Christmas ad spend to hit over 5 billion pounds

UK advertisers are set to spend a record 5.6 billion pounds in the run-up to Christmas, according to new figures from the Advertising Association/Warc.

The research reveals that there will be bumper budgets, 300 million pounds more than in 2015, with digital spend on channels like Google and Facebook expected to receive 50 percent of the projected spend, cutting into the traditional TV and newspaper budgets. However, the TV ad launches still remind the centrepiece of any Christmas advertising campaign.

Internet advertising spend is forecast to grow 14 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter, led by mobile, projected to be up 36 percent to 1.1 billion pounds. Whereas the TV ad market is expected to grow by just 1 percent year-on-year to 1.3 billion pounds.

Burberry and Harrods have already launched their campaigns, with the highly anticipated John Lewis advert due on November 10, followed by Sainsbury’s on November 14, who will be launching its follow-up to Mog the Cat.

Other anticipated campaigns includes Debenhams featuring celebrities Mel Giedroyc, Strictly Come Dancing’s Bruno Tonioli, and Jennifer Saunders, as well as Marks and Spencer, and House of Fraser.