Alternative Media Growth Surges 16% in First Half 2006

June 27, 2006 - BusinessWire

Alternative Media Growth Surges 16% in First Half 2006, Outpacing Traditional Media and Economy, New PQ Media Report Finds; Alternative Sector Growth to Accelerate in Second Half 2006

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)----Spending on alternative media strategies surged 16.4% in the first half of 2006 to an estimated $53.37 billion compared with the same period of 2005, according to exclusive research released today by PQ Media, a custom media research firm. Growth was driven by double-digit gains in most of the 23 subsegments of alternative media covered in Alternative Advertising & Marketing Outlook 2006, the second of five installments in PQ Media's Alternative Media Research series. This groundbreaking series is the first source to define, size and forecast the burgeoning alternative media industry.

Branded entertainment, including product placement, event marketing, event sponsorships, webisodes and advergaming, is the largest segment of alternative media, and is expected to grow 15.5% to $51.62 billion in 2006. The value of product placements will reach $5.71 billion at year's end, up 27.6% from the 2005 level. PQ Media will release on August 1 the Global Branded Entertainment Forecast 2006, the much-anticipated followup to Product Placement Spending in Media 2005.