Flat is the new up: after a sharp downturn, consumer ad outlays have stabilized. Advertisers are spending again, but with budgets under pressure, they're seeking deals, and amid thinning pipelines, they're supporting mature blockbusters later in their lifecycles. Matthew Arnold reports on the trends

Just a few years ago, the news that pharma ad spend was up a mere 2% would have been greeted with horror in adland. But that was before--before a dizzying [...]