Global Ad Spending Expected to Grow

Global advertising spending is expected to grow 3.9% at constant prices this year, driven by record levels of consumption in the United States and Europe, a new survey said Monday. Leading media-services agency Zenith Media said ad spending in the Asia-Pacific region would return to growth of 2.4% in 1999 after falling 5.7% last year, but Latin American expenditures would sag under the weight of Brazil’s economic downturn. Worldwide Internet display advertising is estimated to hit $3.4 billion this year before nearly doubling to $5.4 billion in 2000 and hitting $8.1 billion in 2001. “Advertiser demand for traditional media is as healthy as ever,” said John Perriss, chairman and chief executive of Zenith Media, a joint venture of advertising groups Saatchi & Saatchi and Cordiant Communications Group. The survey said worldwide advertising spending in major media--print, television, radio, film and outdoor--would reach $303.8 billion in 1999, $322.6 billion in 2000 and $341.7 billion in 2001.