The German association for the digital economy (BVDW) is optimistic that online advertising is going to grow this year despite the economic crisis. OVK is predicting an increase of the gross advertising volume by about 10% which would correspond to a turnover of about 4 billion Euros generated by the end of the year 2009.
In 2008 online advertising had already marked a new record turnover of 3.65 billion Euros. While the share of traditional advertising tools in proportion to the total advertising market volume stagnated or fell, online advertising continued its growth of recent years. Thus, online advertising accounted for 14.8% of the total advertising market in 2008 which was an increase by 2.7% as compared to the year 2007. Mr. Arndt Groth, president of the BVDW, is very optimistic about the future: “The importance of the internet as an advertising means grew by more than 10% over the past four years. If our estimates for 2009 are confirmed, internet advertising could become as profitable as advertising through consumer magazines.“
Among those advertising tools used in 2008 video banners were particularly popular. According to the latest edition of the OVK online report for 2009/01, usage of video advertising formats increased by about 236% last year. Application of other formats, however, also grew. Thus, wallpaper use was up by more than 45 percent. 