WebProNews

U.S. Internet advertising revenues for the first half of 2008 were $11.5 billion, reaching another half -year record that represents a 15.2 percent increase over the first half of 2007, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The second quarter of  '08 was up 12.8 percent over the same period in 2007 and showed a small decline of 0.3 percent from the first quarter.

Search and Display-related advertising continue to set records. Search revenues totaled almost $5.1 billion for the first half of the year, an increase of 24 percent from the $4.1 billion for the same period in 2007.

Display-related advertising totaled close to $3.8 billion for the first six months of 2008, compared to the $3.2 billion reported for the same period in 2007, up 19 percent. Display-related advertising covers Display Banner ads, Rich Media, Digital Video, and Sponsorship.

"Interactive advertising continues to demonstrate year over year growth as marketers and consumers increase their embrace of digital media," said Randall Rothenberg, president and CEO of the IAB.

"The essentially flat performance we see quarter to quarter reflects in part cyclical advertising trends. Compared to the trajectory in other media and in the general economy, interactive has outperformed because it delivers a level of accountability unmatched by any other advertising medium."