AFI BLOG: Media and Technology

Branded Entertainment Will Continue to Grow - Advertising Age

PQ Media Survey Finds Advergaming and Webisodes at Forefront of Nontraditional Spending Increases

The branded-entertainment marketing sector is expected to continue seeing double-digit growth through to 2012 despite a slowing economy, according to PQ Media. By shifting their ad dollars to alternative channels, more marketers will seek to maximize their value in the face of faltering traditional media and elusive audiences.

Branded entertainment, which covers event sponsorship and marketing, paid product placements, and advergaming and webisodes, has seen spending nearly double since 2002 to an all-time high of $22.3 billion in 2007, making it one of the fastest growing segments of the $254 billion marketing services sector. Spending in the category is expected to reach $40 billion by 2012, according to PQ Media’s “Branded Entertainment Marketing Forecast: 2008-2012,” which was released Feb. 12.

More