In Lebanon, the advertising industry, continued to grow but at a slower pace than the year before, being less lucky than the tourism and financial sectors which boomed last year.

According to the figures released, advertising spending in Lebanon grew 19 percent to $156 million in 2009, up from 131.7 million in 2008.

Once again, TV stations attracted the lion’s share of advertisements- $54 million or 35 percent of total expenses, followed by outdoor billboards ($41 million or 26 percent of the total), newspapers at $33.5 million (22 percent), and magazines at $12.5 million (eight percent).

Radios received $11 million from advertisement spending or seven percent of total figure, online media outlets received three million or 1.9 percent of advertising capitals while cinemas received one million dollars.

Outdoor spending rose 49 percent in 2009 as political spending on ads soared in the parliamentary elections season, spending on radio-ads rose 28 percent. Advertisement spending on magazines rose 13 percent, TV-ads by eight percent, newspapers by 1.8 percent. 
 
LBCI television made the highest revenues from advertisements among local televisions while AlBalad newspaper made the highest revenues from ads among local newspapers.

Arabic- weekly entertainment publication, Achabaka made the highest revenues among its counterparts (weekly publications), while Modanite was the leading monthly periodical.

Transmed was the biggest spender on advertisements, followed by l’Oreal Liban, Khalil Fattal & Fils, BUMC, and Solvid. The top four advertised brands were Toyota, Zein Al Atat, Head and Shoulders, and Bank Med.