The latest U.S. Ad Market Tracker from Guideline — formerly Standard Media Index — finds the U.S. advertising market grew 1.9% in May.
That number may be modest, but it nonetheless marks the 14th consecutive month of expansion.
MediaPost says the lukewarm year-over-year growth in May could suggest a slowdown is on the horizon as it compares with a YoY growth rate of 3.2% a year earlier.
The growth in May came from smaller categories — the top 10 fell 1.8% YoY, with all others expanding 6.4%.
Earlier this month, MAGNA said in its summer update of its “Global Ad Forecast” that media owners would see ad revenues grow 10% this year to $927 billion. That forecast was raised following a stronger-than-expected Q1 ad market, which it said expanded 12%.
In the U.S., MAGNA sees ad market expansion of 10.7% this year to $374 billion, with Traditional Media Owners’ ad sales to grow 4.4% to $111 billion. Digital Pureplays’ ad revenues are expected to grow 13.5% to $263 billion.