Top 100's Ad-Spend Growth Grinds to Halt
CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- The Top 100 U.S. advertisers last year increased ad spending by just 1.7%, while measured media spending rose a negligible 0.3% for major marketers -- the most sluggish growth since the 2001 recession.
And while estimated spending in unmeasured disciplines -- largely marketing services such as promotion and direct marketing -- did better, it still increased only 3.6%, well below the typical growth seen in recent years.
Notwithstanding Procter & Gamble Co., which hit a milestone by becoming the first advertiser to break the $5 billion mark on U.S. spending, the point to take away from Ad Age's 100 Leading National Advertisers report is clear: Big marketers, facing a weakening economy and pressure to control costs, clamped down on spending. In fact, ad spending for these top-tier marketers collectively failed to keep pace in 2007 with real gross domestic product (up 2.2%) or with inflation (up 2.8%).
