March 9, 2010: Consultancy Outsell Inc. is projecting that U.S. spending on digital and online advertising will overtake print spending for the first time in 2010, predicting that online and digital — which includes search, display, webinars, and other advertising and marketing — will generate $119.6 billion, compared to $111.5 billion for print.
Outsell’s “Marketing and Ad Spending Study 2010: Total U.S. and B2B Advertising” also projects that U.S. advertising and marketing spending will rise overall this year by 1.2 percent, to $368 billion.
“Advertisers are directing dollars toward the channels which generate the most qualified leads and most effective branding,” Outsell VP/Lead Analyst Chuck Richard said.”As they emerge from the recession, they need more accountability, and they’re spreading their spending over a widening set of options.”
Outsell reports that the best B2B return on investment is seen with advertisers’ own websites, followed by conferences, exhibitions, and trade shows; direct mail; search engine keywords; and e-marketing and newsletters. Also, B2B advertisers see cross-media marketing as the most effective approach, with 78 percent combining three or more major marketing methods