Dive Brief:
- For the first time ever, spending on digital advertising is predicted to eclipse TV in China by next year.
- Just three years ago, nearly half of ad spending was on TV with only 14% going towards digital.
- The shift comes from heavy mobile use—particularly on Chinese-born social apps like WeChat/Weixin—and an emerging digitally connected middle class.
Dive Insight:
China's shift to digital is reflective of overall global trends in ad spend. The U.S. ad spending is shifting towards digital as well, though recent predictions still mark 2019 as the year digital will finally overtake TV. Mobile marketers should continue to keep an eye on the Chinese mobile ad market, as trends that start there are likely to have a domino effect in the U.S.
