How is the communication market going? Remarkably better than in 2020, but still significantly worse than in 2019, says the Unified Barometer of the Advertising Market (BUMP), unveiled on Tuesday, November 9.
Bringing together data from the Kantar Institute, the Institute for Research and Advertising Studies (IREP) and France Pub, the BUMP specifies that the net advertising revenues of all media amounted to 10.3 billion euros over the first nine months of the year, an increase of 17.6% compared to the same period of 2020, and 5.1% compared to the pre-crisis linked to Covid-19.
According to projections, the communication market (advertising in the media, display, digital communication, etc.) should end 2021 at 31 billion euros, up 17% over one year, but still down 8.3 % compared to the pre-Covid-19 period. “Almost two-thirds of the losses recorded in 2020 will thus be erased”, say the authors of the barometer. The trend towards catching up is such that it suggests a bright future in the short term. “It took eight years, after 2008, to erase the traces of the financial crisis, recalls Xavier Guillon, Managing Director of France Pub. This time, the levels before the health crisis could be found in two, two and a half years. “
Television in majesty
“The third quarter was the occasion for an acceleration of the recovery” observed from the end of 2020, says Christine Robert, the deputy director of IREP, co-author of the study which combines data on advertising pressure, the net expenditure of advertisers and the advertising revenue recorded by the advertising agencies .
On the podium of the media that have benefited the most from the advertising upturn since January, television reigns supreme: with 2.4 billion in revenue, it does better than in the first nine months of 2020 (+ 24.3 %), but also better than over the same period of 2019 (+ 2.6%).
Digital media revenues (paid referencing, postings, social networks, etc.) also show an Olympic form: at 5.3 billion euros, they can boast an increase of 18.3% over one year and by 26.3% compared to 2019.
Outdoor advertising and cinema still awaiting improvement
Regarding radio, the advertising market is up 13.1% compared to 2020, to 380 million euros, and has almost returned to its 2019 level (- 1.3%). “It is a medium that has kept its value”, emphasizes Christine Robert. “There are a little less advertisers, but they advertise more often and for longer spots”, adds Florence Doré, Kantar Marketing Director. On the press side, at 974 million advertising revenue, the increase is 15.1% over one year, but revenue is still down 11.6% compared to 2019.
Without having returned to normal activity early enough in the year, two sectors are still awaiting improvement: outdoor advertising (billboards, transport, shopping, etc.) and cinema. With only 14 million euros collected since January, cinemas show a lower level of revenue of 76.4% compared to 2019. “They were still only 3 million euros at the end of June, underlines Christine Robert. Cinema has a strong rebound capacity. “
Overall optimism for the entire advertising market. “In 2020, we had jumped back twenty years. A year later, we found the market values of 2010 ”, summarizes Xavier Guillon.