B&TB&TB&T
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Search
Trending topics:
  • Cairns Crocodiles
  • Nine
  • Seven
  • Federal Election
  • Pinterest
  • AFL
  • AI
  • News Corp
  • Married At First Sight
  • NRL
  • Cairns Hatchlings
  • Channel 10
  • oOh!Media
  • WPP
  • Anthony Albanese
  • Thinkerbell
  • Special
  • TV Ratings
  • Radio Ratings
  • Sports Marketing

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
Reading: PWC Report: Aussie Ad Spends Up 11.6 Per Cent To $8.8 Billion in 2018
Share
B&TB&T
Subscribe
Search
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
B&T > Advertising > PWC Report: Aussie Ad Spends Up 11.6 Per Cent To $8.8 Billion in 2018
AdvertisingMedia

PWC Report: Aussie Ad Spends Up 11.6 Per Cent To $8.8 Billion in 2018

Staff Writers
Published on: 12th March 2019 at 12:01 AM
Staff Writers
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

The Australian online advertising market hit $8.8 billion expenditure in calendar year 2018, an increase of 11.6 per cent on 2017 according to the IAB Australia Online Advertising Expenditure Report (OAER) published today by PwC. 

The independent report, which has been detailing key online market trends since 2007, includes for the first time data points about the rate of programmatic buying, as well as CTV video advertising revenue data. 

The strong results for the digital advertising market in 2018 is underpinned by the continuing shift in consumer media consumption.  Australians now spend nearly 100 hours a month on desktop, smartphone and tablets and nearly five million people access internet content on their TV screens daily.

For the full calendar year 2018, the general display advertising category experienced considerable growth, reaching $3.3 billion for the year, a 15.8 per cent increase on 2017. This places the category at 37 per cent of total online advertising – the strongest share of the overall online ad market to date. Search and Directories hit $3.4 billion for 2018, a 9.2 per cent increase, while classifieds increased 9.5 per cent to reach $1.6 billion spend in 2018.

For the quarter ending 31st December 2018, the general display advertising category grew 5.4 per cent to a market total of $2.3 billion and according to new data points captured in the OAER report for content publishers for the first time, 51 per cent of this inventory was bought via media agencies using either an insertion order or another non-programmatic method. 

Of the balance, 34 per cent of general display advertising was bought programmatically with either fixed CPM or guaranteed inventory (nine per cent) or a variable CPM based on real time bidding via an exchange or private market place (25 per cent), while nine per cent of all display advertising was bought directly. 

With connected TV inventory now a significant part of the digital video market, for the first time content publishers provided data points breaking down revenue sources in this OAER report.  It found that in Q4 2018, 23 per cent of video advertising revenue for content websites was generated by connected TV inventory, while 48 per cent of video advertising revenue for content websites was via desktop; and 29 per cent via mobile video advertising.   

Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia commented, “Marketers continue to reinvest their budgets in a range of digital advertising options because they know it helps grow their businesses. 2019 will see the IAB demonstrate to marketers how they can increase the effectiveness of their spend across a wide range of digital formats and how it can work together efficiently with other media channel investments.”

Megan Brownlow, partner at PwC said: “We are pleased to release the latest version of the Online Advertising Expenditure Report with a number of new features. The market had headline growth and is now worth $8.8 billion with video again the bright spot,making up 42 per cent of the general display market and up 26.2 per cnet on 2017.”

For calendar year 2018 mobile advertising continued to drive strong growth in both general display and search and directories, reaching $4.2 billion in 2018, a 34.9 per cent increase year on year.  Mobile advertising now makes up 63 per cent of total general display advertising.

Video advertising grew 26.2 per cent to reach $1.4 billion in 2018, demonstrating the continued positive trend for publishers as brands continue to seek premium environments in which to showcase their offerings.  The Report notes that with connect TV advertising remaining a big focus, the use of technology and strength of content will be pivotal in differentiating publishers in this segment. 

Brownlow added: “We are pleased to release the latest version of the Online Advertising Expenditure Report with a number of new features. The market had headline growth and is now worth $8.8 billion with video again the bright spot, making up 42 per cent of the general display market and up 26.2 per cent on 2017.”

For calendar year 2018 Mobile advertising continued to drive strong growth in both general display and search and directories, reaching $4.2 billion in 2018, a 34.9 per cent increase year on year.  Mobile advertising now makes up 63 per cent of total general display advertising.

Video advertising grew 26.2 per cent to reach $1.4 billion in 2018, demonstrating the continued positive trend for publishers as brands continue to seek premium environments in which to showcase their offerings.  The report noted that with connect TV advertising remaining a big focus, the use of technology and strength of content will be pivotal in differentiating publishers in this segment.

The new data points around buying methods and video revenue was supported by a number of contributors including Amobee (including Videology), carsales.com.au, Daily Mail Australia, Domain, Guardian News and Media Limited, Here, There & Everywhere, Mamamia, Multi Channel Network, News Corp Australia, Nine, REA Group, Seven West Media, SpotX, TEN and Verizon Media.

 

 

Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts
Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.

No related posts.

TAGGED: IAB, pwc
Share
Staff Writers
By Staff Writers
Follow:
Staff Writers represent B&T's team of award-winning reporters. Here, you'll find articles crafted with industry experience spanning over 50 years. Our team of specialists brings together a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to delivering insightful, topical, and breaking news. With a deep understanding of advertising and media, our Staff Writers are dedicated to providing industry-leading analysis and reporting, both shaping the conversation and setting the benchmark for excellence.

Latest News

Emboldened, Emotional & Inspired – Cairns Crocodiles Masterclass, Presented By News Australia, Tug The Heartstrings
16/05/2025
TV Ratings (15/05/2025): Women’s State Of Origin Game 2 Pulls Nearly Twice The Viewers Of AFL Clash
16/05/2025
Nine Hails “A Great Day For Investigative Journalism” As Ben Roberts-Smith Loses Defamation Appeal
16/05/2025
Keep Left Updates Earned Media Impact Score Platform
16/05/2025
//

B&T is Australia’s leading news publication magazine for the advertising, marketing, media and PR industries.

 

B&T is owned by parent company The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.

About B&T

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise

Top Categories

  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Opinion
  • Technology
  • TV Ratings

Sign Up for Our Newsletter



B&TB&T
Follow US
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Register Lost your password?