Key findings show 56% of marketers said their total media and marketing budgets increased in 2004 over 2003, with growth set to be stronger in 2005.
Of those clients, those with the largest budgets, or budgets in excess of $400m and involved in major brand campaigns, were most optimistic about budget increases.
The figures confirm those put out earlier this week by the Advertising Association, which showed the strongest growth in the UK since the end of 2002, as adspend continued to rise over the last quarter, up by 5.7% to 拢3.7bn, as newspapers and television advertising received a boost with marketers returning to brand promotion.
Millward Brown found the online sector was found to be growing the most as a share of total budgets and marketers said that they expect this trend to continue. All channels of online marketing -- web advertising, search, email and promotion -- are expected to increase at a higher rate than other major media.
There was other good news for the online sector as the research identified it as the most effective medium for acquiring and retaining customers and in offering efficiency.
Direct mail was rated as most effective for reaching a target audience and providing measurable ROI.
Almost all marketers, 89%, said that their companies run integrated marketing campaigns, but Millward Brown said that integrated marketing was defined in different ways.
Edward Kim, interactive media manager at Unilever said: "It goes to show that marketers across different industries are prepared to increase their online marketing budgets and view the internet as an attractive part of the media and marketing mix."
He added: "In order to escalate the process, we must work with our research and media partners to truly demonstrate the proof and value of internet marketing and the role it plays in the multichannel mix."
Ian Beavis, senior vice-president of marketing at Mitsubishi agreed. "The internet is an enabler for integrated campaigns and marketers must find a strategy and rigorously use it across all media platforms."
Millward Brown surveyed 300 senior-level marketing executives responsible for the marketing and media budgets for their company, business unit, or brand. The final phase of the study, which will include one-on-one in-depth qualitative interviews with advertising and media agencies, will be conducted in October.
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