Advertising Grew in 2016, But Not for All Media
In 2016, the advertising market grew at nearly 7% over 2015. But that rising tide did not raise all boats.
Last year television, out-of-home and digital saw year-over-year increases. Magazines (-9.1%) and newspapers 
(-13.9%) suffered the largest declines. Radio only decreased by 0.5%. Digital increased by more than 13%, television by 4.4% and out-of-home grew by 6.9%. (The percentages were released from Standard Media Index and reported by Marketing Charts.)
There were predictions last year that digital would grow at a rate of 26% or more. This lower growth rate was the result of many larger brands returning to TV. The TV increase was sparked by sports and this trend should continue, with many of the sports contracts locked in for the next 10 to 20 years with broadcast and cable outlets.
The trend lines are obvious: Digital will continue on an upward growth curve although it is slowing. It’s not so sure for the other media due to lack of sales opportunities or lower results. If you are not using digital, we suggest you allocate at least 25% of your marketing budget to digital and and begin to test. The trend could impact your growth line as well.
Mark Mathis
Mark wrote his first direct-mail fundraising letter in 1981 for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. The effort raised a few million dollars in undiscovered wills and legacy gifts. From that day forward Mark discovered a love of the big idea that moves the needle.
After 12 years at KWWL, Mark became a business owner as a co-founder of ME&V — rebranded as AMPERAGE in 2015. After 25 years of leading creative teams in video production, graphic design, PR, writing and web development, Mark transitioned out of ownership in 2021. Today he serves in an employee role as special projects consultant.
He is creatively ambidextrous — son of an artist and engineer — and famous for distilling complex ideas down to a few words and a few visuals. Mark is a writer. When he found that many nonprofits struggled with complex branding puzzles, he wrote the book, “NonProfit-NonMarketing .” He also wrote a novel called “Reenactment.”
Mark is an active blogger OneMinuteMarketer® with nearly 1,000 readers each week on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. One of his most popular YouTube videos is on “How to Look Good on Zoom.”
One of Mark’s fondest business memories was being named to INC 500 two times and attending the INC 500 conference with other winners. Mark is considered by some a Civil War expert (and that explains his novel). Mark also served as an adjunct professor in the business and in the communications departments at Wartburg College.
Mark is a graduate of the University of Iowa and is currently vice president of the University of Iowa Journalism and Mass Communications Advisory Board.
Mark is married to state Sen. Liz Mathis, and the two love to travel, even when it means being trapped by a volcano in the Czech Republic for three weeks.