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US online ad spend to exceed print in 2012
MUMBAI: US online ad spend that grew 23 per cent to $32.03 billion in 2011 is expected to grow an additional 23.3 per cent to $39.5 billion this year, pushing it ahead of total spending on print newspapers and magazines, according to a new forecast by eMarketer.
Print advertising spend is expected to fall to $33.8 billion in 2012, from $36 billion in 2011.
eMarketer‘s previous US online advertising forecast from July 2011 was among the more bullish estimates issued during the year, yet consistently stronger-than-expected results from major industry players and the IAB/PwC through the first three quarters of 2011 contributed to the upward revision.
eMarketer principal analyst David Hallerman said, “Advertisers‘ comfort level with integrated marketing is greater than ever, and this is helping more advertisers and more large brands put a greater share of dollars online.”
“The growing amount of time consumers spend with digital platforms and advertisers‘ view of the internet as a more measurable medium, especially as the soft economy forces businesses to be more accountable with their ad dollars—are both significant contributors to digital‘s growing footprint,” Hallerman added.
Despite concerns about the economy among agencies and marketers, total ad spending in the US is expected to continue to rebound in 2012 after rising 3.4 per cent to $158.9 billion in 2011. US total media ad spending will grow an estimated 6.7 per cent to $169.48 in 2012, boosted by the national elections and summer Olympics in London, eMarketer estimates.
The research company estimates for total media ad spending growth remain slightly more confident, a result of the rapid rise of digital advertising and brands‘ continued confidence in television advertising, despite increasingly fragmented viewership and the soft economy.
Spending on TV advertising grew 2.8 per cent in 2011 to $60.7 billion, eMarketer estimates. This year, TV ad spending will grow an estimated 6.8 per cent to $64.8 billion.
In the newspaper industry, digital revenues remain a sole bright spot. US digital ad revenues for newspapers will grow 11.4 per cent to $3.7 billion, after rising 8.3 per cent to $3.3 billion in 2011. Print advertising revenues at newspapers, however, will dip an additional 6 per cent to $19.4 billion in 2012, after falling 9.3 per cent to $20.7 billion in 2011.
In case of magazines, US print ad revenues are expected to rise 0.5 per cent to $15.34 billion in 2012, up from $15.3 billion last year.US digital advertising spending at magazines is expected to grow 19.3 per cent to $3.3 billion this year, after growing 18.8 per cent to $2.7 billion in 2011.
Radio advertising spending will grow 3.6 per cent to $16.7 billion in 2012, after growing 1.3 per cent to $16.1 billion in 2011 while spending on outdoor advertisements will grow 6.3 per cent to $6.8 billion. Directories ad spending will decline 8.5 per cent to $7.5 billion this year.
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Microdrama Specialist COL Group International Builds Out With Narativ, Rock Networks & BlingWood Deals
MUMBAI: Microdrama powerhouse COL Group International is building out its distribution network, with its CEO saying vertical video is about to enter its “next competitive chapter.”
The microdrama arm of publicly-listed Chinese company COL Group appointed Narativ Media as its official distributor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and CIS regions and Africa, and a struck new content deal with a new Dubai-based microdrama platform.
The deals were unveiled this morning at MIP London, and also included Rock Networks as its exclusive Southeast Asia telco distribution partner for its app, FlareFlow. MIP London is now into its second day at the Savoy Hotel and adjoining IET London complex.
The deals come soon after COL appointed Harbour Rights to represent its titles in Europe and Latin America, as we reported yesterday in our extended feature on microdrama distribution.
COL’s Singapore-based microdrama unit says its “coordinated global distribution architecture and significantly expanded international content slate” would help to scale its catalogue to more than 1,700 microdrama titles worldwide. These hail from South Korea, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the UK and roll out across Sereal+, FlareFlow and 17K.
A deal with Dubai-based BlingWood, which recently launched as an OTT platform, will expand COL’s access to Middle Eastern and Indian microdramas, and includes a broader pipeline of Indian series from storytelling platform Pratilipi, Korean titles from BeLive Studios and British reality-led formats from Tattle TV — the UK’s first dedicated microdrama app, including titles such as Dog Dates.
“Microdrama is entering its next competitive chapter, where quality, retention and monetization standards are increasingly shaped by data and operational discipline,” said Timothy Oh, General Manager of COL Group International.
“As pioneers in both China and the U.S., scaling some of the world’s leading platforms in this space, we understand what it truly takes to win sustainably. Our role is not simply to offer catalogue volume, but to help partners select, position and scale the right content for their platform and audience. By bringing together a broad, constantly refreshed slate from across regions, we enable smarter curation, clearer differentiation and long-term growth for serious industry players.”
Narativ deal
COL and UAE-based Narativ described their deal as a “strategic expansion of premium vertical content distribution across high-growth emerging markets,” and comes as the microdrama continues to boom financially. The growth of the medium will be among the key topics of conversation today at MIP London, where COL chief Oh will be speaking.
The pact extends beyond content representation and is being billed as part of a more “structured micro-drama distribution infrastructure.”
Narativ will spearhead market development, platform alliances, broadcaster relationships and digital monetization frameworks across the MENA and CIS regions and Africa, where they have identified “rapid mobile-first consumption growth and strong demand for short-form, high-engagement storytelling formats.”
“Micro-dramas are reshaping global viewing habits, particularly across mobile-first markets like MENA, Africa and CIS,” said Manjyot Sandhu, CEO and co-founder of Narativ. “Our appointment as official distributor for COL Group in these territories reflects Narativ’s strategy to build sustainable distribution architecture.
“A key pillar of the collaboration includes integration with FlareFlow, enabling strategic telco partnerships, bundled carrier offerings, and alternative monetization pathways designed to accelerate scale across mobile ecosystems and OTT platforms.”
Oh added: “We are building more than a content slate – we are building the global infrastructure for microdrama. With hundreds of new titles launching every quarter, scale and regional strength are critical. Narativ with its deep foothold in MENA, Africa CIS and other key markets makes them a natural strategic partner as we expand FlareFlow and bring microdrama to new platforms, telcos and audiences.
Narativ, which is joint venture Sandhu operates with Copyright Capital, manages around 7,000 hours of content and has a digital network spanning 150 million subscribers across 21 language.
COL Group has emerged as one of the biggest microdrama platforms, running platforms such as FlareFow. It is also a part-owner of ReelShort.
