2010 is the year of a completely new age. It represents the year digital advertising will outpace print. Both Media Week and Wired had specifics to say about the prediction that digital would overtake print. The following is a quote from the Wired piece on the subject:

Out of their collective $368 billion budget for 2010, Outsell expects advertisers to spend 32.5 percent on digital advertisements, and only 30.3 percent on print — the first time digital would outsell print, and likely the last time the two sectors would cross paths unless some sort of cataclysmic event intervenes.

The $1,295 Outsell study (press release via Forbes) examined spending habits of 1,008 advertisers in December 2009, finding that online-ad spending will increase 9.6 percent in 2010. while overall marketing and advertising will increase too — but only by 1.2 percent. The news is also somewhat good for print magazines, which the study says will see ad spending increase 1.9 percent.

It's not that surprising. It's only been two years since online spending outpaced radio. There will continue to be an increased division in the amount of revenue gained from digital advertising versus print and static ads. And the methods for how digital is delivered are also expanding.

Digital is beginning to become innumerable as mobile phones, PDAs, digital out-of-home screens, and Internet devices like the PC and Apple's new iPad infiltrate the worlds in which we all live. Of course, I have to put a plug in here for digital sigange and place-based media. The growth of digital ads will be fueled--at least in part--by digital sign technologies. Ad revenues will also see an upswing as new developments like NEC's VUKUNET become more of a household name for OOH advertising and promotion.

I can see at least three reasons why signage will have a huge impact on digital eclipsing print. First, companies are looking for new ways of promotion that have a more measurable ROI. Web analytics has spoiled everyone. Secondly, they'll want more control over who, what where and when content is pushed to a potential buyer/customer. Finally, digital signage is becoming more affordable. Costs for digital signs have decreased substantially. This is due in part to the financial collapse and health competition between sign vendors.

According to the study, the whole pie advertising pie is only set to grow by a measly 1.2 percent. However, I am certain that as 2010 is the year of digital's takeover in advertising, digital signage and OOH will certainly play a role in the expansion.