• paidContent, Wednesday, October 5, 2011 11:41 AM

In the UK, online ad spending saw 13.5% year-on-year growth during the first half of 2011, paidContent reports, citing new Internet Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers data. The sector's success "defied the slowdown affecting other media in the first half of 2011 ... as brands flocked to spend cash on online video ads," paidContent notes.

Companies spent $3.48 billion on all forms of online advertising in the first six months of the year, according to the IAB, compared with a growth rate of about 1.4% across traditional media, such as TV, newspapers and radio. "The report shows that the amount spent on online advertising has overtaken that spent on TV for the first time since early 2009," paidContent adds.

The 13.5% year-on-year rise recorded in the first six months compares with 11% in the same period last year and just 4.6% notched up in the first half of 2009. The IAB attributed the growth to a rush of fast-moving consumer goods companies, like Unilever and P&G, embracing digital display, and online video in particular.

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