Mobile Ad Spend to Hit $6.4 Billion in 2012

A new report from eMarketer pegs global mobile spending at $6.43 for 2012. US mobile ad spend will hit $2.29 billion, up 96.6 percent from $1.16 billion in 2011. Until this year, Japan was the leader in mobile ad spend with $1.36 billion in 2011. While mobile is more mature in Japan, eMarketer estimates Japan will see a 27.2 percent increase in spending to $1.74 billion in 2012.

Asia-Pacific is still a strong mobile advertising market, particularly in South Korea and Japan, keeping it far ahead of Europe in mobile spending. Mobile ad spending in Asia-Pacific will reach $2.56 billion in 2012, according to eMarketer, while mobile advertising spending in Western Europe and Eastern Europe will reach $1.3 billion and $121.1 million, respectively, this year.

Additional findings:

- Spending on mobile advertising in the US will top all other regions in the world for the first time in 2012.

- Global mobile ad spending will reach $6.43 billion in 2012, yet account for just 1% of total ad spending worldwide.

- The mobile advertising market in Asia-Pacific remains far bigger than in Europe.

- Mobile advertising, though just 2.3% of total ad spending in the UK, is expected to take a record share by 2016, reaching 11% of total ad spending there.

- China is set to become the world's second-largest advertising market in 2013, and the second-largest digital advertising market the following year, behind the US.

- The strength of ad spending in Asia-Pacific, combined with the Olympics, will help buoy total ad spending growth to 7.4% in 2012, despite economic concerns in Europe.

- Digital advertising, as expected, will take a record 20% share of total ad spending this year worldwide. eMarketer estimates online ad spend worldwide will reach $107.33 billion in 2012, up from $88.47 billion last year.

- Mobile, despite rapid growth, accounts for just 1% of total ad spending worldwide.