In a knockdown, lockdown year of pandemic, recession and turmoil, ad spending by the nation’s top 200 advertisers was down—but by no means out.
The most intriguing takeaway from Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2021 may be the surprisingly high number of major advertisers that actually increased ad spending amid last year’s tumult.
The top 200 advertisers include three up-and-coming marketers that more than doubled spending in 2020.
This is Ad Age’s 66th annual Leading National Advertisers report on marketers and marketing, and we found good reason to be optimistic about the vitality of the ad business.
While many companies cut spending during the pandemic, others stepped up spending to take advantage of market opportunities. Many of those companies are in a good position to boost spending going forward.
We see good reason to be optimistic about 2021, with rising ad spending, a reinvigorated economy and pent-up demand from consumers venturing out with unmasked optimism.
The Executive Summary, downloadable as a PDF for Ad Age Digital subscribers, includes an exclusive ranking of the top 25 advertisers in 2020; ranking of advertisers with the sharpest ad spending growth and declines; advertising forecast; and share breakouts on marketers and brands.
The summary report also ranks the nation’s 10 most-advertised brands. There’s a new No. 1 brand, and it may surprise you.
Want to dig deeper? Subscribe to Ad Age Datacenter to access the complete Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2021 report online at AdAge.com/lna2021.
Datacenter subscribers get exclusive online content including Marketer Trees 2021 (a database with ad spending, brands, profiles, executives and agency rosters for the nation’s 100 biggest advertisers) and Excel downloads of expanded tables (including 200 Leading National Advertisers and 200 most-advertised brands).
Want a quick take on what’s up (and down) with the nation’s biggest marketers? Start here to see analysis, stats and key rankings and download the Ad Age Leading National Advertisers 2021 Executive Summary, available to Ad Age Digital subscribers.
