Media consumption habits in 2022, Poland

A record-breaking year for the advertising industry

In 2022, the media market witnessed record investments in advertising purchases. The highest level of media expenditures in the history of Polish advertising reached 3 billion euros.

Despite the challenging economic and political situation, the growing trend was maintained. The internetexpanded and maintained its position as the leader, gaining a 48% share of advertising expenditures. The fastest growth was observed in video advertising, at 12.6%, followed by search advertising at 11.1%, and display advertising with a slower growth rate of 3%.

We observed a dynamic increase in the share of mobile in advertising expenditures (+14.3% compared to 2021). Television (38%) lost shares to the internet, outdoor advertising, and cinema. Cinema rebuilt its position from before the pandemic, increasing its share in the media mix to 1.2% (compared to 0.6% in 2021). Radio maintained a stable share at 6%. Outdoor advertising made a strong comeback (over 40%) after difficult pandemic years, especially with the new digital out-of-home (DOOH) format. In the traditional media segment, there was a growth of +23.3%, digital outdoor +63.1%, and city transport +35.3%. Overall, out-of-home advertising now accounts for 5% of advertising investments. Unfortunately, the press continues to decline, and its share in 2022 stands at 3%. 

The sector with the highest investment growth was Retail, with a +7.1% increase compared to 2021. The expenditure leaders in this sector were TERG (Media Expert), the Lidl network, and Euro-Net Warszawa. In the second position was the Pharmaceutical sector, with a growth rate of +9.3%. The expenditure leaders in this segment were Aflofarm, USP Zdrowie, and Natur Produkt Zdrovit. In the third position was the "Other" sector with a slight decrease of -0.3%. In this sector, there was a decline in advertising investments by social advertising, foundations, associations, and political institutions, but growth was observed in the building materials category. 

The sector with the largest decrease in investments was the Food sector, with a decline of -17.0%. The top three advertisers in this sector were Ferrero Polska, Nestle Polska, and Danone. 

Television still attractive but…

Television is experiencing a consistent downward trend in the amount of time dedicated to linear TV viewing. In 2020, there was a temporary increase associated with the pandemic. For the first time, the average daily TV viewing time fell below 4 hours. Declines in TV viewing time are noticeable across all age groups. 

The most significant trend is observed among the younger target groups. Even individuals in middle age watch TV slightly less. There is a decrease in TV viewing time even among the elderly, although their average daily time spent in front of the TV is still 6 hours and 45 minutes. 

In 2022, over 2.9 million TV commercials were aired, representing an 11% decrease compared to 2021. This decline is primarily attributed to legal restrictions on the airing of sponsor billboards. Thematic channels have been consistently attracting advertisers away from the main stations. In the past four years, thematic channels within the Polsat Group have experienced the highest growth. 

Radio is growing

Radio is the most stable medium in Poland in terms of listenership. Close to 90% of Poles, which is 25.9 million people, listen to the radio at least once a week. There is a noticeable increase in radio listening time during the holiday season, which is attributed to changes in how people spend their time (vacations, travel). On average, Poles listen to the radio for 4 hours and 14 minutes. Internet radio listenership is growing - there has been an increase of 158,000 listeners since last year. Every 10 minutes spent listening to the radio is now dedicated to online reception. 7% of Poles (A15+) listen to radio online on a daily basis. 7.4 million Internet users listen to podcasts.

The popularity of the crowdfunding model for financing audio projects among listener/fan communities is on the rise. Internet-based radio stations, such as Nowy Świat and 357, have achieved a strong position and sustain themselves through contributions from patrons. Radio 357 is the world's largest media project funded by the community!

We are witnessing a dynamic and revolutionary development of the audio ecosystem, encompassing radio, podcasts, audiobooks, and voice-first technology. It represents the emergence of the "Listener 2.0." Additionally, premium services are being introduced, following the model of SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) and pay-TV, offering enhanced audio experiences and content. 

Cinema is making a comeback

The pandemic, for obvious reasons, has had a particularly dramatic impact on cinema attendance. In 2019, 60 million tickets were sold, in 2020 only 19.5 million, in 2021: 22.2 million, in 2022: 42.5 million, and it is estimated to reach 50 million in 2023. Therefore, it is evident that this medium is regaining its reach. 

Being influential in shaping opinions

In the ranking of the top 15 most frequently cited media titles in Poland, print media consistently holds the largest share with 33%. Television accounts for 27% of the overall ranking. Internet portals and radio each hold a 20% share. According to a report by the Institute of Media Monitoring, among the top 10 most influential media outlets there are four print titles. The expenses of Poles on their favorite press titles amount to approximately 235 million euros. The attention of the audience is highly valued today and considering that 84% of readers spend at least 30 minutes a day reading the press, print media remains an engaging communication channel with the Polish population. 

Deeper and more

In the Polish online landscape, we continue to observe the same phenomena and trends, but the knowledge about them is deepening. These include: the prevalence of 'shit content,' increasing trust in user-generated content, the creation of useful and valuable content that brings something new to the discussed topic, the effectiveness of video content, the formation of closed communities centered around specific needs, the deepening personalization of marketing, a focus on fair and responsible marketing, and the rise of voice search, social commerce: the ability to make purchases from posts on brand or influencer pages on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok; through Marketplace tabs, and via influencers; silver commerce; purchase returns and rapid store feedback. 

The future has to be green

Awareness of the climate crisis is increasing among the media and clients. Questions or even expectations regarding the calculation of the carbon footprint generated by media and advertising campaigns are becoming popular. The green transformation aiming for climate neutrality in businesses and advertising campaigns is also approaching in our industry.