First AdRelevance Figures for China Show Online Boom

Nielsen//NetRatings has published the first results from its newly launched AdRelevance online ad tracking service in China. Results show the country's computer, automotive and FMCG industries investing heavily in online advertising, and a dramatic growth in overall spend.

AdRelevance, already available in the US, fourteen European markets and Australia, but new to Asia, provides information on who is advertising online, which sites campaigns are running on, the creative campaign content and an estimate of online expenditures for online display advertising.

The Internet offers huge potential for ads in China, with 82.6% of users describing it as their main information channel in CNNIC's most recent report *. NetRatings began monitoring in May 2006, scanning more than 200 sites, and estimates China's total online display ad spend for the quarter to 31st July as CNY 1.5 billion (US$190m), close to the equivalent total spend on Magazine advertising in the country (c.CNY 1.9bn according to Nielsen Media Research).

Even during the three month period, rapid growth is apparent. AdRelevance says that in May, 587 online display advertisers ran nearly 1500 campaigns consisting of over 3700 banners; by July, the equivalent figures were 817 (up 39%), 2276 campaigns (up 34%) and 5785 banners (up 55%).

The big online advertising spenders were in the automotive, computer and electronics and FMCG industries, jointly responsible for almost 60% of the quarter's ad spend.

Estimated Online Display Advertising Spend, China, May – July 2006

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Source: Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance, China

In July 2006, the overall top advertiser by number of ad impressions and ad spend was China Mobile. In the automotive industry, Nissan was the number 1 advertiser, while Founder ranked at the top in the computer and electrical category and Coca-Cola topped the list of online display advertisers in FMCG.

Top 10 Online Display Advertisers, July 2006

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Source: Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance, China
Editor's note: Please source all above information to Nielsen//NetRatings

Forrest Didier, MD of Nielsen//NetRatings Asia Pacific and Latin America, says the firm is 'strongly committed to growing this standard throughout the region and will announce the launch of AdRelevance in Japan shortly.'

Nielsen//NetRatings offers online advertising intelligence with its NetView, SiteCensus, Market Intelligence, AdRelevance, Analytics and Consulting services, covering 70% of the world's Internet usage. It is online at www.nielsennetratings.com .


* CNNIC 18th Statistical Survey Report on Internet Development in China (July 2006)

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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