The COVID-19 outbreak is upsetting the economy in numerous ways, and eMarketer’s revised forecast estimates the outcome for the advertising industry this year if the virus is able to be contained in the coming months.
The estimated drop in expected spending from 7.4% down to 7% is not significant, in part because the majority of ad spending takes place in the later part of the year as brands gear up for the holidays, per eMarketer. If the virus is contained by Q3 and stores reopen, letting people begin to leave their homes again and events to return, then the industry could avoid major losses.
