• by February 5, 2001

Despite continuing concerns of an overall economic slowdown, advertisers, with great enthusiasm and growing budgets, continue to embrace the Internet as a communications channel. The medium enjoyed a tremendous year-over-year increase in total advertising revenues - from $1.9 billion in 1999 to $2.9 billion in 2000, 52.6% increase. The total, as a percent of all ad spending through the first three quarters of 1999 to the same time period of 2000 rose from 1.75% to 3.04%.

This full-year information was compiled and released by CMR's Internet division, CMRi, as monitored through its Internet advertising expenditure application, AdNetTrackUS.

Leading all parent companies, General Motors ranked first in Internet advertising for the full year 2000 by spending $47.9 million. Microsoft ranked second, spending $25.5 million. Barnes & Noble Store, spending $15.9 million and Amazon.com, spending $15 million ranked first and second, respectively, atop the brand list.

Among categories, the Media & Advertising sector, which includes Internet communities, content providers, portals and search engines topped the list spending $542.2 million - an increase of 83.4% over 1999. And driving the e-commerce aspect of the web, the Retail sector spent $510.9 million in Internet advertising in 2000 - an increase of 73.6% over 1999.

"Internet advertising has been experiencing a steady growth," said David Peeler, President and CEO of CMR. "While most industry sources feel Internet spending is coming to a plateau, our research suggests that spending is still strong and will gradually increase."