According to Kantar, total U.S.
ad spending plunged from $158.2 billion in 2007 to $142.9 billion in 2008 and a
low of $125.3 billion in 2009, for consecutive annual declines of 9.7% and
12.3%, respectively.
As
the economy bottomed out and slowly began to recover, ad spending edged up 4.6%
to $131.1 billion in 2010, then jumped 9.8% to $144 billion in 2011. But the
rate of growth slowed considerably in the last year. Kantar is currently
forecasting 2.2% growth to around $147 billion in 2012 -- still 7% short of its
2007 level.ZenithOptimedia pegs total U.S. ad spending at $177.6 billion in 2007, $172.5 billion in 2008, $157 billion in 2009, and $151.7 billion in 2010 (which puts the low point a year later than Kantar), for consecutive annual declines of 2.9%, 9%, and 3.4% over this period. In 2011 ad spending increased 1.6% to $154.2 billion, according to ZO, followed by a forecast 4.3% increase to $161 billion in 2012 -- 9.3% below 2007.
Nielsen’s figures for total U.S. ad spending follow a similar arc, from $140.5 billion in 2007 to $136.8 billion in 2008 and $117 billion in 2009, for consecutive annual declines of 2.4% and 14.5%. Ad spending edged up 5.6% to $123.6 billion in 2010, then eked out 2% growth to $126.1 billion in 2011. If Nielsen’s figures for the first three quarters of 2012 are good indicators, 2012 might see growth of up to 4%.
