Asian advertising spend up 13% in 2011

But all eyes were literally on Indonesia share market grew a whopping 21%.

Advertising spend in Southeast Asia has recorded healthy growth across mainstream media in 2011, up eight percent in quarter four 2011 versus quarter four 2010, and up 13 percent overall for the year versus 2010, according to new analysis released today by leading global information and insights company Nielsen.

Nielsen’s Southeast Asia Quarterly Advertising Index revealed that total advertising spend* across the region exceeded US$19 billion in 2011, despite a lighter quarter four performance and a slow down in spend felt by the Philippines and Thailand in closing the quarter.

Indonesia, which accounts for the largest proportion of Southeast Asia’s ad spend, experienced the most notable increase in advertising dollars spent in quarter four, up 27 percent compared to quarter four 2010 and up 21 percent for the 2011 year, versus 2010.

TV, which makes up 67 percent of main media advertising dollars, grew 14 percent in the 12 months ending December 2011, and delivered an eight percent uplift in quarter four 2011 versus the same

“It has been a challenging quarter for some countries in Southeast Asia, with natural disasters and economic concerns impacting both business and consumer confidence levels,” notes Erica Boyd, Nielsen’s APMEA Region Managing Director of Advertising Solutions. “Despite the turmoil, however, advertising expenditure has remained buoyant overall as marketers seek out opportunities to increase their brands’ share of voice and maintain engagement with consumers.”

Globally, advertising spend grew by eight percent when comparing the January to September 2011 period against the same period in 2010. The third quarter of 2011 increased by 10 percent versus the same quarter a year ago, an increase from both the first and second quarter performances, which posted growth of nine percent and six percent consecutively.