UK: ADVERTISING BY DOT.COMS AT RECORD HIGH

Research by AC Nielsen/MMS/Zenith Media has revealed that advertising by dot.com companies and the e-commerce departments of traditional companies increased to a record high of GB[pound] 71mn in May, a rise of GB[pound] 10mn from April. However Zenith Media has warned that this figure could be misleading, with much advertising being pre-booked months in advance, meaning that the collapse of boo.com in May, and its consequent ramifications on the dot.com sector, is probably not reflected in these figures. Dot.com companies spent GB[pound] 25mn in May The largest e-commerce advertisers were Easier.co.uk, Cellnet, Travelstore.com, Natwest's banking arm and Freeserve.