The Central Office of Information (COI) was the biggest outdoor advertiser during the quarter, spending £8m, followed by McDonald's and Sky, which each spent £3.6m, Virgin Media which spent £3.2m, and Coca-Cola which spent £3m.
Large-format roadside and small-format retail enjoyed the steepest rise in revenues, with the approach to the general election boosting political advertising. A spokesman for the OAA said a wide range of sectors grew their outdoor expenditure.
The buoyant start to 2010 follows a tough period for the out-of-home sector, which saw nine consecutive quarters of revenue decline from Q4 2007. Revenue across the sector in 2009 was £782.1m, down 16.7% year on year.
Mike Baker, chief executive of the OAA, said: "It is good to see out-of-home on the rise after a tough year in 2009, where the recession dragged spending down, especially in the finance sector. Strong double-digit growth puts us back on the right track."
Outdoor's performance compares favourably to the wider media industry. The Nielsen Company estimates total ad revenue rose 7.8% over the quarter, and radio and TV are estimated to be up around 8% up year on year.
Baker said: "Fourteen of the top 20 out-of-home advertisers in the quarter increased their spend year on year, so I see that as an encouraging sign of confidence in the medium."
Baker joined the OAA as chief executive last month, replacing former chief executive after over 40 years in the media industry.
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
