The battle to capture hearts and dollars in the mobile space has played out around the globe, helping contribute to significant ad spend growth by the Telecommunications industry in Q1 2012. According to Nielsen’s quarterly Global AdView Pulse report, Telecommunications companies invested 7.8 percent more in advertising at the beginning of this year than last year. Telecom was second only to Distribution in terms of year-over-year growth (10.8%).

The only two macro sectors to show declines in ad spending during the first quarter of 2012 were Durables, including Domestic Appliances, Furnishings & Decoration, and Information Technology, and Industry & Services, which includes Business Services, Property, Institutions, and Power & Water. Together, these sectors account for more than 16 percent of all ad spend. Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) has the largest share of ad spend (23.4%), with Entertainment a distant second (12.1%).

Regionally, the story is quite different. Healthcare spending declined 3.6 percent in North America, for example, but grew 22.9 percent in the Middle East and Africa. Automotive ad spend grew 2.9 percent in North America and 13.3 percent in Latin America, yet decreased 0.7 percent in Asia Pacific and 0.2 percent in Europe. Financial grew the most in Middle East and Africa (9%) and North America (8.6%) but did experience growth, if nominal, in all regions.

Methodology
The external data sources for the other countries included in the report are:

• Argentina: IBOPE
• Brazil: IBOPE
• Croatia: Nielsen in association with Ipsos
• Egypt: PARC (Pan Arab Research Centre)
• France: Yacast
• Greece: Media Services
• Hong Kong: admanGo
• Japan: Nihon Daily Tsushinsha
• Kuwait: PARC (Pan Arab Research Centre)
• Lebanon: PARC (Pan Arab Research Centre)
• Mexico: IBOPE
• Pan-Arab Media: PARC (Pan Arab Research Centre)
• Portugal: Mediamonitor
• Saudi Arabia: PARC (Pan Arab Research Centre)
• Spain: Arce Media
• Switzerland: Nielsen in association with Media Focus
• UAE: PARC (Pan Arab Research Centre)