4.2% increase in U.S. Advertising spending for 2008.

Total U.S. measured advertising spending is projected to increase 4.2 percent in 2008, according to the full-year forecast released by TNS Media Intelligence, the leading provider of strategic advertising and marketing information. Measured expenditures are forecast to grow by 3.6 percent in the first half of 2008 followed by a gain of 4.7 percent in the second half.

“2008 is shaping up as a year of contrasts,” said Jon Swallen, SVP Research of TNS Media Intelligence. “Aside from the continued double digit growth rate of Internet display advertising, spending gains will be driven predominately by the powerful combination of Summer Olympics and record-setting levels of political advertising. Offsetting this, a weakened economy will have a dampening effect on the broader, core advertising market.”

Internet display advertising is forecast to continue growing at double-digit rates in 2008 with Spot TV, Spanish Language Media, Outdoor and Cable Network TV also exceeding the overall market average. Consumer Magazines and Network TV are projected to post small gains versus 2007, while Business-To-Business Magazines and Newspapers are expected to experience outright declines in ad spending.

“The Internet will continue to gain share, principally at the expense of newspapers,” said Swallen. “We track share of spending on a rolling two-year basis, in order to control for the biennial fluctuations associated with the Olympics and elections – events that disproportionately benefit television media. Our projections for the 2007-08 cycle indicate television and magazines will maintain their shares, while the Internet will move past radio.”

To view charts CLICK above on ‘More Images’.