The Advertising Association's annual forecast for the U.K. ad market has improved thanks to "strong TV and radio advertising in Q1" and the expectation that the World Cup will contribute a "significant boost" in the second quarter, according to Simon Nias of CAMPAIGN LIVE. The latest AA/Warc Expenditure Report shows that TV spot ad revenue grew 6% in Q1 to £1.1B, while radio advertising was up 5.7%. With the economy showing "sustained growth" and the World Cup expected to contribute to a "significant boost" in TV advertising revenue in Q2, U.K. advertising as a whole is "now forecast to grow" 6% in '14 and 6.7% in '15. AA Strategy Dir Karen Fraser said, "This latest set of data shows the importance of global events such as the World Cup to advertising spend in the U.K. Following a positive start to the year in Q1, Q2 is set to be a strong quarter for the sector, buoyed by the tournament." The AA is forecasting a 10.5% TV advertising boost in Q2 followed by a "slower rate of increase" in Q3 as a result of budgets "being brought forward for the World Cup." Year on year, the AA is predicting TV ad growth of 6.5% in '14 (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 7/8).
