Adspend At Record High

The Advertising Association has revealed that total advertising expenditure in the UK in 1996 amounted to £11.99 billion; a year-on-year increase of 9.2% or 6.7% in real terms. This is the fifth consecutive year of increase at constant prices since the two-year decline of 1990 and 1991.

More money was spent on advertising, in real terms, than in the previous record year of 1989. However, relative to both gross domestic product and consumers’ expenditure, adspend in 1996 was still fractionally below the previous 1989 peak.

During the past ten years between mid-boom and cautious recovery, direct mail has slightly increased its share, as has press classified, while press display has decreased and television’s share has been virtually unchanged.

Total Advertising Expenditure By Main Medium And Type At Constant (1990) prices: £(90)million

The smaller media, posters, transport, radio and cinema, between them accounted in 1996 for only 7% of total advertising expenditure. But, radio’s share of advertising has virtually doubled since 1992, an increase of 99%; the comparable figure for outdoor is 36% and for cinema 46%.

The Advertising Association: 0171 828 2771