India leads ad spend growth in Asia-Pacific

India led the ad spend growth in Asia Pacific in the second quarter of this year, according to a survey on ad spend on mainstream media, conducted by The Nielsen Company. India saw a 28 per cent year-on-year growth and a 32 per cent growth in the second quarter of 2010 over the earlier year.

Overall, across the 12 markets in Asia Pacific the Q2 ad spends showed a 15 per cent lift over Q2 2009, and a 17 per cent lift in the first half of 2010 over the same period in 2009.

Of significance, is the fact that after the first half of 2009 which saw a minimal three per cent lift over 2008, the first half of 2010 recorded an impressive 20 per cent increase over the 'pre- global financial crisis' period of 2008. India recorded a 33 per cent increase in the first half of 2010 over the same period in 2009.

Across the region, advertising spends are highest on television, but the largest proportion of India's media spend was garnered by newspapers Y-O-Y for a 12 month period up to June 2010.

Newspapers are also the highest ad spend growth drivers in India, growing at 32 per cent Y-O-Y; the highest percentage growth for newspaper ad spends across all 12 markets covered in the Nielsen survey. Overall, newspaper ad spends grew by 17 per cent Y-O-Y in the region.

Television followed newspapers in spend growth and grew at 24 per cent in India and 16 per cent regionally.

Amongst mainstream media, magazines saw an eight per cent Y-O-Y increase in ad spends in India and a nine per cent growth across the 12 markets in the Asia-Pacific region.