• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, February 23, 2011

Digital out-of-home advertising had a blockbuster year in 2010, and is on course for more double-digit growth in 2011, according to the latest forecast from PQ Media. Those results are detailed in the most recent edition of its annual survey of this burgeoning marketplace, "PQ Media Global Digital Out-of-Home Media Forecast 2011-2015."

Total DO revenue grew 15.1% from just under $1.8 billion in 2009 to about $2.07 billion in 2010, according to PQ Media -- and it will grow another 16.7% in 2011, to about $2.42 billion.

This pattern is in keeping with PQ Media's previous predictions, which had a slowdown in DO revenue growth in 2008-2009 as a result of the economic downturn, then accelerated again in 2010-2011 -- or a "shakeout" followed by a "breakout."

The U.S. market is just part of the global expansion of DO media: worldwide, DO revenues grew 16.3% from $5.56 billion in 2009 to $6.47 billion in 2010, and PQ Media expects them to grow another 16.9% in 2011, to $7.56 billion.

Overseas, growth has been led by expansion in more developed economies in Europe, Asia and South America. Still, the U.S. remains the world's largest DO market overall, for now.

In the report, PQ Media distinguishes between two major categories within the DO marketplace: digital place-based networks, which typically display video content and advertising, and digital billboards, which display a mix of static and video-animated digital ads. Overall, the first category -- DPN -- saw global revenues increase 14.5% from $4.41 billion in 2009 to $5.06 billion in 2010; PQ Media expects global growth of 15.2% in 2011, to $5.83 billion.

Global digital billboard revenues grew 23.2% from $1.14 billion in 2009 to $1.41 billion in 2010, and are projected to grow another 23.1% in 2011 to about $1.74 billion.