Thailand's total spending on advertising grew 10.7 per cent year on year last month, marking a big rebound in the Bt90-billion media industry, which was hit by lethargic conditions in 2009.
Marketing and advertising research firm Nielsen reported combined media expenditures of Bt7.1 billion last month, up from Bt6.4 billion in February 2009.
Television-ad expenditures rose 12.5 per cent year on year last month, reaching Bt4.3 billion, followed by radio, which recorded 4.3-per-cent growth to Bt431 million.
Newspaper advertising jumped 21.8 per cent year on year to Bt1.1 billion, cinema ads 6.8 per cent to Bt314 million, transit advertising 19.2 per cent to Bt155 million and in-store and Internet advertising 30.9 per cent and 90.9 per cent to Bt72 million and Bt21 million, respectively.
However, magazine and outdoor-media advertising missed out on the trend, and spending in both areas fell last month. Magazine advertising fell 15.4 per cent year on year to Bt323 million and outdoor media 9.9 per cent to Bt307 million.
Spa-Hakuhodo chairman Kitti Chambundabongse said the media market had reached an "overheated stage" and that marketers had great confidence in a strong recovery in the domestic economy.
"We're seeing greater media expenditures in many business sectors, led by consumer products, retail, motorcycles and automobiles and real estate," he said.
Nielsen said combined advertising expenditures increased 9.03 per cent year on year in the first two months of 2010.
In the first two months, television advertising increased 11.53 per cent to Bt8.6 billion, radio advertising 3.7 per cent to Bt840 million, newspaper advertising 13.7 per cent to Bt2.1 billion and cinema advertising 13.6 per cent to Bt683 million.
At the same time, transit advertising rose 8.6 per cent to Bt327 million, in-store advertising 11.8 per cent to Bt132 million and Internet advertising a dramatic 80.7 per cent to Bt47 million.
However, magazine advertising dropped 12.15 per cent to Bt658 million and spending on outdoor advertising 10.06 per cent to Bt617 million.
Nielsen earlier reported combined spending on advertising increased 5.7 per cent year on year in January, to Bt6.8 billion.
However, spending declined that month in four major media segments: magazines, outdoor media, transit media and in-store media.
