Executive Summary

Despite China’s economic slowdown—due in part to weaknesses in consumption and a trade war with the US—total media ad spending will increase 14.6% in 2019.

How much will advertisers in China spend on digital advertising?

We forecast that digital ad spending in China will grow 22.0% in 2019, accounting for 69.5% of paid media ad outlays. By 2021, digital advertising will reach another milestone, accounting for 75.6% of total spend.

How quickly will mobile advertising grow in China?

Ad spending on mobile will grow 25.7% in 2019; desktop/laptop will grow by 8.2%.

Which mobile platforms are important to digital marketers in China?

Social platforms are important for nearly seven in 10 marketers in China, according to an AdMaster survey, while half say video platforms are important. Ecommerce sites were right behind those two.

Will market leaders uphold their dominance in digital advertising?

Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent (collectively known as BAT), along with Sina and Sohu, will capture nearly two-thirds of digital advertising outlays in China this year. We project their share will remain stable until the end of our forecast period in 2021. However, in this fast-growing market, emerging players like ByteDance, JD.com and Meituan are starting to draw advertisers’ attention.

Will protection of digital privacy finally take root in China?

Data security scandals have shaken society’s trust in putting personal information in the hands of businesses. Last year, regulators in China put in place a law to protect personal information on the internet.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report features our latest forecast for ad spending in China, including breakouts by media and company. It also examines the key trends and platforms in China’s ad market in 2019.

KEY STAT: In 2019, digital ad spending will grow 22.0% to $79.82 billion, which is 69.5% of total media ad spending.

What’s Inside:

This report explores ad spending in China, highlighting critical trends and influences. It includes our estimates for the following areas:

• Total media ad spending
• Digital ad spending
• Mobile ad spending
• Digital ad spending by format
• Digital ad spending by device
• Digital ad spending by company