Although companies such as Forrester and Zentihmedia are making their bets on the future of online advertising investment, it is IAB, according to its president in Europe, Alain Heureux, that makes the most reliable estimates. Not in vain, the association is the one that brings together the largest number of agents in the sector.
Conceived as a company, the IAB is "a real embassy in 22 countries" as Hereux pointed out. With the capacity to launch online campaigns on a global level, IAB studies place Spain at the European level in online penetration, although still behind the United States.
The data can only be interpreted in a botim data totally positive way. Europe has almost doubled its investment figures since 2006, reaching 13.476 billion euros in 2008. The United States, being a more mature market, has experienced a somewhat slower growth, even though spending is higher: 16.1 billion euros. By country, it could be said that Spain, which occupies 8% of the total market, is at the same level as France or England.
At the European level, investment is not exactly distributed equally between the different formats: 45% in search engine marketing, 1% in emails, 31% in display and 23% in classifieds.
All these data can only indicate that the sector is on the right track, although in its infancy. Only 20% of marketers trust the new medium. Consumers are ahead of them in all aspects. Today's consumer is highly informed. Their attitude towards messages is critical, sceptical and sometimes indifferent, as Heureux pointed out. Therefore, professionals in the sector should change the way they address them, taking advantage of the opportunities that new technologies bring.
The IAB president also had a few words for legislators. With subtle irony, he stressed the need for a regulatory framework that protects users' privacy without putting an end to marketing. Without databases, it is impossible to know consumers, so a consensus should be reached among all the actors involved.