Where advertising is likely to go next after the extraordinary impact of the Covid-19 crisis is the focus of a new report released on 16 July 2020 by the International News Media Association (INMA). ‘The “New Abnormal” of Media Advertising’ mashes together long-term trends in advertising and the peculiar circumstances surrounding today’s pandemic-fed lockdowns to project forward on what the next 18 months look like for news media companies. Notably, the new report identifies advertising opportunities in the downturn.
Based largely on the recent INMA Virtual World Congress, the INMA report looks at recovery models and advertising forecasts, a platform-by-platform examination into what is expected to happen in advertising, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for news publishers. Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Deloitte, and eMarketer are the featured forecasters.

Meanwhile, the 51-page INMA report shares advertising best practices from companies like Gannett, The Irish Times, Infoglobo, South China Morning Post, and Los Andes. Subjects range from partnerships to working with smaller businesses during the pandemic to team skills necessary to navigating the digital advertising landscape to thrive during the advertising transition.
Other subjects in the report include:
Compensations, quotas, focuses, and skills needed for salespeople.
Winners and losers in advertising categories.
Where advertising is headed with video, podcasts, television, mobile, and social media.
The role of trust and brand safety in advertising.
The impact of the pandemic
Discussing the pandemic’s influence on consumer and advertiser mindsets, “The ‘New Abnormal of Media Advertising” concludes that the road map to overcoming shrinkage in advertising footprint is to super-size and prove value in the downturn. To be agile in advertising creativity, diversity advertising, and sponsorship streams, and build real relationships with advertisers in a way, publishers have not done in the past.
The INMA report is available for free to INMA members and available to non-members for US$ 795 – which includes one year of association membership, all strategic reports, Webinars, and access to all INMA content and peer connection tools. The report may be downloaded or purchased at www.inma.org/reports.
The International News Media Association (INMA) is a global community of market-leading news media companies reinventing how they engage audiences and grow revenue in a multi-platform environment. The INMA community consists of more than 13,000 members at 850+ news media companies in 70 countries. Celebrating its 90th anniversary, INMA is a news media industry ideas-sharing network with members connected via conferences, reports, Webinars, virtual meetings, and an unparalleled archive of best practices.