UK marketing industry sees renewed confidence

According to the new European Market Eye report from the industry’s specialist recruitment consultancy Aquent, the marketing and design industry in the UK is seeing strong signs of renewed confidence – which is great news for marketing contractors.

The survey of marketers as well as advertising, design and digital agencies found that three in five organisations predict a rise in staff. The number of organisations increasing pay rates looks set to double throughout the remainder of 2010, with 32% expecting rises over the next six months compared to just 16% over the last half year. The digital sector seems to be leading the way in this recovery, with 45% of digital agencies expecting to boost pay rates. Almost two thirds (60%)of organisations reported an increase in staff, and a massive 80% are predicting a further rise, indicating a very strong first half year performance in the sector.

Commenting on these findings, Aquent’s UK Regional Director, Peter Geary, stated, “The UK marketing and design sector was hit hard by the global downturn and after 18 months of little hiring across the industry, we’re certainly now seeing signs of recovery and the market ‘hotting up’. It is especially interesting to see the boom in opportunities for the digital sector as web 2.0 becomes an increasingly important tool for businesses looking for new ways to engage with their customers. It is very reassuring to see these measurable signs of confidence returning and companies beginning to plan for the future again.”

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