Europe Drags Down Full Global TV Ad Recovery

LONDON: Digital TV Research reports that TV advertising spending was up by 4.4 percent last year to $167 billion, but only 2.8-percent growth is expected for this year due to the recession in several European territories.

Global TV ad spending is expected to reach $219 billion in 2018 for the 55 countries covered in the company’s new research report, up 32 percent (or $53 billion) from 2012.

The advertising industry was particularly weak in 2009; a rebound was recorded in 2010 yet many countries dipped again in 2011, improved in 2012 and are again expected to decline for 2013.

TV advertising is forecast to more than double in Latin America between 2008 and 2018, thanks to buoyant economies, Brazil hosting the Olympics and the World Cup and also because of high inflation in some countries, including Argentina.

TV ad spending in Western Europe will only be 11-percent higher in 2018 than in the pre-recession 2008. Excluding Russia, where the market is booming, TV advertising in Eastern Europe will still be lower in 2018 than it was in 2008.

For this year, TV ad expenditure is forecast to fall for 19 of the 55 countries covered in the report, most of which are European. For 2014 and onward, only Croatia and the Czech Republic will decline in the year ahead.

For the $52.6 billion TV ad spending that is expected to be added between 2012 and 2018, $18.2 billion will come from the U.S. China will contribute $5.6 billion, Brazil $4.6 billion and Japan $3.7 billion. Argentina, Brazil and Indonesia are expected to record the fastest growth over the same period.