Advertising spending in Malaysia 2010-2018, by medium

The advertising expenditure in Malaysia was forecasted to amount to 2.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, with the largest portion predicted to be spent on newspaper advertisements. In actuality, however, newspapers came second to free-to-air television in advertising expenditure in 2018.

The rise of digital over print media

The internet age has changed the global advertising landscape dramatically, and Malaysia is no exception. Print media readership is in decline, and in 2018, most Malaysians reported receiving their news online and through social media. Facing a drop in potential advertising reach, the share of advertising expenditure on newspapers in Malaysia have thus been steadily shrinking since 2011. Conversely, digital advertising has been gaining a greater share of the Malaysian advertising expenditure, growing year-on-year.

Advertising industry must adapt to digital age

Malaysia’s advertising economy is predicted to grow in 2019, after contractions in 2018 and 2017. Despite the positive outlook, industry players should not be complacent, and must focus on adapting to the digital age. Even so, offline advertising should not be written off altogether, and new and innovative ways to engage the consumer in this sector need to be found in order to reach a brand’s full advertising potential.