Ad Spending Increased 2.3% In First Half

By: Katy Bachman and Aimee Deeken (Mediaweek.com) Total advertising spending increased 2.3% in the first half of this year, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus, which late last week released spending figures for nine media categories.

Leading the way were local newspapers, which posted a 9.1% gain, and Hispanic TV, up 6.7%. Following were network TV, up 5.6% in the first half; cable TV, ahead 2.9%; spot TV, ahead 2.1%; and spot radio, up 1%. Advertising on syndicated TV decreased 8.8%, Internet spending dropped 8.4%, and national magazine advertising was off 1%.

Among the top 10 advertisers, seven pumped more money into advertising in the first half. General Motors, the top spender, increased its ad budget by 15.2%. No. 2 Procter & Gamble spent 20.8% more, and AOL Time Warner, the third-largest advertiser, upped its first-half budget by 10.3%.

Separately, Publishers Information Bureau reported last week that magazine ad revenue totaled $1.1 billion in July, up 8.6% over July 2001, and ad pages rose 0.5%, the first monthly increase this year. Spending in 11 of the 12 major magazine ad categories increased in July compared to July 2001.