Samsung launched four different new models of the Galaxy Tab Series in 2011. Its adspend has increased by over four times compared to 2010, making it the highest spending advertiser in the market.
Apple also entered the ad market more stridently, despite its iPad having had iconic status in Asia since its launch in July 2010. It did not advertise the table a great deal at that time, but ramped up its spending throughout 2011 in the face of the Samsung challenge. The company ended up spending US$2.3 million on tablet advertising in 2011, more than 60 times what was spent in 2010.
Total advertising expenditure in Hong Kong amounted to US$4.7 billion in 2011, with a year-on-year growth rate of 16 per cent. The total adspend in the fourth quarter also hit a new record high, US$1.3 billion, 17 per cent higher than the same period in 2010.
In terms of advertising revenues, all media monitored recorded a YOY increase in 2011. The keen competition among free newspapers resulted in 23 per cent growth compared with 2010.
Interactive adspend still only captured 4.43 per cent of the media share in 2011, but admanGo pointed out that it is currently only monitoring the adspend on websites, and is planning to add mobile app adspend in its upcoming reports in 2012.
As for the top 10 spending brands for 2011 table, HSBC was ranked first in 2011, despite keeping its ad spending flat from 2010. again yet it recorded no growth compared to 2010. The focus of its marketing campaign was shifted to its credit card business, where adspend increased 58 per cent. Consumer banking and commercial banking recorded decreases of 67 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively.
The cosmetics and skincare industry ranked No. 2 in terms of both adspend and YOY growth. The top advertiser spot went to SK-II, which contributed nearly 10 per cent of the industry's total adspend and increased its spedning 56 per cent compared to 2010.