• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, June 16, 2022

The U.S. ad economy expanded for its 15th consecutive month in May, but it was the most tepid growth since ad spending pulled out of its recession, according to a MediaPost analysis of data from Standard Media Index's U.S. Ad Market Tracker.

May's 1.3% expansion is the fifth consecutive monthly deceleration in the U.S. ad economy, though it likely reflects relatively tough comps with May 2021, which boomeranged 53.6% over May 2020, when the ad industry was in the depths of the COVID-19-triggered ad disruption.

According to an SMI analysis of its agency pool data, the deceleration is attributable entirely to traditional electronic and print media, with out-of-home and digital soaring in both the first quarter and second quarter through May of this year.