The Dutch advertiser has spent less budget on print in 2022. Gross media spending in popular magazines fell by 19.3% compared to 2021. That is almost 37 million euros less for Dutch magazine publishers. The amount of advertisements and the number of advertisers also decreased.
The figures are in the Annual Report Gross Media Expenditure 2022 from research agency Nielsen. The figures show which media Dutch advertisers spend their budgets on. For years, (paper) magazines have shown a downward trend. Despite a small recovery in 2021 (+ 11 million), the decline appears to continue in 2022.
Media spending in 2022 to €9.7 billion
Media spending in all channels will have grown considerably in 2022. In 2022 there was a recovery after the huge dip as a result of the corona crisis. Nevertheless, the growth was less exuberant than in 2021. The total gross media budget in 2022 amounted to € 9.7 billion, which means an increase of 3.6% compared to the previous year. Just like in 2021, the greatest growth was in cinema and out of home. These two medium types suffered the most at the time of the restrictive measures during the corona period. The recovery is correspondingly large.
Gross media spend in print
At the other end of the growth spectrum are the major fallers: folders, magazines and trade journals, each with a double-digit decline of more than 26% in trade journals in 2022. The chart below shows gross media spending in consumer magazines from the past ten years. In 2013, the total amount of gross media expenditure in magazines was €350.5 million. This amount has decreased to €154.8 million in 2022.
Long-term decline in magazine advertising revenues
This declining trend has been going on for 10 years. The graph above shows the decline over the past decade. The steep decline in the corona year 2020 is striking. Despite a small revival in 2021 (+11%), the decline will continue in 2022. Last year, Dutch popular magazines lost 19.3% in advertising revenue, an amount of almost €37 million.
Amount of advertisements and advertiser budgets are falling
In the graph above you can also see that the amount of advertisements is falling, just like the budgets per advertiser. The amount of advertisements in 2013 was 51,190, that number has fallen to 27,044 in 2022. With the decrease in the amount of advertisements, you also see a downward trend in the average budget per advertiser. That was €58,553 in 2013 and this amount has decreased to €32,343 in 2022.
Management and sports magazines in particular suffered a loss
Not all types of magazines are equally affected by the decline in advertising revenues. It is mainly the management, computer and sports magazines that suffer the biggest losses. Women’s magazines, family magazines, RTV magazines and the body & mind category are also falling sharply. To illustrate: in 2013 €105.8 million was spent on advertisements in women’s magazines. In 2022, there was still €37 million left. The graph below shows the decrease compared to 2013. This year has an indices of 100 and subsequent years show a growth or decrease per magazine category.
Nielsen’s Annual Gross Media Spending Report can be ordered by sending an email to [email protected]