TV Ad Spending Grew a Bit in 2008, TNS Study Says

By Andrew Krukowski

Advertising spending across all media declined by 4.1%, or $141.7 billion, in 2008, while television ad spending gained slightly during last year, a report from TNS Media Intelligence said today.

Compared with 2007, television advertising expenditures grew by 0.1%, the report said. However, ad spending dropped 5.1% from the fourth quarter of 2008 versus the same quarter in 2007.

The biggest quarter-to-quarter drop came from network television, off 10.6% from fourth quarter 2007.

Year-to-year, syndication showed the largest gain in ad spending, growing 6.5% versus 2007. Syndication held steady in 2008’s fourth quarter versus 2007’s.

Procter & Gamble was the No. 1 advertiser in 2008, although its total ad spend fell 7% to $3.1 billion. General Electric grew the most in 2008, increasing spending by 17.3% to $1.2 billion, while Time Warner dipped by 20.9% to nearly $1.3 billion.

In advertiser categories, automotive advertiser spending dropped by 15.4% in 2008 versus 2007. Domestic car ad spending dropped by more than a fifth compared with 2007, off 21.3%.

According to TNS, it was the 14th straight quarter in auto ad declines.

Despite that, automotive ad sales still led the way in 2008, amounting to $12.8 billion in advertising across all media.

Restaurant and food/candy advertising categories made significant gains in 2008, growing in ad spending by 6.3% and 4%, respectively.

TNS also reported on brand appearance in broadcast primetime and late-night television in the fourth quarter of 2008, with scripted programming averaging 5 minutes and 56 seconds worth of in-show brand appearances.

Unscripted programming averaged 13 minutes and 52 seconds of in-show brand appearances during one hour in the fourth quarter.