Euro internet spend set to double

Internet%20general%20web%20onlineSpending on pan-European internet campaigns will almost double within two years, with entertainment, travel and packaged goods firms leading the charge.

The prediction comes from the European Interactive Advertising Association in research released this morning. The EIAA says that spending will go up by 92% by 2008 – making it the fastest growing part of online advertising.

The EIAA Marketers’ Internet Ad Barometer, shows strong growth across the sector, with advertisers continuing to divert spend from television and print media to online.

It also predicts that total online ad spend should rise by 65% by 2008, with the UK and Netherlands expected to be the fastest growing markets.

The EIAA polled advertisers across Europe to find out attitudes to the Internet. According to the report, 74% of those surveyed regard the internet as a vital part of their ad strategy and it also found the growing penetration of the internet has helped to make it a more attractive branding medium.

Packaged goods brands are expected to boost the proportion of their media budgets devoted to online from 5.6% in 2005 to 9.8% in 2008. In the entertainment sector, online ad spend is expected to grow from 6.5% of overall media budgets in 2005 to 11.2% by 2008.