November 2011 print ad revenue fell 2.6 percent vs 2010

Historical BIN data on print ad sales, 2009-11, in US$millions

February 28, 2012 -- Bucking a year-long trend, advertising revenue for print business-to-business publications fell in November 2011, according to the latest Business Information Network (BIN) data from ABM and Inquiry Management Systems. Total ad revenue for November was $684 million, a 7.7 percent drop from October’s total of $737, and a 2.6 percent drop from November 2010, when the total was $702 million.

The November drop-off in ad sales represents the first time in 2011 in which monthly ad revenue failed to outpace the total from the same month a year earlier (see graph). The November downtick does not put much of a damper on the year-to-date total for 2011, however. For the first 11 months of 2011, b-to-b print ad revenue totaled 4.1 percent above the total for 2010, $7.16 billion vs $6.88 billion.

The BIN data also tracks ad revenue in 22 content areas, from agriculture to travel. Among the 22 categories, four saw percent increases in the double digits for 2011 November sales vs 2010: aviation, aerospace and military, up 29.6 percent; business, advertising and marketing, up 19.8 percent; transportation and logistics, up 18.9 percent; and electronic engineering, up 12.8 percent. The worst performing category, healthcare, saw ad revenues drop 15.4 percent.

ABM will release the fourth quarter and full year 2011 BIN data in March.