2010 Marketing Budgets Rise Cautiously

The world economy is on the mend from a disastrous 2009, and twice as many marketing leaders see signs of recovery in their industry as do not. Despite a positive outlook, almost a third of marketing leaders are working with a reduced budget this year. Business-to-business (B2B) marketing leaders are shifting budget away from sponsorships, trade shows, and traditional media and into the company Web site. Meanwhile, business-to-consumer (B2C) marketers face slightly less budget pressure than their B2B colleagues. In the consumer marketing sector, online budgets are the beneficiaries of shifts away from print advertising, agency fees, and direct mail. Looking back, 2010 will be viewed as an inflection point for spending on digital marketing across the entire marketing landscape.