UK retail advertising spend up 41% in the three years to 2006

The FT reports today that seasonal retail advertising is booming in the UK.

"The combined advertising expenditure by the top 50 UK retailers in the last three months of 2006 was £530m, a 41 per cent rise since the same period in 2003, estimated Thomson Intermedia, the media measurement group. Most of that amount was spent in the six weeks before Christmas."

"Analysts believe the success of commercials by M&S, historically not a big television advertiser, has spurred others to follow suit. M&S was the second- biggest retail TV advertiser during the fourth quarter of 2006."