The rush of dotcom advertisers on to ITV is driving up the cost of
advertising on the channel, with media inflation expected to hit 12% for
the first quarter of this year.
Figures from Western International Media show that demand for adult
audiences in the first quarter is up by 8%, with ad impacts down 4% for
the same period, adding up to inflation of 12% year-on-year. Delivery of
ABC1 men is down by 9%, with the result that inflation for this audience
is at 17% in the first quarter.
The dotcom advertising frenzy is one factor in the equation, but there
is general agreement among agencies that ITV’ s overall audiences are
down year-on-year, despite the use of ratings winners such as Who Wants
to be a Millionaire.
Steve Platt, managing director of Carlton Sales, said that this dip in
commercial impacts had to be viewed in the context both of a strong
first quarter last year, which saw the move of News at Ten, and of
increased demand for airtime, which is fuelling inflation.
