Worldwide advertising expenditure totalled US$189.6 billion in 1989, and reached $308.8 billion in 1998, according to ZenithOptimedia. That figure is expected to recess a little in 2009 to $490.5 billion, but bounce back 2010 and exceed $547 billion in 2011, SFN's World Digital Media Trends 2009 reported.

In 1989, North America contributed over 45 percent of total advertising expenditure, while Western Europe took up 30 percent, Asia Pacific another 22 percent. Other regions, such as Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and rest of the world accounted for only less than two percent.

However, these three once small markets are going strong, and in 2011 are expected to account for 8.2 percent, 8.3 percent and 5 percent, respectively, according to ZenithOptimedia. Asia Pacific should remain flat at around 22 percent, while North America and Western Europe are both expected to lose significant share to 32.9 percent and 23.2 percent, respectively, according to the report, World Digital Media Trends 2009, released by SFN and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers.