Insurance challenger brand Youi has outspent the likes of Uber, Apple and ANZ, according to the latest Nielsen Ad Intel data.
As usual, the retail, food and telecommunications verticals dominated, while financial institutions and automotive made significant gains.
Top 20 advertisers for 2024
- Harvey Norman
- McDonald’s
- Woolworths
- Amazon.com
- Reckitt Benckiser
- Hungry Jacks
- Chemist Warehouse
- Toyota
- Coles
- KFC
- Telstra
- Commonwealth Bank
- Optus
- Disney
- Mondelez International
- Mitsubishi
- Youi
- Uber
- Apple
- ANZ
Monique Perry, Nielsen Pacific MD said: “The Ad Intel spend data for 2024 is pretty telling – marketers aren’t just relying on advertising, they’re pushing it, because they know it works. They know it’s still the best and most economical way of forging lasting connections between brands and consumers. The key is top-tier data. It’s crucial if they want to get the edge on their competition. Nielsen’s extensive data suite has become essential for any brand, agency, advertiser, or marketer focused on using data to stay ahead of the curve, or more importantly, their competition”.
Nielsen Ad Intel’s Pacific commercial lead, Rose Lopreiato, added: “Retail remains the powerhouse of ad spend, outpacing all other sectors, but automotive also continues to grow. In an increasingly competitive market, these insights are essential as advertisers refine their strategies and allocate budgets more effectively. Nielsen Ad Intel remains the industry benchmark for tracking advertising investment trends, and gives the clearest, most actionable insights into Australia’s dynamic ad market.”
Advertising categories with the highest investment in 2024. Despite economic pressures, advertisers in Australia allocated substantial budgets across various sectors. The leaders were:
- Retail: $2.53b
- Motor Vehicles: $676.5m
- Communications: $663.8m
- Finance: $632.7m
- Travel & Accommodation: $607.5m
- Entertainment & Leisure: $537.1m
- Insurance: $435.8m
- Food: $409.9m
- Services: $327.9m
- Education & Learning: $304.7m
Top 5 Sectors with the highest year-on-year growth Advertising investment saw growth across multiple industries from 2023 to 2024.
Finance led the way with a 10% increase in ad spend. Utilities followed with a 5% rise, while motor vehicles saw a 4% uptick, as both Travel & Accommodation, along with Government, recorded a modest 2% increase.
Advertising in the Government sector is poised for greater growth in 2025 as election-related campaigns ramp up, notably the federal and WA elections.
