The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) just released Q1 revenue numbers for advertising online which showed a 5% decline over the same period in 2008.  At $55 Billion in advertising revenue for Q1 2009, the amount is equal to 2007 revenue numbers. “Interactive advertising has taken its rightful place as a fixture on marketing plans across sectors, which means we aren’t immune to broader economic trends,” said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB.

David Silverman, PricewaterhouseCoopers Assurance partner, stated “Current economic conditions are clearly challenging … nonetheless, interactive media continues to consume a larger piece of the overall advertising pie.” According to the growth rates of advertising display mediums, internet display ads were growing at 7% year over year from 2007 to 2008 while all other mediums (radio, newspaper, magazine, outdoor, etc) were shrinking, except for television which grew at a modest 2%.