The Future of Web Ads Is in Britain

The New York Times is bullish on the web advertising here in Britain. And for good reason. It is booming.

The fact that there is pretty much a single market here compared to the different local markets in the States helps. It allows planners and creatives to focus on the big picture and come up with big ideas.

There are big differences between the advertising markets in Britain and the Unites States. In Britain, much of the advertising is national, while there are strong local and regional ad markets in America. Still, some believe that online advertising in Britain provides somewhat of a roadmap for where online ads in the United States and elsewhere may be heading. “The U.S. is so behind,” said Terry S. Semel, the chief executive of Yahoo, in a recent speech in London. “It’s certainly lagging the U.K. by at least a year or two.”

To be fair, I'd compare Europe's advertising market to that of the US, but the numbers here are impressive.

Online advertising is racing ahead in Britain, growing at a roughly 40 percent annual rate, and is expected to account for as much as 14 percent of overall ad spending this year, according to media buying agencies. That is the highest level in the world, and more than double the percentage in the United States.

Need more proof of the British boom? Here's a good test:

Try to find and hire a gifted digital media planner. Not the ones that say, "I recommend run of site on MSN" to every question. I'm talking about the planners who really know what's going on in today's ever-shifting media landscape. The ones that deliver ROI. The ones that think that campaigns are about conversations. Yeah, those are hard to find.

Know anyone like that? Contact me: plannerswanted-at-i-boy-dotcom.

Reward offered. Seriously.


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