UK ad market to be overtaken by China in 2009

THE UK looks set to lose its position as the fourth-largest advertising market, according to experts at ZenithOptimedia who significantly downgraded UK advertising spend forecasts yesterday.

Publicis-owned ZenithOptimedia estimated that UK ad spend will decline by 10.5 per cent to £11bn in 2009 – having predicted a decline of 8.7 per cent just three months ago.

“We forecast China to grow 5.4 per cent this year, overtaking the UK to become the world’s fourth-largest ad market,” the report said.

The media buying group also said it expects a 1.4 per cent decline £10.65bn in 2010, a reversal on its previous forecast of a rise of 2.3 per cent. However, on a global basis, ZenithOptimedia said the downturn is approaching its lowest point and, after a fall of 8.5 per cent to $456.5bn (£278.58bn) in 2009, the industry should see a mild recovery in 2010, driven by the Winter Olympics, the FIFA World Cup and US midterm elections.