Marketing Outlook Brighter for Third Month Running

The outlook for marketers has continued to improve, according to the latest wave of Warc's Global Marketing Index, which shows a third successive month of improvement.

The study - which draws on responses from a panel of 1,225 execs about marketing budgets, trading conditions and staffing levels - reported headline GMI in February of 56.2 (an index score of 50.0 indicates no change month-on-month, while a score of 60.0 indicates fast growth in the industry).

Marketers across Asia Pacific registered the strongest improvement in outlook, with the headline GMI rising from 53.8 last month to 56.2. The Americas continues to be the most positive region with its headline GMI showing a read of 59.5, up 1.5 points from January, while with a GMI of 53.1, Europe also shows continued improvement.

Warc's index for global trading conditions indicates rapid improvement for February and now stands at 59.4 (up 1.5 points from January) - its highest reading since April 2012. The outlook for trading conditions remains most positive in the Americas on 60.9, followed by Asia Pacific (59.7) and Europe (57.4).

Global marketing budgets registered further growth in February (51.7), with marketers in the Asia Pacific region reporting an increase for the first time in four months. Marketers in the Americas continue to display the greatest confidence (55.5), but while marketing budgets continued to be cut across Europe, the European index recorded a value of 48.8 in February, up 2.6 points from January.

Staffing levels rose across all global regions, with the index for the Americas on 62.1, Asia Pacific 58.5 and Europe 53.2.

Suzy Young, Data and Journals Director at Warc, commented: 'The continued upward trajectory in headline GMI is encouraging. The outlook for global marketing budgets has improved since the start of the year with both the Americas and Asia Pacific recording positive growth.'

Web site: www.warc.com .