Retail Leads Online Ad Spend. CPG, Automotive See Double Digit Growth

A new eMarketer forecast on ad spending by category predicts retailers lead all other industries in terms of online advertising, with spending expected to reach $5.73 billion this year, up from $5.16 billion in 2010.

While the retail industry will see double-digit growth of 11 percent in 2011, other verticals will increase spending more quickly. Consumer packaged goods spending will increase 29 percent to $2.66 billion this year, automotive spending will rise 14 percent to $3.24, and healthcare and pharma will boost online spending 13 percent to $1.17 billion. The growth of online video ads - especially among brand marketers who have traditionally focused heavily on TV advertising - will be a primary contributor to the growing market share of CPG and automotive companies.