Alt-media advertising the way of the future

Marketing and ad spending on alternative media channels – mainly online, mobile, consumer-generated and social networks – will top $US73 billion in 2008, according to new research.

Spending on alternative media ads and marketing has grown by an average 21.6% a year since 2002 and will be worth $US73.4 billion by the end of the year, the PQ Media research reported by ClickZ claims.

Online and mobile advertising accounts for the biggest portion of that spend, being worth $US29.9 billion in 2007, while interactive marketing (branded computer games, for example) comprised $US11.9 billion.

PQ’s Patrick Quinn says advertisers and marketers are increasingly understanding the importance of exposure across traditional and new media.

“It is becoming more of a media mix plan,” Quinn told ClickZ. “You had only eight choices of media marketing years ago. Today you have six dozen. It’s become more complex for marketers. Going for multiple media mix plans is a focus for media agencies – there has to be, for [current] conditions in the marketplace.”