Market Research company AC Nielsen today reported that China was the largest advertising market in Asia outside Japan last year. Advertisers spent twice as much as those in the country's nearest rival, Taiwan.

According to a Bloomberg report, China advertisers spent $11.2 billion, 16 percent more than a year earlier. Ad spending in Taiwan fell 7.6 percent to $6.4 million. South Korea spending fell 2.2 percent to $4.5 billion, followed by Hong Kong, where it rose 7.6 percent to $3.8 billion.

According to Forrest Didier, managing director of ACNeilson Media, Asia Pacific, "...While many markets suffered sharp advertising cutbacks in 2001, a number of signs point to an economy recovery and a return to pre-recession spending levels by the end of 2002...''

The advertising industry is traditionally the first to suffer, and first to recover during recessions. Together with other positive indications, including the current sentiment by global investors to get back into Asian markets as traditional western markets like the US are making just a spotty recovery, local advertising, market research, and marketing agencies may just be smiling today...