5. AT&T
> 2011 Total Ad Spending: $2.4 billion
> 2011 Revenue: $126.7 billion
> Brand With Biggest Ad Spending: AT&T
> Industry: Telecommunications
While AT&T and Verizon spend nearly the same on measurable marketing ($1.85 billion vs. $1.7 billion in 2011), AT&T spends its money very differently from its rival. While Verizon’s magazine spending plummeted 63% to $29 million, AT&T actually increased its advertising in magazines by more than 4% to $49 million. Furthermore, AT&T cut its spending for network television by 15% to $688 million, while Verizon increased its by 8.5% to $565 million. And while AT&T, like Verizon, cut its newspaper spending and upped its ad presence online, it did so far more modestly than its rival. AT&T cut its newspaper spending by 15% to $155 million. It also spent $155 million online, up 15% from 2010.
4. Comcast
> 2011 Total Ad Spending: $2.5 billion
> 2011 Revenue: $55.8 billion
> Brand With Biggest Ad Spending: Comcast Universal
> Industry: Telecommunications/Media
Comcast comes in fourth for its advertising spending in 2011. A large share (24%) of this budget was devoted to advertising Universal movies. Comcast purchased the studio from GE as part of a deal for NBCUniversal in the beginning of 2011. Comcast increased its advertising on Telemundo, its Spanish television network, by 85%. Another big share of the Comcast budget is directed to Xfinity, the Company’s triple-play service of Internet, phone and television. This is a highly competitive area of the broadband business. Comcast increased its advertising for Xfinity by 53% to $348 million in 2011. Comcast also spends the most of any company in the country on radio advertising at 234 million.
3. Verizon
> 2011 Total Ad Spending: $2.5 billion
> 2011 Revenue: $110.9 billion
> Brand With Biggest Ad Spending: Verizon
> Industry: Telecommunications
Internet ad spending by Verizon shot up by more than 50% in 2011 compared to 2010 to $242 million. The telecommunication company is now second only to GM in that medium. Meanwhile, much like many companies on the list, Verizon cut down on ad spending in old media. Magazine spending went down 63% to $29 million; newspaper spending declined by 47% to $147 million; and radio advertising dropped by 35% to $100 million. Verizon and AT&T, the top two wireless providers in the U.S., spent $2.5 billion and $2.4 billion respectively on advertising in 2011. The third largest carrier, Sprint, spent much less at $1.4 billion.
2. General Motors
> 2011 Total Ad Spending: $3.1 billion
> 2011 Revenue: $148.9 billion
> Brand With Biggest Ad Spending: Chevrolet
> Industry: Auto
General Motor has recently decided to stop Facebook advertising after four years of using the social networking site. Still, the Detroit automaker is the leading online advertiser in the nation at $242 million. While GM is spending just slightly more than the number two online advertiser, Verizon, it is spending almost 270% more than Ford in this medium. The overall GM advertising budget is up 11% compared to 2010, same as Ford. Despite spending so much online, television advertisements comprised the largest share of GM’s ad budget at over 36%. Among advertisers in the United States, it was the third largest amount for TV. GM spent the most advertising its Chevrolet brand. The company dropped its spending significantly on its GMC, the SUV and light truck division brands, cutting their advertising spending by over half to $160.3 million.
1. Procter & Gamble
> 2011 Total Ad Spending: $5 billion
> 2011 Total Revenue: $82.6 billion
> Brand With Biggest Ad Spending: Olay
> Industry: Consumer Goods
No company spent more than Procter & Gamble on television and magazine advertising . The maker of Tide detergent and Pantene shampoo spent approximately $1.7 billion on TV commercials and $1.1 billion on magazine ads. P&G advertised in other media as well, ranking third for newspaper spending and fifth for online spending. Ad spending for Olay, its most advertised brand, rose about 8% to $357 million, while spending for the second and third most advertised brands, Covergirl and Crest, increased by about 26% and 33% to $305 million and $229 million, respectively. P&G also increased spending on its luxury goods. Compared to 2010, marketing for Dolce & Gabbana was up by more than 21% in 2011 to $46 million, while ad spending for Gucci Fragrances was up by nearly 57% to $28 million.
-Douglas A. McIntyre, Ashley C. Allen, Michael A. Sauter, Samuel Weigley and Lisa Uible
