and the first time such revenue posted more than $6 billion in a quarter.
“By comparison, a variety of sources indicate weakness in overall advertising spending. The Nielsen Company, for example, reported that U.S. advertising for the full year 2008 was down 2.6% compared to the full year 2007,” noted the IAB statement.
Internet advertising generated only $4.6 billion in revenue in 1999.
Chad Jones, the “Creative Head” of Fort Smith-based Rightmind Advertising, said area advertisers are requesting more of their budgets be spent on Internet advertising.
“Nearly every one of our clients and every campaign we develop now includes an internet or e-mail-based element,” Jones noted in a statement. “Just a few years ago, a good ‘media mix’ meant a combination of television, radio, newspaper, out-of-home and print advertising with a web site address thrown in for good measure. Today, the electronic media element is necessary to strengthen other media. No campaign is complete without it, regardless of the age group being targeted.”
Randall Rothenberg, president and CEO of the IAB, said there is an “ongoing secular shift” from traditional media to online media because advertisers see the benefits of using an electronic platform to measure results and collect consumer information.
Conducted by the New Media Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Internet Advertising Revenue Report was launched in 1996 by the IAB, and aggregates data from all companies that report meaningful online advertising revenues.
Link here for a link to the complete report.