Tentative Hopes Raised for Upturn by Google, Gap, Zenith Spending Forecast

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=139760

Now, today comes a report from ZenithOptimedia that global ad spending should increase 0.5% in 2010. Meager, yes, but after so much sputtering of ad spending and cost cutting at media companies, that tiny blip is being taken as cause for relief.

But don't be too relieved: That 0.5% is actually down from last July's forecast when ZenithOptimedia projected ad-spending growth of 1.6% next year. And it has revised downwards its forecast for '09 spending to fall 9.9% rather than 8.5%, so conditions at best remain fragile.