Dive Brief:
- Digital ad spending in the U.S. as tracked by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) hit an all-time record at $27.5 billion in the first half of 2015, with mobile accounting for 30% of the total.
- The spending figure represents a 19% increase over the same timeframe last year.
- The IAB has tracked digital ad spending for almost 20 years.
Dive Insight:
According to the IAB report, digital ad spending is being driven by mobile, non-mobile video and social media ads and is the sixth consecutive year of double-digit growth in the first two quarters of the year. Mobile alone rose 54% to $8.2 billion, although the report combines a range of mobile ads, such as search and display, under the mobile category.
The IAB survey was conducted independently by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and according to the IAB, “The results reported are considered the most accurate measurement of Internet/online advertising revenues since the data is compiled directly from information supplied by companies selling advertising online. All-inclusive, the report includes data reflecting online advertising revenues from websites, commercial online services, email providers, as well as other companies selling online advertising.”
David Silverman, partner at PwC, told Ad Age, "We're witnessing a seismic shift in consumer behavior to the always-on, connected consumer. As a result, we've seen social continue to fuel the growth of digital, particularly with respect to mobile and video."
Breaking mobile down further, mobile search $3.6 billion of total figure, and mobile display $4.3 billion.