Global Mobile Ad Spending to Reach US$18 Bn. in 2014 : Gartner

With the popularity of mobile Internet devices, including smartphones and tablet PCs, driving mobile advertising, global mobile advertising spending is forecast to significantly soar to US$18 billion this year from US$13.1 billion last year, and then surge to US$41.9 billion by 2017, according to Gartner Inc., a British IT market research firm.

Among various mobile advertising formats, Gartner predicts that displays will remain the biggest contributor to the overall revenue during 2015-2017, mainly based on display advertising expected to further simmer on mobile websites after several years of strong growth on apps.

Compared to the abovementioned category to keep making up the majority of overall mobile advertising spending in the years to come, video, however, is expected by Gartner to show the strongest growth among other advertising types, primarily because of the persistently growing popularity of tablet PCs worldwide.

In terms of markets, Gartner forecasts that North America will be the major growth driver for global mobile advertising spending during 2015-2017, partly due to considerable advertising demand in the region, and partly due to local advertisers increasingly accepting mobile advertising.

Meanwhile, the mobile advertising market in China and India, where domestic economic growth is expected to keep strong in the coming years, will be lucrative as well, and most likely interest global ICT (information and communication technology) brand vendors with ambitions to explore the middle-class segment of the local consumer market.

Mobile advertising market booms are absolutely sustained by increasing mobile shopping. According to a report authorized by the Taiwanese market researcher, Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute, regarding online shopping in Taiwan, mobile shopping averaged NT$4,629 per mobile device user in 2013, surging 365% from 2012, while traditional online shopping reached an average of NT$17,427 for only a 1.3% increase. (SC)