Advertising market trend: September with annual high

Overall, the annual advertising pressure YTD amounted to 2,811.6 million gross advertising francs and is thus still marginally above the previous year's level with an increase of 0.4%.

Among the traditional media groups, only cinema and out-of-home (including live systems for 2023 and 2024 since the half-year financial statements) recorded year-on-year growth. This is particularly evident in cinema with an increase of 64%, while out-of-home grew by 9%. In contrast, radio, TV and print recorded declines. Radio saw the smallest decline at -3%, while TV fell by 6% and print by 10%.

A positive overall trend can be observed in the area of digital media. Display and YouTube both showed only slight increases of 3% each, while Search increased by 26%.

From 2024, we will report the "traditional" advertising market and the digital channels (search, YouTube, display) separately in order to ensure better comparability with the previous year. The volatility of data collection in the online sector due to external influences such as adjustments by Google can lead to major fluctuations over the course of the year. There were numerous adjustments and changes by Google in the last six months, particularly in the Search segment, which makes it difficult to compare gross advertising spendings with the previous year.

Advertising pressure in the overall market

Development of traditional advertising printing as at September 2024 in million gross francs.

Only 7 sectors can improve

The food sector continues to lead the ranking YTD and is also in first place in September, although all other six sectors were able to increase their percentage compared to the previous year. At 92.3%, the energy sector recorded the most significant percentage increase. The other sectors that were able to increase are telecommunications, cleaning, transportation and personal needs.

A decrease in 14 sectors

Overall, a decrease was recorded in 16 sectors in August compared to the previous year. This decline is particularly noticeable in the tobacco products (-52.8%), media (-38.1%) and vehicles (-37.2%) sectors. However, other sectors are also in the red, such as transportation (-28.5 percent), telecommunications (-23.8 percent) and services (-22.8 percent).

Industry ranking in September

Top Advertisers & Products

The top advertisers and most advertised products and services (excluding product range, image advertising and collective categories) in September.

Media Mix

Advertising print in the digital market

Industry ranking: classic vs. digital channels in comparison

In the digital market, retail is in first place YTD, but in third place for September. In addition to retail, the finance and leisure, gastronomy and tourism sectors complete the top 3. In the "traditional" market, the food, retail and initiatives & campaigns sectors are on the podium, as was also the case in the previous month. In the digital market, however, the food and initiatives & campaigns sectors only made it into the midfield (ranks 11 & 13).

In both rankings, the energy, tobacco, media and cleaning sectors are in the bottom third. In the digital market, energy is in third-last place and tobacco products in second-last place, while cleaning brings up the rear. Nothing has therefore changed in terms of the ranking compared to the previous month. In the "traditional" market, tobacco products are in last place, while energy is in second place and media is in third last place. As in the digital market, the same sectors as in the previous month are at the bottom of the table.

Industry ranking

Top digital products

The most advertised products and services (excluding product range, image advertising and collective categories) in September.

In the Display category, ALDI Meat is in first place, Disney+ is in first place on YouTube and booking.com is in first place in Search, as it was in the previous month. Neither a product nor a service was able to position itself in the top 10 in multiple channels.

Media Mix