COI topples P&G as top UK spender

P&G has been toppled by COI Communications (COI) as the UK’s top ad spender, according to figures from AC Nielsen/MMS.

COI increased its advertising spend last year by 39 per cent to &£142.6m, despite the economic downturn. P&G’s spend dropped from &£123.7m in 2000 to &£114.1m last year.

COI’s &£40m budget increase is equivalent to McDonald’s total yearly UK advertising spend.

The news comes only a week after COI chief executive Carol Fisher was appointed to advise the Government on advertising and eliminate wastage (MW last week).

Overall, UK advertising spend dropped by 0.8 per cent as companies applied caution following the September 11 attacks, and the bursting of the dot-com bubble.

BT, the second-largest spender in 2000 with &£107.9m, dropped to third place with a spend of &£91.8m.

Spending on TV advertising has also dropped by &£200m since 2000, as medium-sized, non-technology companies were priced out of the market by the now-disappearing dot-com companies in 2000.

The demise of the dot-coms has left a large hole in the coffers of TV companies, as clients explore smaller media such as cinema.