Marketing Magazine released their Top 100 UK Advertiserlist in March and discussed the state of the UK adverting market.

Key points of note, were:

• While many brands have reduced their media spend others have taken advantage of the opportunity to drive their brands harder

• Media spend analysis reveals an overall serious decline in the advertising market of 4.9% - particularly from August '08, which is forecast to continue in 2009

• However, some advertisers bucked the trend and increased spend, including some in supermarkets, banks, online services and electrical goods

• Brands to increase their spend, included: Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser and Kellog (FMCG); the government's COI; Lloyd's TSB, Hailfax and Barclays (banking); Asda, Waitrose, Tesco and Aldi (retail)

• Cheaper ad rates comparable with recessionary prices of the 1980s and the trend for consumers to spend more time watching TV for entertainment are cited as opportunities for savvy marketers buy more for less

Source: Derek Groom (Decideware)