UK ad spend up 6.6% in 2010

Advertising spend in the UK this year was the highest in six years as the improving economy and major sales opportunities such as the World Cup encouraged marketers to loosen the purse strings.

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The latest expenditure report by the Advertising Association and Warc has revised its growth forecast for 2010 upwards to 6.6% from the 5.4% predicted in September.

The report’s optimism is in line with recent announcements by ZenithOptimedia and WPP that have signalled a recovery in the advertising market.

Better-than-expected spend in the third quarter drove the increase, the report says, up 7.3% from the 4.8% forecast earlier.

TV, out of home and online were the top performers in third quarter, posting growth of 15.8%, 12.4% and 11% respectively.

Growth in 2011, however, is expected to increase by just 2.3%, a slight upward revision from the 2% previously predicted, as the uncertainty over the affect of public sector cuts and next month’s VAT rise continues to cloud marketers’ thinking.