Internet search is expected to contribute up to three quarters of all advertising revenue growth this year, while traditional media stagnates, according an influential industry forecaster.

WPP’s GroupM predicts that advertising will grow by 6 per cent in 2008, but without the contribution from Google and other search engines, the rate of improvement across other media would be only 1.5 per cent.

Internet advertising will also come close to overtaking television advertising in 2008, emphasising how fast the new medium has become a mainstream means of promotion. This year internet spending is predicted to hit £3.4 billion, up from £2.6 billion in 2007, on GroupM’s estimates.

Despite what is expected to be a recovery in ITV’s fortunes, forecasts suggest limited growth in television advertising. GroupM predicts television revenues of £3.57 billion, up 0.9 per cent, although Zenith-Optimedia, its rival, is forecasting growth of 2.2 per cent.

Zenith also suggests that an increase in colour advertising will make newspapers a more attractive proposition. GroupM disagrees. Adam Smith, its futures director, said: “There is a notion that just by turning black and white into colour you turn lead into gold. Where do you go when everything is in colour? Colour may be a mild stimulant, but nothing more.”

The magazine market is likely to come under yet more pressure as men favour the internet over magazines.

Both GroupM and Zenith agree that radio advertising will grow by 2 per cent, citing an increase in sponsorship and promotion and the fact that radio works well with the internet.

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