Mobile ad spend surpassed the €10bn mark in the first six months of 2018 to represent 40% of Europe's total digital investment, according to IAB Europe and HIS Markit. The 10-digit figures were contained in the latest AdEx Benchmark H1 2018 study. While the mobile medium is closing in on a 50% share of digital ad spend, the wider digital category alone has surged by 10% to reach €25.7bn over the period. Drilling down into the data IAB Europe found that video also benefited from a four-fold increase in growth taking over non-video display to account for 30% of the display markert. Display ad growth was at the 12.3% mark, ahead of search which grew by just 10.2% to account for 46% of total digital ad spend. Anton Kopytov, partner technology consulting, Mindshare and chair, IAB Europe Research Committee said, "The latest AdEx study demonstrates an understanding in the market that consumers barely separate their digital and analogue lives, that digital factors into every channel and means of communication. "The lines between traditional and digital are blurring driving the growth of cross-channel video strategies and resurgence of audio on multiple platforms, including desktop, smart TV and mobile devices. GDPR has had an impact on data-driven activations in first half of 2018 making key market players cautious, but the general impact has been positive in building trust in the digital industry and we see recovery in the second half of 2018. "Overall outlook for the consistent market growth is positive both in the East and the West of Europe." Across 2018 as a whole HIS Markit believes digital ad spend in Europe will exceed €50bn, extending a period of rapid expansion. // Featured in this article IAB The IAB is the trade body for the digital advertising industry delivering events, research and setting standards for the industry. Our mission is to build a sustainable future for digital advertising.
Europe saw mobile ad spend exceed €10bn ($11.3bn) in H1, representing 40% of the region’s digital investment, according to an AdEx Benchmark study. Mobile is now approaching a 50% share of digital ad spend, while the wider digital sector has climbed 10% to hit €25.7bn in the period. Video saw a four-fold rise, and now accounts for 30% of the display market, while display ad growth was at 12.3%. Meanwhile, search increased 10.2% to account for 46% of total digital ad spend.