Online ads lead growth in Romanian advertising market

Romanian brands are poised to invest roughly EUR 640 mln in advertising in 2022, a 6% increase relative to the previous year, with online ads seeing the fastest growth.

Despite a market slow-down brought about by the pandemic and rising inflation, the newly-released Media Fact Book 2022 report estimates a 6% growth in the domestic advertising market.

TV ads still attract the highest expenses from Romanian companies, as well as the largest number of viewers, but domestic online advertising is seeing the fastest growth, according to the report, cited by Startup Cafe.

Ad spots on TV totaled expenses of EUR 350 mln, and represented 58% of the Romanian advertising market in 2021. The report estimates that companies will spend EUR 352 mln on TV ads this year, but that this will represent only 55% of the market. As such, although the total sums spent on TV-only ads will increase, their relative market share will decrease by 3%.

Online ads cost Romanian brands EUR 186 mln last year and stood for 31% of the market. This year, they are set to reach EUR 224 mln, and take up 35% of the advertising market, a clear sign of growth.

On the other side of the spectrum, the printed press will occupy only 1% of the advertising market in 2022, while billboards and radio will take up 5% each.

TV remains advertising king in Romania for now. 40% of Romanian consumers say they’ve found out about certain brands through TV ads, while one in four did so through shows and movies.

Without a clear leader, fragmentation defines the online advertising market. More than a third of Romanian consumers discovered brands through search engines, while ads on social media, various sites, or the websites of the brands themselves each brought companies to the attention of roughly a quarter of those surveyed.

Perhaps surprisingly, 29% of Romanians also said that they found out about certain companies through mail or e-mail.

With 13.3 million users, YouTube is the most popular social media platform among adult Romanians. The platform grew 13% in 2021 relative to the year before, and is now ahead of Facebook (9.9 million) and TikTok (6.4 million). Instagram takes first place among Gen Z Romanians.

The Media Fact Book 2022 report also shows a sector-by-sector breakdown of the companies that dominated advertising in Romania. Retailers spent the most, roughly EUR 122.7 mln, on ads in 2021, 43% more than the previous year. The healthcare industry takes second place, while the food & beverage and e-commerce sectors fall in third and fourth place, respectively.