LONDON: Marketers remained generally optimistic in January, according to the latest data from Warc's Global Marketing Index (GMI), although there was a slight decline from the high seen at the end of last year.
The headline GMI figure, which takes into account marketers' expectations for trading conditions and staffing levels as well as marketing budgets, slipped back 0.7 percentage points to 57.9 from 58.6 in December, on a scale where values above 50 indicate a positive trend.
The decline in the global headline figure was largely due to a fall in optimism about current trading conditions in the Americas: the reading for this measure dropped 5.3 points to 57.0 in January. Consequently, the headline GMI for the region declined 2.3 points to 56.5.
Europe's headline GMI also fell from a two-year high of 59.1 in December to 58.7 in January. Asia Pacific, however, resumed its upward trend, rising 0.5 points to 57.7.
Readings for marketing budgets, one of the three components of headline GMI, declined globally in January, but still registered an expected increase in expenditure. The global reading on this metric fell to 56.1, down 1.2 points from an all-time high of 57.3 in December.
January's results suggest, however, that marketers in Asia Pacific are set to raise marketing spend more than at any other time in the last two years, with the region registering a value of 56.7 (an uptick of 1.5 points month-on-month).
The outlook in other regions was less bright, however, as the index of marketing budgets fell by 2.4 points to 54.0 in the Americas and by of 2.2 points to 56.5 in Europe.
Despite the sharp fall in the index for trading conditions in the Americas, the global outlook on this metric remained strong at 60.9. Optimism is highest in Europe, which reported a 62.7 point index value for January, followed by Asia Pacific on 62.5.
Suzy Young, Data and Journals Director at Warc, said: "The latest data are encouraging for the global marketing industry – particularly with regard to Europe and Asia Pacific. Positivity is also pronounced in the Americas, making for a bright 2014."
The headline GMI figure, which takes into account marketers' expectations for trading conditions and staffing levels as well as marketing budgets, slipped back 0.7 percentage points to 57.9 from 58.6 in December, on a scale where values above 50 indicate a positive trend.
The decline in the global headline figure was largely due to a fall in optimism about current trading conditions in the Americas: the reading for this measure dropped 5.3 points to 57.0 in January. Consequently, the headline GMI for the region declined 2.3 points to 56.5.
Europe's headline GMI also fell from a two-year high of 59.1 in December to 58.7 in January. Asia Pacific, however, resumed its upward trend, rising 0.5 points to 57.7.
Readings for marketing budgets, one of the three components of headline GMI, declined globally in January, but still registered an expected increase in expenditure. The global reading on this metric fell to 56.1, down 1.2 points from an all-time high of 57.3 in December.
January's results suggest, however, that marketers in Asia Pacific are set to raise marketing spend more than at any other time in the last two years, with the region registering a value of 56.7 (an uptick of 1.5 points month-on-month).
The outlook in other regions was less bright, however, as the index of marketing budgets fell by 2.4 points to 54.0 in the Americas and by of 2.2 points to 56.5 in Europe.
Despite the sharp fall in the index for trading conditions in the Americas, the global outlook on this metric remained strong at 60.9. Optimism is highest in Europe, which reported a 62.7 point index value for January, followed by Asia Pacific on 62.5.
Suzy Young, Data and Journals Director at Warc, said: "The latest data are encouraging for the global marketing industry – particularly with regard to Europe and Asia Pacific. Positivity is also pronounced in the Americas, making for a bright 2014."
Data sourced from Warc
