Auto Advertising Takes Brake from Cable

Auto advertising dropped 9% on cable TV last year, according to data released by Nielsen Monitor-Plus Thursday.

Auto ad budgets dipped $151.4 million in 2006 for cable versus 2005, putting the medium’s total at $1.54 billion last year, Monitor-Plus reported.

Overall ad spending for the automotive sector last year dipped 1%, to $13.46 billion, a decline of $197.2 million. Spot TV garnered the largest amount of auto ad dollars with $6.1 billion, a gain of 4% over 2005, up $256.7 million.

Local newsapers saw the largest percent decline in auto ad dollars last year, a 41% drop, down $243 million.

Nearly 80%, or $10.5 billion, of auto advertising last year was placed on TV, with 11%, or $1.45 billion, spent in national magazines.