Web Advertising Revenue Grows 45 Pct in First Half of 2008

The revenue from web advertising in Brazil reached 321 million reais (197 million U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2008, up 45 percent from the same period of last year, according to a study released on Tuesday by consulting company Inter-Meios.

The study shows that among all kinds of media, advertising on the Internet grew the fastest, surpassing cable TV and outdoors media to become the fifth largest advertising market in Brazil.

According to the study, the total revenue of advertising grew 16.3 percent in the first half of this year, reaching 9.57 billion reais (5.87 billion dollars). Radio advertising grew 27 percent, while cable TV advertising registered a 25.5 percent increase in the same period.

Web advertising has attracted 3.3 percent of all companies' total advertising budget in the period -- for the first time surpassing three percent. In the same period of 2007, the figure was 2.7 percent.

Total advertising revenues in June amounted to 1.87 million reais (1.14 million dollars), up 13.5 percent from the same period of last year, while the revenue from web advertising rose 41 percent to 71 million reais (43.6 million U.S. dollars).

Source: CRIEnglish