2014/2015 campaigns, change in government major growth factors in 2014 media spend —Report

Activities on the nation’s political stage, during the last general elections and the successful change in government at the centre, have been identified as some of the factors, responsible for the total ad spend of N97.9 billion, a 4.8 billion growth, recorded in 2015, over the N93.1 billion documented as 2014 total media spend.

In a report, produced annually by mediaReach OMD, a specialist media company that provides media planning, buying, control and inventory management services, the telecommunications sector retained its lead position as the highest advertiser in Nigeria in 2015 with a combined total expenditure of N16.7 billion.

According to the report, the N16.7 billion figure represents 17 per cent of the total advertising spend in Nigeria of N97.9 billion in the same year.

It  also identified Personal Paid (N12.2 billion), Corporate Communications (N6.3 billion), Banking & Finance (N5.8 billion), Lager Beer (N4.6 billion), Public Service (N3.8 billion), Soft Drinks (N2.8 billion), Cable TV (N2.5 billion), Milk & Diary (N2.2 billion) and Broadcast (N2.2 billion) as part of other top advertising product categories that contributed to the total ad spend.

Others are: Noodles (N2.1 billion), Cocoa Beverages (2.0 billion), Skin Cleansing (N1.8 billion), Nutritional Drinks (1.8 billion), Dental care (N1.6 billion), Seasonings (N1.5 billion), Online mall/Education imparting knowledge & Skill/Malt (N1.4 billion), NSD Powder (N1.3 billion and others (N22.4 billion).

According to Mediafacts, “The top 10 advertisers in Communication and Telecommunications sector in 2015 include: Sundry Ad (other Inform. Service) – N13.5 billion, MTN – N4.7 billion, Airtel – N4.1 billion, Etisalat – N3.7 billion and Globacom – N3.7 billion.”

Others are: Nigerian Breweries – N3.7 billion, the State Government – N3.1 billion, Sundry Advertisers (Services) – N3 billion, Reckit Benkiser Nigeria – N2.7 billion and Procter & Gamble – N2.1 billion.

The report stated that while the top 20 advertisers contributed 64 per cent of total spend, the top four telecom players contributed 17 per cent of the total spend in 2015.

Mediafacts also put the advertising expenditure in the first and second quarters of 2015 at N23 billion each, while it was N29.8 billion and N22.1 billion in the third and fourth quarters of the year.

The report, however, indicated that advertising expenditure in the first and second quarters of 2015 stood at N23 billion each, while it was N29.8 billion and N22.1 billion in the third and fourth quarters of the year.