New media spending estimates from eMarketer suggest Canadian advertisers’ interest in mobile has surpassed analysts’ already high expectations. In its latest Canadian spend forecast the research firm has revised this year’s mobile ad spend estimate upwards from $715 million to to $953 million.
EMarketer said mobile ad spend grew 115% this year, and now makes up 23% of all digital spending. In 2015 it will grow another 65% to surpass $1.5 billion.
By 2018, mobile will top $4 billion, and account for 68% of all digital spend, the report said.
The new mobile estimates are substantially higher than the firm’s September forecast, which estimated mobile would hit $1.1 billion in 2015 and $2.5 billion in 2018.
The breakdown by mobile format mirrors spending in desktop digital, with search and display leading the pack. EMarketer estimates advertisers spent $486 million on mobile search, $390 million on mobile display and $107 million on mobile video in 2014.
Mobile accounted for 23% of all search spending and 32% of all display; by 2018 eMarketer projects it will grow to 68% of search and 84% of display.
Digital overall reached 31% of total media spending in 2014, bringing it on par with TV, the report said.
