bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

Hong Kong's advertising market is showing signs of a rebound after a first-quarter rise of more than 80 per cent in property advertisements.

The soccer World Cup is also expected to boost the industry's prospects, according to advertising agencies.

Gross advertising spending for the first quarter rose 7.74 per cent year on year, according to data from ACNielsen Media International.

'Since we left the low season over Lunar New Year, we share the view the market has become more active,' Tsang Kan-keung, managing director of media specialist Mind Share, said.

He said the first two months of the year, as usual, were slow for advertisers.

'I think real ad revenue fell more than 10 per cent year on year in the first two months, but we see an end to the downward trend since March.'

Mr Tsang said he believed real industry income rose about 5 per cent last month.

The sharp rise in the biggest spending category - property - offers much of the growth potential for the market.

Advertising agencies said the drive was coming with an increase in new property projects launched this year, which needed a longer time to be marketed to the public amid the sluggish economy.

Meanwhile, World Cup-related advertising would support the industry before summer, they said.

Advertisers would try to relate their products or services to the tournament, which begins on May 31, and bookings had begun.

Zenith Media planning director Henny To expected World Cup campaigns to propel growth by 6 per cent to 8 per cent from this month until June.

By broadcasting World Cup matches, pay-television operator i-Cable would generate HK$60 million to HK$80 million, while dominant free-to-air broadcaster Television Broadcasts would earn between HK$40 million and HK$60 million, Mr To said.

However, critics were cautious on the short-term outlook, saying there was a lack of economic stimulus to overall advertising expenditure.

A survey conducted by the Hong Kong Advertisers' Association showed the market could shrink 4 per cent this year following a dramatic slump last year.

Association vice-chairman Nancy Pang said data for one month was not strong enough to prove an upward shift.

She said advertisers might allocate their spending later in the year, or shorten the length of their marketing campaigns.

Graphic: adta18gbz



Rebound sighted in property drive