This document is a product of INITIATIVE

In putting together the Media Fact Book we have used data and information supplied by: Romanian Transmedia
Audit Bureau (BRAT), Kantar Media, International Advertising Association (IAA), Interactive Advertising Bureau
(IAB), The National Institute of Statistics (INSSE), Gemius AdReal data, The Romanian Association for Audience
Measurement (ARMA), The Romanian Association for Radio Audience Measurement (ARA), Global Web Index,
eCommerce Awards Gala (GPeC), Eurostat, Statista, The National Authority for Management and Regulation in
Communications (ANCOM), The Internet Traffic Audience Study (SATI), ISense Solutions omnibus, Business
Monitor International, Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Acknowledgements to the following members of the INITIATIVE team who significantly contributed to this book:

Alexandra Olteanu, Ruxandra {tefan, Ruxandra Stan, Ana Andrei, Andreea Dinescu, Corina Burlan,
Denisa Andrei, R`zvan Simionescu, Cosmin O]el, Alexandru Toreanik, C`t`lina Ghi]`, Alexandru Miu,
Daniel Popescu
Special contributors:

• Oana Osman – Founding Member and Deputy Editor in Chief at Profit.ro

• Maria Pop, Marina Constanda – Golin

• Silviu Antohe, Alina Georgescu, Ana Gheorghe – Mullen Lowe

• Nicoleta Grigoriu

© INITIATIVE MEDIA S.A, Bucharest, 2022 All rights reserved

This publication is protected by copyright. No parts of this book may be reproduced without the prior
written consent of the copyright owner.

Readers should understand that the data contained in the Media Fact Book is as actual and accurate as the
sources could provide at the moment the book was written.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome as a valuable input for the future editions of this book.

2
3
Content
Editor’s Foreword.....................................................................07
Romanian Economic Outlook...............................09
Consumer Insights.................................................................15
Media Market..............................................................................19
Television..........................................................................................37
Digital Media............................................................................... 61
OOH.......................................................................................................79
Radio.......................................................................................................87
Print.........................................................................................................95
List of abbreviations............................................................98

5
Editor’s FOREWORD
Each passing year accelerates transformations
that were once expected to happen at the speed
of a generation.
In the last two years we moved from pandemic
& quarantine to holiday relaxation and
surprising growth and then in an instant, we got
back to war & inflation.
This roller-coaster between agony and ecstasy
puts incredible pressure both on companies
and individual consumers – generally on all
decision-making structures and entities for
which predictability has become a luxury.
Disruptive forces abound in today’s business
environment. It’s therefore no surprise that our
industry strives to remain proactive – we had
to deal with so many cascading crises in the
last decade and now we know how to tailor
our approach to budget cuts, or to overcome
large inflations, or to act swiftly when is a
sold‑out situation. We are resilient when seeing
viewership or audiences decrease and eventually
remain flexible in front of an unpredictable
resultant between the consequences of a close
war and a general recession.
Flexibility and adaptability have become the
most used currency as this period forces us to
shift our mindset and embrace change.
Like any other business connected to people’s
state-of-mind, advertising has one very difficult
task: to catch this sinusoidal trend and navigate
with it at the speed of change.
We invite you to read our latest report having
in mind that we take the uncertainty as the
key to unlocking opportunity to be even more
prudent, agile, and quick-sighted to all the
transformations across our industry.
7
Romanian
Economic
Outlook
ROMANIAN ECONOMIC
OUTLOOK
THE ECONOMY IS JUGGLING BETWEEN
CRISES. INFLATION, THE TOUGHEST
OBSTACLE
Overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic (at
least the acute phase) had also ignited for
the economy the hopes of a rapid exit from
the crisis in 2022. The resumption of most of
the activities without restrictions, the return
of consumers and investors’ confidence gave
reasons for such hopes in the markets which,
after the slowdown in the health crisis, counted
fewer victims in the total of bankruptcies or
insolvencies than they initially feared. Also
owing to the massive stimulus and aid programs
launched by governments.
In these “saving” stimulus packages, however,
the germs of the future crisis have also grown,
as they have been added to other packages
launched in previous years, with huge amounts
of money printed and thrown into the markets
by central banks, in the most relaxed monetary
period in history.
On such ground, economics textbooks have
always said that nothing, but inflation can
rise. A threat that politicians, economists
and monetary deciders refused to believe
it is possible anymore, although its signs
had long hovered in most states. Since last
summer, energy and raw materials prices
have skyrocketed, leading to higher prices in
industrial production and then in consumer
prices. The central banks, for which such
developments usually light up the red button
of the need to reverse the relaxed policy, have
decreed: that it is something transitory! There is
no reason to believe that we will have persistent
10
inflation. After a few months they had to admit
it: we were wrong! We will have high inflation
many years from now on.
On the already blazing fire of inflation (in
excessively stimulated demand), all that was
left was for someone to add fuel to the fire into
the supply area as well. Vladimir Putin did it,
by invading Ukraine. The war has brought
new pressures on the supply and on the prices
of energy, fuels and other raw materials, while
the sanctions already imposed on Russia, along
with those additionally prepared, herald difficult
times for the supply of gas, oil and fuels in
Europe. Dark clouds are also hovering over the
food markets, with Ukraine, one of the largest
grain producers and exporters, including in poor
African states, being under bombardment and
having its ports blocked.
THE ERA OF CHEAP MONEY IS OVER
The skeleton in the cupboard – inflation – has
begun to roam all over the world, rising to levels
that developed countries have not encountered
in decades. We have now the highest inflation
in the last 50 years in Germany and price
increases that have not been seen since the
70s of the last century in the United States!
Central banks have given up on their goggles
and admitted that interest rates, which have
so far been at historic lows, even at negative
levels, should start to rise again. In the US,
Fed has already done so and announced similar
future steps. In the EU, the European Central
Bank has so far only given signals that change is
inevitable.
In our region, neighboring states have already
raised key interest rates above 5%, and in
Bucharest, the NBR reached to 3.75% in just
a few steps, with the indication that further
increases will follow, which analysts see up to
6% or more.
A by-the-book tool for tempering inflation,
rising interest rates inevitably strikes elsewhere:
in economic growth, threatened by rising
financing prices, with risks of directing more
vulnerable economies even towards recession,
and with pessimistic prospects for the stock
markets that had flourished during the cheap
money period.
Romania, with a somewhat more recent
memory, from the 90s, about what
hyperinflation can mean, has a whole generation
of young people who, in the last 15 years, have
not seen double-digit inflation. They feel it this
year and have little chance of seeing significant
changes in the coming year.
The National Bank of Romania has corrected
the inflation forecast from 9.6% to 12.5% at the
end of 2022 and from 3.2% to 6.7% by the end
of 2023. Inflation has already reached 13.8% in
April compared to 10.2% in March, the highest
level since January 2004. Inflation is expected
to accelerate further by June, followed by a
gradual deceleration. Core inflation, which is
closely watched by the central bank, is expected
to contribute with 6.7 percentage points to this
year’s rate and 3 points to the next.
Behind these figures, there is an increase in
production and energy costs, including fuels,
which has begun to spread to the rest of the
economy, faster than the NBR itself anticipated.
“We were all amazed when we saw how much
production prices have increased, which are
behind consumer prices”, said the Governor of
the National Bank of Romania, Mugur Is`rescu.
In March, industrial production prices increased
by 52% compared to the previous year, the
increase only for the domestic market being
68%.
The current forecast is based on the assumption
that the war in Ukraine will have stronger
effects this year, which will be reabsorbed next
year, that a medium-term easing of the energy
market will follow, but also that it will have a
significant short-term impact on the production
chains.
PRESSURES FOR THE DEPRECIATION OF
THE ROMANIAN LEU
In all this context, one thing has remained
relatively stable – the exchange rate – thanks to
the interventions of the Central Bank, which
has already accustomed the markets to the
concern for the stability of the leu. However,
the pressures for depreciation remain strong,
and will even increase in the next period. The
economic analysts gathered in CFA Romania
anticipate in a proportion of 82% a depreciation
of the leu in the next 12 months. The average
value of expectations for the 6-month horizon
is 5.0048 lei per euro while for the 12-month
horizon the average value of the anticipated
exchange rate is 5.0584 lei per euro, compared
to levels that do not exceed the threshold of 5
lei/euro in present.
The depreciation is inevitable, even if it will
be mitigated by the interventions of the NBR,
also given the problems of the country’s external
balance, with a current account that accelerates
its deficit, located last year at 7% of GDP.
Romania fails to escape the trap of twin deficits,
the current account adding to the deepening gap
between the state budget income and receipts.
For 2022, the state budget deficit is expected
by analysts to rise to almost 7% of GDP, a
worsening outlook for the 6.2% forecast at the
end of the first quarter.
For Romania’s major fiscal problem, 2022 will
not bring any solution. The plan to reduce the
deficit to 3%, from almost 7%, remains a utopia
for a long time to come.
A vulnerability that investors already feel and
for which the state is already paying very much.
Romania’s long-term interest rate has risen
sharply in the last year, from just 3% to 8%, a
level unprecedented in the last 10 years and
the highest in the European Union. In fact, the
Romanian state borrows at the same cost as for
a personal loan taken by an individual. Which
says a lot about the level of risk perceived by the
markets regarding the fiscal situation.
Rising interest rates are global, natural on
the one hand, in the context of inflationary
pressures. The problem, however, is in
what situation such developments find you.
For Romania, the situation is vulnerable, due to
major macroeconomic imbalances.
State debt, one of the few indicators on which
we were doing well compared to the rest of
Europe, thanks to the legacy of a zero level after
the fall of communism, exceeded 50% of GDP.
And further growth will be even faster because
of the large deficits that have to be covered
year after year. While interest rates are rising,
we will become more and more dependent on
loans as long as, for the state budget, for every
4 lei collected from taxes and other incomes,
another leu must be borrowed to cover the total
scheduled expenses and another leu to pay the
loans taken in the past that reach maturity.
INCREASING RISK OF TAXES AND DUTIES
When the state has financing problems and
shows no willingness to reduce its spending
or make reforms, the business environment
knows what it risks in the future: tax increases.
Fiscal instability and uncertainty are becoming
increasingly worrying issues. The idea of
renouncing the single income tax rate has
returned to the discourse of the PSD politicians,
who are in the governing coalition, and the
rejection of the idea by the PNL partners has
not been firm so far.
The future of tax incentives enjoyed by special
sectors – IT&C and construction – as well as
micro-enterprises – remains in question. The
only promise of stability, also a questionable
one, does not extend beyond the end of the year
until the coalition politicians have claimed that
no tax increases will be applied.
The budget imbalance is not the only one that
is getting worse. There is a deepening chasm
in the country’s foreign trade. After already
bad data in the first two months, the current
account deficit of the balance of payments
deepened at the end of the first quarter to 4.7
billion euros, from 2.7 billion euros in the same
period in 2021. The main cause: international
trade, where the deficit (the difference between
imports and exports) increased from EUR 5.1
billion to EUR 6.6 billion.
As if it was not enough, the balance of primary
income (which includes income from labor,
financial investments, taxes, and subsidies,
including those from the EU), which usually
help, has shifted from a net surplus to a deficit.
THE IT&C AND TRANSPORT SECTORS, THE
ONLY ONES THAT STILL BALANCE THE
EXTERNAL STABILITY
The only balance where we are still doing well,
in surplus, even with an increase of 3%, to EUR
2.2 billion euros, is the balance of services. In
fact, the surplus in lohn and transports, but also
in IT&C, is growing, while tourism expenses
outside the country have grown much faster
than the currency spent by foreign tourists in
the country.
The growth of the IT&C sector in recent
years in terms of importance in balancing
the payments is impressive, being close to
surpassing transports, the main engine. Thus,
IT&C exports increased by a quarter in the last
year to 1.9 billion euros (compared to 15% for
transports) and the surplus increased by 22% to
1.1 billion euros.
Rebalancing external exchanges will be
difficult in the future. Not only because the
fundamentals of the domestic economy,
which produces less than we consume and is
insufficiently competitive for larger exports,
remains unreformed. But also because, in turn,
the external partners to whom we want to sell
what we produce, have their own difficulties
in the economy. Germany, Romania’s main
trading partner and the EU’s strongest economy,
sees not only its inflation exploding, but also
its economy slowing and consumer confidence
declining.
In fact, across the Union, consumer confidence
measured by the European Commission’s surveys
remained at its lowest level since the start of
the COVID-19 crisis. Such low levels have
only been seen during recessions over the past
40 years, which provides a bleak outlook on
consumption in the coming months, analysts
predicted.
In Romania, consumer confidence has not
been measured for several years. It is, however,
measured by the confidence among companies,
where things looked surprisingly good even after
the start of the war in Ukraine. However, we
have an economy dependent on developments
at the European level, especially in the
manufacturing sector, and analysts expect the
situation of European companies to worsen.
However, things are different in each sector. The
services sector is still enjoying the reopening of
businesses, while the industry suffers from high
energy prices and problems in supply chains, and
large stocks in some areas could exacerbate the
economy’s ongoing decline.
FIRST QUARTER SURPRISE:
A GDP GROWTH (ESTIMATED) ALMOST
TOO GOOD TO BE CREDIBLE
In the whole picture full of gloomy evolutions
and forecasts, surprisingly good news comes
from the National Institute of Statistics (NIS).
Far from all analysts’ estimates and reviews of
international financial institutions and the
European Commission, the NIS announces
that the Romanian economy increased in the
first three months by 5.2% in quarterly terms
(compared to the fourth quarter of last year),
the largest advance in the EU, and by 6.5%
in annual terms (compared to the first quarter
of 2021), the seventh largest advance in the
Union.
The data is only a general signal estimate,
which could be revised on June 8, when details
of economic evolution will also be available.
However, there were hopes in the market, that
the economic activity would be less affected
by the accumulation of crises, and in the
Government, that the huge budget deficit would
look a little less bad reported as a percentage of
a higher GDP, and the pressure to adjust public
spending will be lower. The current draft budget
was built on an estimated economic growth of
only 4.6%.
Whether the optimistic estimate of the NIS will
also be confirmed remains to be seen. Official
statisticians have announced the new Q1 figures
by radically changing, with recalculations, the
previously announced data for the last three
quarters of last year. We now learn that in Q4
2021 we had a growth of 1% over Q3, not a
decrease of 0.1% as NIS estimated. In contrast,
for Q3 in 2021, the estimated advance of 0.4%
turned into a decrease of 2.9%, and for Q2 the
increase of 1.6% was recalculated upwards, to
3.3%.
Extremely good estimates for the first quarter of
this year, which also include March, when the
conflict in Ukraine began, are far from market
expectations. BCR economists even estimated
a 0.1% decrease in the economy in the first 3
months compared to the previous quarter and an
increase of only 2.4% in annual terms, and ING
saw a modest quarterly advance of 0.2% and
an increase of only 2.1% in annual terms. The
NBR also saw moderate growth, as international
institutions had also revised downwards their
outlook.
RESISTANCE IN CONSTRUCTION AND
COMMERCE
Where can the surprising growth come from,
and what prospects remain for the rest of
the year, when the effects of war will be felt
more obviously? In January and February,
before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, industrial
production advanced significantly, especially
in the manufacturing industry. The external
demand had also recovered, and the increase in
construction works and the number of permits
issued had overlapped.
Since March, however, the situation has
notably deteriorated. Industrial production
decreased in March based on the collapse of
the manufacturing sector, but for the entire first
quarter, sequential growth improved to 2.5%,
from 1.3% in the fourth quarter of last year.
Building permits increased by 2.7% in the first
quarter compared to the same period last year,
after the volume of projects rose by 8.4% on
the gross series (5.9% on the net) in January-
February.
Commerce turnover also increased by 5.5%
per gross series (8% on the net) in the first
quarter, mainly due to the increase in sales of
non-food products and fuel. However, compared
to last year, there was a basic effect due to
the restrictions lifting for businesses and the
population.
In Romania, industry and commerce (including
transport and storage) each contribute one-
fifth to the GDP formation, being the most
important categories of resources. Constructions,
IT&C, real estate transactions and business
services have a contribution of 6-7 percentage
points each, and the public sector one of almost
14, while net taxes still represent about 10%. By
use, consumption accounts for almost 80% of
GDP (70% population, 10% state), investment
almost 25%, stocks variation about 2%, while
net export is negative at about 6%.
OPTIMISTIC PERSPECTIVES FOR
PANDEMIC VICTIMS: HORECA AND
TRANSPORT
The forecasts for the next period are constantly
revised in the context of the conflict in Ukraine
and the sanctions imposed on Russia, which
amplify the effects of the energy crisis and the
blockages in supply chains, that have already
been triggered.
However, a positive factor is also anticipated
by the National Forecast Commission: the
mitigation of the pandemic crisis, followed by
the elimination of restrictions in March and
the increase in population mobility. This brings
better expectations for the most affected sectors
during the pandemic: HoReCa and transport.
The risk of a new wave, in the autumn, or of
new virus mutations has not disappeared, but
the possible impact on economic activity is
greatly diminished compared to previous years.
Estimates remain above-average for
constructions and other services, given that the
forecasting commission, like many companies in
the market, puts its hopes in the incentives that
the implementation of the National Recovery
and Resilience Program (PNRR) will bring.
However, its start was greatly delayed. Although
4 billion euros of those allocated to Romania
have already entered the NBR’s accounts, not a
single euro has yet been used for several months,
until the end of May, although other European
states have already begun to spend on concrete
projects.
The absorption of European funds is also greatly
delayed in the operational programs, for which,
after years of delays, a release is expected only at
the end of June. The risk of losing the allocated
funds is significant, so hopes of supporting the
economy from EU sources remain low this year
as well.
PRESSURES IN THE LABOR MARKET
In the labor market, inflation will put even more
pressure on salaries. The Forecast Commission
estimates an increase in the average gross
salary by 9.7% in 2022, up to 6,120 lei, and an
increase in the number of employees by 1.6%,
while for self-employed workers it is expected
to be a slight decrease, given the uncertainties
regarding the dynamics of the economy.
Unemployment will continue to fall to 5.4% at
the end of this year. Salary increases continued
until March, with the average net salary rising
by 11% compared to March 2021, slightly
above the annual inflation rate at the end of the
month, of 10.2%.
For the private sector, only a moderate
increase in salaries is expected this year,
given that companies will feel the pressure of
production costs and in the budgetary sector the
government will not be able to afford to operate
increases as in other years, due to budgetary
constraints.
Companies in areas where staff is hard to find
will have greater pressures on salaries. Workforce
shortages have continued to accelerate, and
employment intentions have also increased
(especially in trade and services), probably
due to the lifting of mobility restrictions, but
the data remains significantly below the years
before the COVID-19 pandemic. Job vacancies
increased by 1,700 to 47,300 in the first quarter
of this year compared to the last three months
of last year, to the highest level since the start of
the pandemic.
Consumer
Insights
THE CONSUMER
A constant flow of changes, a permanent
need to adjust to a new reality and an intense
desire to escape from the pessimist pandemic
perspectives have made 2021 a year of
acceptance and agility for each of us. The
challenges of living in interesting times became
even more acute in the beginning of 2022 when
the longest peace in history has been interrupted
abruptly, so close to Romania.
Jumping from crisis to crisis, all this in the 24h
news circle helped train all our adaptability
skills and made us more resilient. From the
anxiety of breaking news to the escapism of
lifestyle content and travel plans, 2021 and
2022 are painting the picture of a society torn
between personal wellbeing and the greater
good of everyone else.
Between carpe diem and saving for the
rainy days
The major change in overall perception is
the main concern we register in society, with
the pandemic considered under control the
economy is becoming top priority. The winter
2021-2022 Eurobarometer shows 48% of
Romanians consider cost of living as the biggest
concern. This represents a 14% increase from
last year. The cost of energy, the impact of
inflation and the rise in everyday spending have
pushed health to the second place in terms of
preoccupations, with only 22% of Romanians
highlighting it.
Another concern that is becoming more acute
for all segments of the population is the state of
the environment. According to a GWI custom
study 44,5% of the online population considers
the situation will get worse. The percentage has
constantly increased over the last three years,
reaching a new high in 2021.
Online research published by iSense Solutions
for the period between 13-17 May 2022 registers
an increase of the Consumer Stress Score,
the main concern highlighted by 80% of the
respondents being the rising prices, followed
in short distance by the mistrust in public
authorities. This contributes to an overall sense
of insecurity and short-term plans.
This new reality is managed differently by
each generation, while older people are more
open to reducing consumption as a way of
managing economic difficulties (71%), the
younger segment are less likely to support this
type of change and prefer to ask for a bigger
salary (58%), according to a Reveal Marketing
Research study conducted in April 2022.
The you only live once feeling is competing
with the uncertainty of tomorrow, thus making
each decision much more difficult. Some
industries are the clear beneficiaries of this
context, travel (local and abroad) in particular,
restaurants and entertainment. The National
Institute of Statistics registers a 55.6% increase
in overnight stays in March 2022 in comparison
to March 2021. Festivals are going through
a major revival in 2022 with a nation-wide
coverage.
Once in a lifetime challenge
While the economy, both local and global, has
built up as a constant and long-lasting worrying
factor, the real disruptor came in the beginning
of 2022. What started as an intense, but short
termed factor of stress, is becoming a defining
element of the mid- and long-term perspectives.
The consequences of the war in vicinity are
starting to be felt in the supply chain, work force
and redistribution of public investments.
GWI has released a custom study for Romanian
audiences after the start of the war and found
out that over 65% of the online population is
extremely fearful for the country in the regional
 context. 76% of them are worried about the finances, while 64% see a direct involvement in
impact to the national economy, 73,4% are the war as a possible impact for the country.
extremely concerned about their personal

Concerns for own country

90%
All 16-64 y.o. 16-34 y.o. 35-54 y.o. 55+ y.o.
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Economy Impact on Country being Country's Impact on Financial cost Threat of Impact on Impact of Threat Not doing Refugees Your country
cost of living directly supply people's of supporting nuclear business in sanctions of enough to needing to using nuclear
involved of oil/gas mental the conflict attack your country on your cyber-attack support settle in weapons
in fighting health country the conflict your country
Source: GWI, Online population

This new reality is having profound of social change. The audience expects brands
consequences on the state of mind of the to act as responsible public actors, to get
audience, 62% considering the media coverage involved and make their views known. After
of the conflict as responsible for a more pessimist international organizations and governments,
mood and overall negative state of mind. brands should do more in moments of great
difficulties. The banking sector is considered
The lessons learned in the pandemic play an
a top source of support by 66.7% of the online
important role in adapting to the challenges
population, according to the GWI post war
brought by 2022, 77.6% of the online
study. Big corporations and regular brands
population considers being financially secure as
come in close seconds with 65.4% and 59.7%
a top priority. This was reflected directly in the
of the audience expecting a change in business
post-conflict behavior when 53% of the internet
behavior in moments of disruption. Silence and
users decided to cut back on the monthly
inaction are not considered valid options for a
spending.
brand in the face of public concern.
Owning a car remains one of the major reasons a
We have reached a new high in terms of
Romanian family is willing to spend. According
internet penetration with 88% of the population
to APIA, the number of new cars registered in
having access to online services. This reality
the first five month of 2022 increased with 33%,
is made possible due to the high percentage of
in comparison with the same period of 2021.
users accessing the internet via mobile phones
While registrations for used cars slowed down,
93.6%.
this increase is based on the rapid penetration of
more ecofriendly options. The digitalization process is changing the
way people stay informed, the way brands
Being part of a community and showing
communicate and the way everyone remains
solidarity with a greater cause determined an
connected to society. Technology and the
important part of the population to use social
possibility to reach every audience in the right
media for sharing support (36.5%), donate
context created a wave of digital campaigns
(31.6%) or respond to brand campaigns
designed to optimize and complete the
dedicated to the new reality (32.5%).
established media channels. More and more of
A continuous post pandemic trend we see the impactful communication has a digital first
growing and becoming more visible in the approach: from breaking news in mobile apps
consumers behavior is the attitude towards to online live events and the power of search
brands and how they should act in the presence engines in influencing the way we access goods
 and services, all in a growing trend of always on TV is still king, and this is proven by the spikes
connectivity. in ratings when information is necessary to
give a sense of control and security. With each
Brands, people, and institutions are all active
pandemic wave and most recently with the war,
online, ready to spend time and money in order
Romanians of all ages choose to watch more
to gain relevance and build long term success.
TV for reliable information, trusted opinions,
and live updates. For a more complete context
Trust matters the internet users reached for more sources,
social media 56.3%, family and friends 63.2%,
We can easily say the changes brought to us in digital news platforms and apps 50.4%. In a very
the pandemic are here to stay. The constant close second to governments, TV news (local
rise of ecommerce, the hybrid work and digital and international) are considered to be the
connectivity are defining the way Romanians trustworthy source of information in moments of
stay informed, entertained, and close to family crises like the Ukraine war.
and friends.
Video, and especially live content on Facebook
The two major events that marked the last few and YouTube is preferred as information source
years and that will continue to impact hearts for a mobile first and on the move type of
and minds have showed us the importance of audience.
trust, credibility, and reputation.

Which are the most trustworthy sources of information about the conflict?
60%
All 16-64 y.o. 16-34 y.o. 35-54 y.o. 55+ y.o.
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Government News National International Social Media Video platforms Radio news Conversations Radio talk Online forums Newspapers Online blogs Podcasts
updates websites/apps TV news TV news with family/ shows
friends

Source: GWI, Online population

Staying connected to family, friends and of being in contact with friends and family
information has been and continues to be a (98.1%), shop (40.4%) and have fun (39.5%),
solution for stressful times. The average time according to the GWI online population study.
spent daily on social media platforms remains Finding refuge and support in technology
constant for the last three years, 2022 not represents a major breakthrough for the post
showing any signs of a change in pattern. pandemic society. We see this happening in
social initiatives, community building and
One medium that is proving to be growing each informal leaders becoming relevant voices for
year are podcasts, online users have declared an multiple causes.
average 40 min daily usage in 2021. This shows
an openness to new formats, in depth content Society has come to a point where personal
development and the relevance of mobile first stories are being written with a background of
accessibility. breaking news, economic uncertainties, and
constant changes. Being more aware than ever
Even if there were not any major restriction of this duality of existence, we all have learned
on movement in 2021, people kept using to adapt faster, to become more resilient and to
technology and all things digital as a way look for meaning in every decision.
Media
Market
THE TOTAL MEDIA
MARKET IN 2021
MEDIA MARKET ON A STRONG DYNAMIC TREND DESPITE THE PANDEMIC
In 2021, the second year of the pandemic, the
media market showed a very dynamic recovery
(+26%) at 601M euro. The exceptional
development was triggered by less mobility
restrictions for the population and fluid
economic activity, as most of the business
sectors have been operating normally. The
vaccination campaign was impactful in urban
areas and people resumed their socializing and
travel habits early in the year.

Chart 01: 2017-2022 ESTIMATED TOTAL NET AD-SPEND BY MEDIA (Million Euro)

700 Total net ad-spend evolution (Million EUR)

640
601
600

500 480 476

454
412
400

300

200

100

0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 estimate
Source: Initiative estimates

Digital kept its very high dynamics (+56%)
as the digitalization process boost started in
2020 was further sustained in 2021 with an
increasing mobile consumption, and social and
e-commerce continuing to have important
roles in the day-by-day life at national level.
Digital reached at the end of 2021 an estimated
186M euro representing 31% of the total media
market.
TV channels, on the other hand, faced quite
a challenging time as TV audience evolution
resumed the traditional year-on-year downtrend
(-8% avg. rating vs 2020), while most marketing
budgets recovered, increasing the air-time
demand throughout the entire year and putting
a severe pressure on the available TV inventory.
By the end of the year, the estimated net net
TV market increased by 16% at 350M euro and
representing 58% of the net media market.
After being seriously affected in 2020 by the
lockdown and severe mobility restrictions, both
OOH (+23%) and Radio (+21%) recovered
significantly in 2021 in terms of net advertising
revenues. OOH gathered 30M euro and Radio
29M euro, each representing 5% of the net
media market. Print was the only industry with
a flat evolution at 6.2M euro and only 1% media
market share.
 Chart 02: 2017-2022 MARKET MEDIA MIX (NET PAID AD-SPEND)

2022 EST 55% 35% 5% 5% 1%

2021 58% 31% 5% 5% 1%

2020 63% 25% 5% 5% 1%

2019 64% 21% 7% 6% 3%

2018 66% 19% 7% 6% 3%

2017 66% 18% 7% 6% 3%

30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Source: Initiative estimates TV Digital OOH Radio Print

For 2022 we expect the economy to still have will accelerate the transition to renewable
the potential to grow despite the geo-political energy production and use, which will boost the
crisis in the region generated by the Ukraine development of some economic sectors.
war and the high inflation which is already
Our current estimation is that the total media
affecting EU countries. The growth factors could
market will reach 640M euro by the end of
be the implementation of the PNRR program
2022, with a growth for Digital (+20%) and
with access to the allocated European funds and
flat evolution for TV, Radio and Print and a
the crediting of the economy. As the pandemic
marginal increase for OOH (+7%).
has accelerated digitalisation, the energy crisis

2021 TOP MEDIA INVESTORS: POSITIVE EVOLUTION FOR TOP 10 SECTORS, RETAIL TAKES
LEADERSHIP AS LIFE GRADUALLY EMBRACED NORMALITY
The pandemic restrictions were less dramatic
in 2021, which set the ground for increased
consumption as gradually people started to
commute, go out, and travel more often for
business or for leisure.
By the end of 2021, the top 3 investing sectors
in media were Retail representing 20% of
the estimated total net market, overtaking
Healthcare (17%) which was the leader in the
pandemic peak year 2020. Food & Beverages
(15%) was stable on the third place as family
health and household supply remained top
priorities for every adult in the country.
Net media investments continued to show a
positive evolution for sectors initially favored by
the sanitary crisis impact on our lifestyle such as
Bets & Gambling (+105%), while E-commerce
(+30%), Telecommunications (+4%) continued
to grow as the digitalization process continued,
but at with a slower pace compared to the
previous year.
As expected, the Financial Services (+58%)
increases significantly as the need for highly
digitalized services kept banks in a high
competition in their attempt to defend their
customer base and win new clients.
In 2021 the Energy (+28%) sector entered top
10 overtaking Automotive, being pushed up
by the positive dynamics of the Gas stations &
services category which took benefit of people
being on the road more often than in 2020.
 Chart 03: TOP 10 INVESTORS – ESTIMATED NET NET EXPENDITURE BY SECTOR (ALL MEDIA)

Rank 2021 Sector Million EUR 2021 vs 2020 variation Rank dynamics
1 Retail € 122.7 43% 1
2 Healthcare € 100.2 11% -1
3 Food & Beverages € 90.6 22% 0
4 E-commerce € 77.6 30% 0
5 Cosmetics & Personal care € 37.8 2% 0
6 Bets & Gambling € 34.5 105% 2
7 Telecommunications € 32.8 4% -1
8 Financial Services € 30.3 58% -1
9 HH Products € 13.1 1% 0
10 Energy € 11.5 28% 1
Source: Initiative estimates

Even sectors which were on downtrend in 2020 disappeared: Constructions Materials & Services
have recovered their media budgets allocation as (+53%), Automotive (+8%), HoReCa (+36%)
mobility was less restricted for vaccinated people or Leisure Activities (+5%).
and the concern for additional lockdowns

Chart 04: SECTORS MEDIA MIX (NET NET AD REVENUES)

RETAIL 49% 9% 35% 1% 7%

HEALTHCARE 85% 2% 6% 2% 4%

FOOD & BEVERAGES 82% 3% 12% 3%

E-COMMERCE 23% 2% 73% 3%

COSMETICS & PERSONAL CARE 82% 16% 1%

BETS & GAMBLING 47% 9% 43% 1%

TELECOMMUNICATIONS 57% 9% 30% 5%

FINANCIAL SERVICES 34% 3% 56% 1% 6%

HH PRODUCTS 93% 1% 5% 1%

ENERGY 41% 5% 43% 1% 9%

HORECA 61% 9% 23% 1% 6%

AUTOMOTIVE 38% 6% 44% 2% 10%

LEISURE ACTIVITIES 10% 6% 45% 4% 34%

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS 65% 13% 13% 3% 7%

BUSINESS SERVICES 19% 14% 19% 22% 26%

Source: Initiative estimates TV OOH Digital Print Radio

The media mix approach varied quite Products (TV 93%), Healthcare (TV 85%),
significantly among sectors based on purchase Food & Beverages (TV 82%) same as Cosmetics
cycles and consumer segments definition, from & Personal care as their interaction with
TV driven communication for Household the customers is mainly in brick and mortar
locations, to businesses with a highly digitalized
communication such as E-commerce (Digital
73%), Financial Services (Digital 56%) and
Leisure Activities (Digital 45%), along with
Bets & Gambling (Digital 43%) and Energy
(Digital 43%), where the first contact with
the product or services is usually via digital
touchpoints.
There are also segments with a broader
touchpoints selection as brands have the
2021 MEDIA MARKET SNAPSHOTS AND 2022 EXPECTATIONS
TV MARKET
RESUMED THE PRE-PANDEMIC AUDIENCE EROSION
TREND
In 2021 the general TV audience downtrend
resumed at a higher pace vs. the pre-pandemic
years (-8%) vs. 2020 on the 18-54 Urban
commercial target, after the unexpected (+3%)
triggered by the sanitary crisis in 2020. As life
slowly began to return to “normal”, with people
going back to work and boosted by the frequent
periods with relaxed pandemic measures, the TV
market registered lower audience performance
almost throughout entire 2021.
In terms of ranking though, Top 3 was stable,
being led by generalist channels Pro TV (Rtg.
3.7% & SOA 21.6% vs. Rtg. 4% & SOA
21.5%), Antena 1 (Rtg. 2.8% & SOA 16.2%
vs. Rtg. 2.9% & SOA 15.4%) and Kanal D
(Rtg. 1.8% & SOA 10.5% vs. 1.7% Rtg. &
SOA 9.1%). Leading channels were followed
by a cluster of three News stations, Romania
TV (Rtg. 0.6%, Shr. 3.8%), Antena 3 (Rtg.
0.6%, Shr. 3.4%) and Digi 24 (Rtg. 0.5%, Shr
2.9%). Next in line are Digi Sport 1 (Rtg. 0.4%,
Shr. 2.3%), Prima TV (Rtg. 0.3%, Shr. 1.6%),
Happy Channel (Rtg. 0.3%, Shr. 1.5%) and
Pro Cinema (Rtg. 0.3%, Shr. 1.5%). Second
tier generalist channels lost overall 15% in
ratings, being highly affected by the lifestyle
shifts. Prima TV is the leader of the second
tier (-14% Rtg, -0.13 pp SOA), TVR 1 follows
(-7% Rtg, +0.005 pp SOA) and National TV
strategic need to interact with very broad
audiences with very high frequency, and their
budget allocation reflects significant shares to
other media too, such as Retail which had 9%
OOH and 7% Radio for additional support
to their frequent promos, Energy services
communication which pushed heavily for
consideration and trial for their offers relied
significantly on Radio 11% and OOH 8%.
Leisure services which focused less on TV (10%)
and more on Digital (45%) and Radio (34%).
comes third (-23% Rtg, -0.25 pp SOA) being
also the channel with the biggest rating decrease
in 2021.
Generalist channels continued to build their
programming strategies around locally produced
talent shows as this continues to hold a high
preference among TV viewers at national level.
Talent shows and cooking programs continued
to lead in performance: Romanii au talent (Pro
TV) is still the most viewed talent show at
more than ten years after launch, Chefi la cutite
(Antena 1) continues to succeed due to new
concepts adopted every year, followed by Sef sub
acoperire (Pro TV) and Asia Express (Antena
1). Survivor Romania (Kanal D) was highly
popular among viewers, as were Poftiti pe la noi
(Antena 1), iUmor (Antena 1) and Masked
Singer (Pro TV). Starting 2022 Survivor is
produced by Pro TV and has become even more
successful.
News channels lost 16% ratings overall in 2021
as the population’s high interest in frequent
breaking news and detailed information about
the pandemic development as well as official
announcements faded away in 2021 with
people being less terrified by the killer virus
and the vaccination campaign being ongoing.
Romania TV was the only one to increase in
2021, with +0.27 pp in SOA (3.8% SOA vs.
3.5% in 2020) despite the 0.5% decrease in
Rating as it proved a more flexible editorial
approach (political, social, economic etc.) vs.
Antena 3 which continued to focus its prime
time on politics. Antena 3, decreased in average
rating by 15% and SOA by 0.28 pp (3.4% SOA
vs. 3.7% in 2020) and Digi 24 lost 25% in rating
and 0.65 pp in share (2.9% SOA vs. 3.6% in
2020). Realitatea Plus dropped by 9% in rating
and 0.01 pp in share (0.92% SOA vs. 0.93% in
2020), as it increased less in 2020, while B1TV
dropped by 49% in rating and 0.56 pp in share
(0.7% SOA vs. 1.3% in 2020).
Sports and Male Lifestyle channels cluster
is the only one with higher ratings in 2021
(+10%), as sports live events were back on
track after being suspended across the world
after the pandemic outburst in 2020. DigiSport
1 dominates here, with 2.3% Rtg (+15% Rtg,
+0.44 pp SOA). In March 2022 Telekom Sport
became Orange Sport, after being acquired by
the Telecommunications category leader, while
LookSport channels were rebranded in April
2022 as Prima Sport.
TV ADVERTISING DEMAND INCREASED AS 2021
BROUGHT A GRADUAL CONSUMPTION IMPROVEMENT
The marketing budgets recovery was stronger
than expected, impacting the entire media
market and resulted in a 16% increase of the TV
ad revenues to 350M EUR from 302M EUR in
2020. This trend was also supported by iconic
sports events such as Euro 2020 and the Summer
Olympics which were suspended in 2020 and
rescheduled for 2021.
Overall, 2021 ended with +5% increase in
sold GRP30” with a total of 2.3M GRP30”
18-54 urban. Most of the exposure, 29%, was
sold by CME, 26% by Intact, while Dogan
and Thematic followed with 12% each. From
the top generalist channels, Kanal D had the
highest growth in sold GRP30” +15%, followed
by Antena 1 with +9% and PRO TV with +5%
in sold GRP30”.
In terms of minutes, in 2021, the sold inventory
(minutes) increased by 28% in H1 compared
to H1 2020, when the spending was affected
by COVID-19 pandemic outburst, and was
steady in H2 vs. the same period in 2020, when
the consumption was high. Overall, the year
ended with +14% for All Day (92%), and +6%
in PT (99%), similar to pre-pandemic levels.
All these factors concurred in influencing the
balance between offer and demand resulted in
unprecedented pressure on TV prices leading to
an estimated average cost inflation of min. 15%.
In this context some TV channels seized the
opportunity of extending the commercial
buying targets from Urban to National in the
attempt to better monetize their inventory as
at larger scale, TV audience erosion was lower.
To undertake this path TV channel must have
a profound understanding of their audience
profile and to be prepared for years of investing
in programming that will sustain a long-term
national audience.
Despite the decrease in viewership, in 2021 the
TV audience profile was relatively stable at both
urban and national levels, with marginal shifts
generated either by viewers lifestyle change or
a new TV programming approach in place for
some of the channels. General urban audience
consisted of less people with medium-high social
status (ABC social grades -1.9 pp vs. 2020)
and less active adults (25-54 years old -2.1 pp),
as people resumed work either fully or with
hybrid schedule, and commuting frequency
increased compared to 2020. These shifts are
quite important as average evolutions, especially
concerning higher social grades and active
adults which are most of the times the audience
decrease generators. At national level audience
is more stable, mainly due to a structure of
48.2% rural, which increased in share in 2021
(+1.5 pp vs. 2020) while audience in Bucharest
and large cities (over 200k+) decreased
marginally (-0.9 pp vs. 2020). Additionally,
national audience consists of 76.3% viewers
with medium & low social status (CDE social
grades + 2.3 pp vs. 2020), for whom watching
TV programs daily together with family remains
one of their preferred entertainment activities.
TV INVESTORS & BUDGETS SEASONALITY
In 2020, due to the pandemic impact the TV
revenues reflected almost equal shares for the
first three quarter and proved Q4 to become
even more cluttered than expected as it
gathered 35% of the total net net yearly budget,
 fueled by the fact that no other lockdown was year as it covers pre-Easter, when a wide range
enforced, and marketing budgets prior put on of product categories are on air to boost seasonal
hold in Q2 were released by the end of the year. sales.
In 2021 the recovery mode continued, and TV
Q4 2021 continued to concentrate the highest
budgets allocation by quarter was rebalanced as
TV revenue share but at a lower level compared
Q2 2021 (26% vs. 21% Q2 2020) raised again
to 2020 (31% vs. 35%).
to its status of the first advertising peak of the

Chart 05: 2021 VS 2020 TV MARKET SPLIT BY QUARTER

35% 31%
26%
22% 22% 21% 22% 21%

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Source: Initiative estimates 2020 2021

Taking a monthly perspective of the TV by Retail and Food & Beverages advertisers,
revenues allocation, one can notice that in 2021 followed by March (+17%) and October
except November and December which had (+13%) when Cosmetics & Personal Care,
flat investment levels, in all the other months Telecommunication services and E-commerce
budgets were higher than in 2020, with the increased their investments compared to the
most notable increases in April (+53%), May previous year.
(+49%) and June (+31%) generated mostly

Chart 06: 2021 VS. 2020 TOTAL TV MARKET SEASONALITY MILLION EURO (NET NET)

2021 VS 2020 TOTAL TV MARKET SEASONALITY MILLION EURO (NET NET)

40.6 38.8 39.0
33.6 35.4
31.0 29.7 31.6 31.4
26.1 28.1 25.8 27.4
24.3 23.0
18.0
22.0 21.3 20.9 22.2 20.3 22.4 19.1 20.1

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Total Market 2020 Total Market 2021
Source: Initiative estimates

The TV investments seasonality is driven by & Beverages (pushed by Sweets, Beer and NA
the Top 10 economic sectors activity as they Beverages) had quite similar trends, with a
gather 93% of the total TV market. Healthcare lower year start in January – February, a boost
started high in January-March 2021, with in March – April to support Easter sales, and a
increased focus on Medicines (OTC) and second stronger peak in September-November
Vitamins & Food Supplements, being favored to support autumn sales season marked by
by the pandemic but started to gradually Back-to-school, Black Friday and Halloween
decrease budgets during spring and summer, promotional campaigns. Top 3 sectors alone put
to strongly resume in October – December to up a very high TV inventory demand in Q4,
the highest level. Retailers’ sectors (pushed by as they total over 60% of the TV advertising
Grocery Retailers and E-commerce) and Food spending.
 Chart 07: 2021 TOP 10 TV SECTORS MILLION EURO (NET NET)

12 Healthcare

Food & Beverages

10
Retail

8 Cosmetics & Personal care

Telecommunications
6
E-commerce
4
HH Products

Financial Services
2
Bets & Gambling
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Energy
Source: Initiative estimates

Top 10 Categories reflected a cumulated 13% reduced their TV spend (-4.4%), reflecting the
increase of their TV budgets vs. 2020, however only decrease in top 10 TV categories.
the budget dynamics was different from one
Grocery Retail consolidated #2 position with
to another, given the economic and social
a moderate (+17.1%) budget allocation, with
context. Medicines confirmed #1 position with
LIDL and Kaufland being the leading players.
a marginal increase of 4.3%, while Pharma
A significant dynamic was reflected by Bets
advertisers prioritized more Vitamins & Food
& Gambling (+48%) and Online Retailers
Supplement (+17.4%) as a solution to keep
(+20.3%), both categories capitalizing on the
immunity high and body healthy during the
existing mobility and travel restrictions, while
sanitary crisis. Pharmacies (+30.1%) and Clinics
NA Beverages (+38%) and Sweets (+18.9%)
and Hospitals, Medical services (+33.6%)
recovered after cautious investments in 2020,
increased TV budgets in 2021, capitalizing
when the consumption occasions for their
on population’s permanent health concern
products dropped dramatically due to limited
and high interest in medical services. On the
social activities.
other hand, Personal Care products marginally

Chart 08: 2021 TOP 10 PRODUCT CATEGORIES TV INVESTMENT YOY (NET NET EURO)
57.8
55.4
2020
2021

36.7
31.3

24.9 23.9
21.0 21.7 21.5
19.6 19.5
18.3
16.5 16.2
14.5 14.1
12.4 13.0
9.5 9.4

Medicines Grocery Retail Personal care Mobile Services Vitamins & suppl. Sweets Online Retailers Beer & Cider Bets & Gambling NA Beverages
Source: Initiative estimates
Gas, Water & Electricity companies were
on air continuously in 2021 with a boost of
budgets (+34.5%) in their attempt to attract
new customers, while people were striving
on improving their household expenses
efficiency by searching for best offers to match
their consumption needs. Events & Festivals
(+24.8%) as well as Fashion (+24.9%), Hotel
& Travel Agencies (+35%) started to invest
more on TV as the vaccination campaign
was increasing the potential of more and
more people to start traveling and going out
unrestricted with the digital pass.
TV EXPECTATIONS FOR 2022
As the spring of 2022 started with the lifting of
all mobility restrictions, the entire population
embraced a new normality in terms of lifestyle.
The burst of social activities and the very warm
weather have accelerated the TV viewing habits
decline and the return to the pre-pandemic
years erosion. During January-May 2022 the
Total TV Viewing dropped by 10.2% vs. same
period of 2021, more than 5-6% year on year
evolution prior to the pandemic outburst.
All top generalist channels achieved lower
ratings: Pro TV dropped marginally -3%,
while Antena 1 and Kanal D registered -12%,
respectively -47%. The major decline in Kanal
D’s performance is generated by the absence of
Survivor Romania from this year programming.
In the second tier, Prima TV has managed so
far, an excellent performance by keep loyal
viewers and increasing +3.3% due to its new
programming strategy.
The Total TV Viewing drop affected the level of
GRP30” sold in the market in this period. Pro
TV registered so far -5% in GRP30” and +1.3 pp
in SOV, Antena 1 -8.5% in GRP30” and +0.7
pp in SOV, while the exit of Survivor Romania
from Kanal D resulted in almost -45% in
GRP30” and -5 pp in SOV. Prima TV remains
steady in terms of SOV and GRP30’’, with
minor gains compared to last year.
Local productions continue to be at the heart
of top generalist channels programming, with
Romanii au talent staying the most popular
(10.7% and 35.8 share) and continuing to grow
during this season, +3% in ratings and +7.4
pp in share (vs. 28.4 in 2021). As expected,
Pro TV managed to grow Survivor Romania
performance +4.9% in ratings and +2.9 pp in
share compared to the previous season aired
on Kanal D in 2021. Antena 1’s most popular
shows had lower ratings this season but managed
to increase the share: Te cunosc de undeva lost
10% in ratings but gained 5.2 pp in share (22.5
in 2022 vs. 17.3 in 2021).
An outstanding performance was achieved
by news channels: Digi 24 shows +10.6% in
GRP30” and +0.8 pp in SOV, Romania TV
+5.5% in GRP30” and +0.5 pp in SOV, Antena
3 +3.8% in GRP30” and +0.5 pp in SOV,
Realitatea Plus +36% in GRP30” and +0.7 pp
in SOV. The trend was triggered by the geo-
political tension generated by the Ukraine war
at our borders and by the global economic crisis.
However, the high interest for this topic has
already halved since March and is now lower
than before the Russian invasion.
As 2021 was a year with almost continuous sold-
out inventory and booking orders exceeding
2-3 times the available TV inventory, the
pressure on TV prices was extreme as it was on
surcharges for quality placements. This year,
despite this audience performance downtrend,
the TV inventory (sold minutes/ad break) had
in January-May 2022 a marginal variation (-2%
vs. January-May 2021 and flat vs. January-May
2019), creating the premises of the TV market
recovery in terms of prices.
Therefore, the sales policies in place for 2022
continue previous year inflationary trend,
adding on top new components that will
help TV channels to better monetize the
diminished inventory. The most notable one is
the extension of the buying targets definitions
in terms of demographics and residence area:
approx. 60% of the TV revenues switched
from the 18-49 urban or 18-54 urban buying
targets to national buying targets, combined
with extended age groups 21-54, 18+, 21-59.
This approach ensures broader, more stable
buying audiences but at the same time require
the development of a programming strategy
to consolidate the channels’ audience profile
towards this new objective. The second major
change is applicable only to CME channels and
consists in changing the standard trading spot
length to 20 seconds vs. the traditional market
practice of 30 sec and the increase of the spot
length correction index. Other cost inflation
triggers result from overcharging selective
premiums in ad break vs. bulk premiums
distribution in break.
Considering all the above and the current
economic and geo-political context, the rest of
the year is expected to reflect high prudence in
spending for both consumers and the advertising
DIGITAL MARKET
INTERNET PENETRATION REACHED A NEW HIGH, WITH
RURAL AREAS REGISTERING THE BIGGEST GAIN
2021 is the year of consolidated trends and
digitalization for new territories and consumer
categories. The senior segment of the
population aged 55-74 registered an 8% YoY
increase in internet usage, this is reflected in
the penetration of communication apps and
ecommerce platforms. The benefits of keeping
in touch with family and friends and access
to shopping helps increase the quality of life
via digital updates. The gap between urban
and rural areas in terms of internet access is
becoming smaller, just 4%, according to the
National Institute of Statistics.
The 14% YoY increase in internet penetration
registered in rural areas shows us how profound
the change is and how it will affect all areas of
life in the coming years. From entertainment on
social networks to information and shopping,
this will reverberate on to create the perfect
network for targeted brand messages.
Mobile remains the overwhelming choice in
terms of access and usage of digital platforms.
According to the 2021 GWI study on online
population 93% of Gen Z, 95% of Millennials,
91% of Gen X and 86% of Baby Boomers prefer
to access internet via a smartphone. This is a
global trend and a watch out for brands to create
and design all interactions with consumers with
a mobile first philosophy.
industry. Thus, we estimate that in the worst-
case scenario 2022 will reflect stagflation in the
TV market – between -2% and +2% in terms of
volume.
DIGITAL MEDIA REACHED A NEW RECORD IN TERMS OF
INVESTMENT WITH A 56% YoY INCREASE IN SPENDING
AND A COUNTRY MORE CONNECTED THAN EVER
The remarkable increase of the digital media
market to an estimated total of 186M euro
marks a process of profound transformation in
strategic communication.
Social platforms, and in particular Meta
with both channels Facebook and Instagram
registered the biggest YoY gain of 91% becoming
a force for businesses of all sizes. YouTube is
the main driver for video content, becoming
a must have in all media mixes with a 69%
YoY increase. Owned by Google, YouTube is
the preferred platform of young audiences and
enjoys a global success based on a high mobile
connectivity and always on approach.
Google Search proved to be a powerful ally for
the consolidation of ecommerce and grew with
64% in comparison with the previous year.
Display continued its negative trend with a 13%
YoY decrease of media spend.
THE TOP SPENDERS IN A RECOVERY YEAR
A few categories stood out in terms of YoY
growth of digital media budgets and willingness
to expand their media portfolio for a more
targeted and fast results-oriented strategy.
Bets & Gambling (106% YoY increase),
Financial Services (101% YoY), Energy
(98%) and Retail (96%) were the drivers for
a fast recovery and a back in business media
strategy. Mixing social messages with sales
and brand campaigns these categories choose
to significantly increase the digital spend in
2021. The Ecommerce category remained a
top spender with a 44% YoY increase in digital
media spend, this movement being a major
trend both locally and on an international scale.
OOH MARKET
WAS MARKED IN 2021 BY AN IMPRESSIVE COMEBACK
FROM THE PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS
After being in 2020 the most impacted
medium by lockdown and continuous mobility
restrictions throughout the year, in 2021 the
interest in OOH advertising was boosted by
the high population appetite for coming out
from their homes and spending more time in
public places or traveling. As all restrictions
were lifted early in the year, a lot of advertisers
became active, and the OOH market entered
the recovery mode. Although everyone was
just testing the waters in the first two month of
2021, starting March most of the networks were
already booked.
As competition for premium locations grew,
prices recovered and bounced back by an
estimated 15% increase. Most vendors resumed
the work of developing their networks and
expanded their inventory with new locations
not only in the major cities, but also in
countryside.
Chart 09: 2021 VS 2020 OOH MARKET SPLIT BY QUARTER
27%
26%
19%
15%
Q1 Q2
Source: Initiative estimates
Compared to the high seasonal variation of the
TV budgets, the OOH market pattern is more
stable, as most premium locations are part of
pre-ordered networks booked by advertisers
several months in advance, to secure their
exposure in specific regions throughout the year.
Except January and February, which are low
season for the entire media market, for OOH
all other months are high season: March and
April are usually in focus for campaigns which
The OOH net market dynamic was impressive
given the circumstances, reaching by the end of
2021 an estimated 30M EUR (+23% vs. 2020).
OOH INVESTORS & BUDGETS SEASONALITY
Analyzing the 2020 OOH budgets allocation
by quarters, the impact of the COVID-19
outburst is very visible on Q2 level, as it
resulted in diminished shares generated by the
spring lockdown, when most advertisers either
cancelled or dramatically reduced their Easter
outdoor campaigns.
2021 shows a robust recovery in Q2 (27% of
total year revenue vs. 15% in 2020) and was
sustained throughout the year as mobility
restrictions became milder.
The year has also been very challenging for the
production suppliers who went out of stocks and
had to prioritize orders. Prices went up by 40%
or 60% depending on quality and production
material type and continue to be problematic so
far in 2022.
33%
26% 29%
25%
Q3 Q4
2020 2021
capitalize on Women’s Day gifting season as well
as on the seasonal offers which define Easter
sales peak every year. From May through August
all summer campaigns are up, while September
gives the start to the autumn – winter peak
season. Summer is high season for several
product categories such as DIY Retail (April-
July), Bets & Gambling (April-June) and of
course, NA Beverages (April-August).
Chart 10: 2021 VS. 2020 OOH MARKET SEASONALITY MILLION EURO (NET NET)

2.9 2.9
2.7
2.5 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.6
2.8
2.4 2.3 2.4 2.3
1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0
1.7
1.5
1.3 1.3
1.1

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Source: Initiative estimates
Total Market 2020 Total Market 2021

The economic sectors which helped in extending dynamic budget increase (+131%) vs. 2020. Bets
the outdoor networks at national level were & Gambling (+59%) ranks sixths increasing
Retail (37% of total 2021 estimated net OOH significantly in Q4, while Healthcare (4%),
market), followed by a cluster of sectors which HoReCa (3%, E-commerce (3%), Energy (2%)
gather each 10% of the OOH advertising revenue and Constructions materials & services (2%)
such as Telecommunications, Food & Beverages, maintained their rank in top 10 OOH advertising
and Financial Services which had the most investors.

Chart 11: 2021 TOP 10 OOH SECTORS MILLION EURO (NET NET)

1.2

Retail
1.0
Food & Beverages

0.8 Bets & Gambling

Horeca
0.6 Energy
Telecommunications
0.4 Financial Services
Healthcare
0.2 E-commerce
Construction materials
& services
0.0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Top 10 sectors ranking was stable in 2021 but had a marginal OOH budget increase (+8%
vs. 2020 gathered 89% of the total estimated vs. 2020) compared to DIY retail chains which
net revenue of the OOH market, but the boosted (+49% vs. 2020) as did HH Deco Retail
product categories dynamics was significantly – Furniture & Appliances (+28% vs. 2020), in
different, as 2021 premises were from the start the context of population’s increased need for
better than in the previous year and some solutions for improving their living conditions
advertisers decided to take the opportunity of quality or space as well as energetic efficiency
increasing their presence of outdoor supports. improvement.
As seen above, Retail sector is the backbone
Within the Healthcare sector, Clinics &
of the OOH industry, with high budget levels
Hospitals, the Medical Services category is
from March to December, however the retail
most present on outdoor, as Medicines (OTC)
categories dynamics was very different. For
are banned from this medium and Vitamins
example, Grocery Retail remains dominant,
& supplements make very low use of OOH as
their strategic focus is on TV. In 2021 Clinics & Food & Beverages sector, the NA Beverages
Hospitals, Medical Services advertised increased (+15%) were back on track after the 2020
their presence on OOH supports by 66% vs. slowdown during lockdown and mobility
2020 capitalizing on still high health concerns reduction periods.
and increased need for medical services. In the

Chart 12: 2021 TOP 10 PRODUCT CATEGORIES OOH INVESTMENT YOY (NET NET EURO)

3.87 3.96 2020

3.58
2021
3.03
2.77 2.61 2.60 2.61

1.16 1.33 1.19

0.82 0.94 0.81 1.04 0.71 0.67
0.89 0.94
0.61

Grocery Retail DIY Retail Mobile Services Bets & Gambling NA Beverages Other Retail HH Deco Retail Clinics & Hospitals, Restaurants & Services providers
(shops, commercial (Furniture & Appliances) Medical Services
centers) fast-food (other financial)
Source: Initiative estimates

OOH EXPECTATIONS FOR 2022 In 2022, Bets & Gambling and Grocery Retail
put in place their national networks from early
2022 had a very good start and budgets January, while DIY Retail, and Mobile Services
continue to be on an increasing trend although followed with a higher push staring March-
the environment is pressing for higher April. Summer Festivals already have ongoing
prices, inflation is kept under 5%, except the campaigns, boosting the overall OOH spending.
production costs which went up with more than
40% by now. Still, investments are made with caution, as
2022 is currently marked by the economic crisis
Big players Phoenix Media, Euromedia, New and the geo-political tensions generated by the
Age and Universal reinforced their commitment Ukraine war. In this context, in 2022 OOH is
to further expand their DOOH networks, which expected to have a moderate increase of 7% at
is expected to bring a significant exposure an estimated total of 32.1M EUR.
expansion and innovation in the direction of
further developing digital outdoor supports.

RADIO MARKET
EXCELLENT RECOVERY AS MOBILITY RESTRICTIONS loyal listeners. As a result of these efforts, 2021
WERE OFF AND PEOPLE RESUMEND DAILY TRAVEL reflected an outstanding recovery for the radio
ROUTINES industry, which grew by 21% vs. 2020 at an
estimated net value of 29M euro.
Radio stations smoothly adapted their
programming from a more factual 2020
broadcast structure to a relaxed content with RADIO CONTINUED TO RELY SIGNIFICANTLY ON LINEAR
focused on entertainment and leisure. It was LISTENING
also the right moment to implement engaging
loyalty campaigns with contests and prizes aimed Radio stations continued their approach towards
to win market share as well as to consolidate radio and digital content integration as a way
to stay relevant and engage with young active
audiences. This will be a tough and long process
which will require a sustained work expected
to last several years from now, as linear radio
listening (radio receiver) continues to lead by
far with a 61% daily reach during weekdays,
while digital devices penetration is still low,
with mobile phone having the highest daily
reach (11.6% in weekdays) among Urban 11+
population.
DIFFERENT AUDIENCE EVOLUTION BY RADIO STATION
AS MOBILITY RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED GRADUALLY
IN 2021
In Bucharest, Radio ZU regained first position
with 12.7% daily reach overtaking Radio
Romania Actualitati (-1.4 pp vs. 2020), while
Kiss FM ranked 3rd with 9.5% daily reach and
an almost flat evolution. Europa FM maintained
4th place at 8.8% daily reach despite the
significant drop (-0.4 pp vs. 2020), being
strongly challenged by Magic FM (+1.1pp) and
Rock FM (+1.2pp) which both had a dynamic
increase and reached the 5th place at a minimal
difference from Europa FM.
At urban level Kiss FM (14.6% daily reach)
managed to consolidate leadership, being
Chart 13: 2021 VS 2020 RADIO MARKET SPLIT BY QUARTER
24%
23%
19%
15%
Q1 Q2
Source: Initiative estimates
Compared to the high seasonal variation of the
TV budgets, radio pattern is quite different, as
this medium is used mainly as a promotional
support for product/services communication.
followed by Radio ZU with flat evolution
(12.7% daily reach). Romania Actualitati
performance was stable (11.6% daily reach) and
Europa FM got very close at 11.4% daily reach
as it increased its performance significantly.
Excellent performance also achieved Magic FM,
Digi FM and Rock FM, each increasing their
daily reach by 0.5 pp vs. 2020.
RADIO INVESTORS & BUDGETS SEASONALITY
Analyzing the 2020 OOH budgets allocation by
quarters, the impact of the COVID-19 outburst
on radio ad revenues was dramatic in Q2 as
lockdown and reduced mobility freedom affected
the in-car radio listening which is highly
common during the daily commute. Q3 and
Q4 managed a reasonable recovery as mobility
restrictions were significantly milder compared
to 2020.
The 2021 pattern showed a lower start vs.
2020 followed by a much higher investments
allocation in Q2 (April-May Easter promos),
while Q3 and Q4 achieved the highest ad
revenue shares triggered by major seasonal sales
peaks such as Back-to-school, Black Friday, and
Christmas when most product categories are
supporting promotional offers.
33%
29% 30%
27%
Q3 Q4
2020 2021
Except January and February which are usually
low, the rest of the months are quite balanced
in terms of budget allocation, showing slightly
higher levels in H2.
Chart 14: 2021 VS. 2020 RADIO MARKET SEASONALITY MILLION EURO (NET NET)
3.2 3.2
2.8 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.8
2.6 2.7 2.7 2.6 2.5
2.4 2.4 2.5
2.2 2.3
2.0
1.8 1.7
1.6
1.2 1.1 1.1

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Source: Initiative estimates
Total Market 2020 Total Market 2021

The sectors which use radio as strategic (+32%), both increasing significantly in H2
touchpoints are the ones which focus their 2021, while Food & Beverages (+29%) and
media communication mainly on promotional Leisure Activities (+39%) invested more during
offers. In 2021 Retail continued to be leading by summer and in December. The only sectors to
far, increasing by 8.6% vs. 2020 and gathering reduce radio advertising were E-commerce
almost 30% of net radio ad revenue. Healthcare (-3%) slowing down after the 2020 boom and
followed with an almost flat evolution (-0.9% keeping higher radio budgets in March-May for
vs. 2020), while most of the other sectors had a a better Easter season coverage, Construction
very positive radio budgets evolution: Financial Materials & services (-23%) and Bets &
Services (+41%) and Telecommunications Gambling (-8%).

Chart 15: 2021 TOP 10 RADIO SECTORS MILLION EURO (NET NET)

1.2 Retail

Healthcare
1.0
Leisure Activities

0.8 Food & Beverages

E-commerce
0.6
Financial Services
0.4 Telecommunications

0.2 Business Services

Social campaigns
-
Energy
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Inside the broad economic sectors, product (+48%) and Household Deco Furniture &
categories built very different evolutions, as Appliances (+8%) were also more present
the consumers’ demand reflected different on radio, meeting the increased need for
patterns. For example, in the retail sector, the home improvement and energetic efficiency
most notable increase was registered by Fashion improvement with appealing promotional
retailers (+173%) as less mobility and socializing prices. On the other hand, Grocery (-2%)
restrictions increased going out occasions as and Electro-IT retail chains (-9%) decreased
well as going back to work permanently or at marginally their radio budgets vs. 2020.
least with a hybrid schedule. DIY retail segment
 Chart 16: 2021 TOP 10 PRODUCT CATEGORIES RADIO INVESTMENT YOY (NET NET EURO)

4.4 4.5 2020

2021
2.6 2.3
2.0
1.9 1.7 1.9 1.6 1.4
1.1 1.1 1.1
0.8 1.0 1.0 1.1 0.9 1.0
0.4
Grocery Retail Events, Festivals, Medicines Online Retailers Banks, Credits & Mobile Services Other financial services Fashion Vitamins & Other Retail (shops,
Gaming Savings supplements commercial centers)
Source: Initiative estimates

In the Healthcare sector, Medicines (OTC) radio investor within the Food & Beverages
and Vitamins & supplements reman dominant sector, followed by NA Beverages (+2%) and
despite the 13%-14% decrease registered by Sweets (+17%).
both categories, while the focus increased on
Fitness, Medical devices & optical equipment
(+351%) starting from a very low base in 2020 RADIO EXPECTATIONS FOR 2022
and Clinics & Hospitals, Medical Services
(+106%) which shifted the communication Radio stations will develop new ad revenues
focus towards topics that were pushed in the opportunities by developing creative integrated
background during the first year of the sanitary projects of their linear radio content with
crisis. their digital properties. Engaging listeners will
continue to be their primary objective and the
Food & Beverages was one of the most generation of new hybrid touchpoints centered
competitive economic sectors, facing constant on social media is key to staying relevant with
high demand levels across the year. Its 2021 radio listeners’ gradual lifestyle shifts.
vs. 2020 growth was driven especially by Raw
meat & products (+259%), Alcoholic drinks The 2022 expectation for the radio market
(+113%) and Dairy products (+34%). Beer & development is of a flat evolution at 29M euro,
Cider (+42%) consolidated its position of major as in 2020.

PRINT MARKET
THE ONLY MEDIA MARKET SEGMENT NOT ABLE TO GROW Ringier seemed to be the only player with a
AFTER THE MOBILITY RESTRICTIONS WERE OFF consistent integration strategy that has the
potential of increasing the readers engagement
Distribution issues continued to mark the in advertisers’ communication.
industry and has become a chronic problem
for the publishers, who continued to capitalize 2021 was a sad year for the print market, as City
more on the digital properties of their titles Publishing (ex. Burda) decided to terminate
rather than on the print editions which tend some of the most popular and iconic glossy titles
to become more and more a second priority for with over 15 years of history on the Romanian
them. market: Cosmopolitan, National Geographic,
National Geographic Travel, Harper’s Bazaar.
Publishers are continuously striving to expand
their portfolio digitalization process, still,
PRINT READERSHIP DECLINING, EXCEPT FOR DAILIES high education, which are more focused on
practical topics related to personal wellbeing,
In 2021 readership for monthlies and weeklies and home care. Monthlies, continue to be
declined severely among urban population, preferred by high income 35-54 y.o. which are
except for dailies which were fueled by the high seeking a more profound and exclusive editorial
interest triggered by the two major sports events content.
rescheduled from 2020: the European Football
Championship and the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The audience profile analysis shows that print PRINT INVESTORS & BUDGETS SEASONALITY
publications continue to appeal to more mature
Analyzing the print budgets allocation by
readers receiving low interest from younger
quarters, we can notice that in 2020 the ad
generations, which underlines the need for
revenues were only briefly impacted in Q2
more profound digitalization of the publisher’s
(April – June) at the peak of the full lockdown
portfolio. Dailies reader profile is the broadest,
and recovered in Q3, to reach the highest level
with 25-54 y.o. representing 63.2% of the urban
in Q4. 2021 pattern was slightly readjusted
readers and a higher preference among readers
with Easter (Q2) and Christmas (Q4) seasons
with medium education interested in general
reflecting the highest interest from advertisers.
interest and sport news as well as gossips, while
weeklies are more preferred by 35-54 y.o. with

Chart 17: 2021 VS 2020 PRINT MARKET SPLIT BY QUARTER

28% 27% 29% 28%

22% 24% 22%
19%

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Source: Initiative estimates 2020 2021

The monthly evolution is quite stable from one where campaign implementation and booking
year to another, except the 2020 April‑May placement is very flexible, for print titles,
disruption which was accommodated by especially monthlies and weeklies the media
reallocation budgets through entire H2 of placement flexibility is reduced by the printing
2020. Compared to TV, radio and digital, process and fix release dates.

Chart 18: 2021 VS. 2020 PRINT MARKET SEASONALITY MILLION EURO (NET NET)

0.7
0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6
0.6 0.6 0.6
0.5 0.6 0.5 0.6
0.5 0.5 0.5
0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4
0.4 0.4
0.3

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Source: Initiative estimates
Total Market 2020 Total Market 2021
Compared to OOH and radio, where Retail a more specialized editorial environment and
along with Food & Beverages are top investing need to offer more insights in order to drive
economic sectors, print is highly supported by consideration for their products / services.
Healthcare and Business Services as they require

Chart 19: 2021 TOP 10 PRINT SECTORS MILLION EURO (NET NET)

Healthcare
0.25
Business Services
0.20 Retail
Food & Beverages
0.15 Leisure Activities
Social campaigns
0.10
Automotive
E-commerce
0.05
Bets & Gambling
0.00 Construction materials
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec & services

The Healthcare sector has a strong content for the products information, lifestyle
representation in top 10 categories investing in habits that are useful to the readers to improve
print advertising, all of them increasing their their well-being. Clinics & Hospitals and
print budgets vs. 2020: Vitamins & Supplements Medical services (+3%) have also been using
(+2%) and Medicines (+11%) are dominating publications to engage with readers interested in
top 3 positions, making valuable use of the health topics.
editorial content which is used as a natural

Chart 20: 2021 VS. 2020 TOP 10 PRODUCT CATEGORIES PRINT INVESTMENT YOY (NET NET EURO)

1.03 1.05
0.92 2020
0.85
0.77 0.77 2021

0.39
0.30 0.27 0.29
0.17 0.20 0.19 0.24 0.19 0.20 0.16 0.16 0.16 0.13 0.19 0.20
0.12 0.10

Vitamins & Medicines Other services Events, Festivals, Car retailers Grocery Retail Online Retailers Clinics & Hospitals, HH Deco Retail Fashion Construction Bets & Gambling
supplements (financial) Gaming etc (new & SH) Medical Services (Furniture & materials & services
Appliances)
Source: Initiative estimates

PRINT EXPECTATIONS FOR 2022 formats across several platforms to adapt to their
readers’ content consumption habits.
Publishers will continue their ongoing focus on
their digital properties in the attempt to better Print market is expected to strive for keeping
monetize their advertising revenues. They will a flat evolution in 2022, hoping to reach an
continue developing and integrating more estimated 6.2M euro, as it did in 2021.
Television
THE TELEVISION MARKET
TOTAL TV AUDIENCE PROFILE people with medium-high social status (ABC
social grades -1.9 pp vs. 2020) and less active
WAS STABLE AS VIEWING HABITS HAVE adults (25-54 y.o. -2.1 pp), as people resumed
STRONG ROOTS IN ROMANIA work either fully or with hybrid schedule, and
commuting frequency increased compared to
As 2021 was the second pandemic year, mobility 2020. These shifts are significant as average
restrictions were mild and most economic evolutions, especially concerning higher social
sectors have been functioning in almost normal grades and active adults which are most of
conditions. Going back to out-of-home life the times the audience decrease generators.
brought urban TV audiences back to the long- At national level audience is more stable,
term erosion trend. Some TV channels seized mainly due to a structure of 48.2% rural, which
the opportunity of extending the commercial increased in share in 2021 (+1.5 pp vs. 2020)
buying targets from Urban to National in the while audience in Bucharest and large cities
attempt to better monetize their inventory as at (over 200k+) decreased marginally (-0.9 pp vs.
larger scale, TV audience erosion was lower. 2020). Additionally, national audience consists
Overall, 2021 TV audience profile was quite of 76.3% viewers with medium & low social
stable at both Urban and National levels, with status (CDE social grades +2.3 pp vs. 2020), for
marginal shifts generated either by viewers whom watching TV programs daily together
lifestyle change or a new TV programming with family remains one of their preferred
approach in place for some of the channels. entertainment activities.
General urban audience consisted of less These data could explain why some top TV

Chart 01: 2021 vs. 2020 TTV Urban profile (Affinity Index) Chart 02: 2021 vs. 2020 TTV National profile (Affinity Index)
TTV Urban Profile (Affinity Index) TTV National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2020 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA establishment surveys
IN 2021
Sales Houses decided to officially adopt broader
National buying targets instead of the Urban
ones in place for decades. But to best capitalize
on this potential of audience at national
level TV channels must first have a relevant
territorial coverage and then invest significantly
and consistently in their programming to make
their broadcasts and local entertainment shows
appealing to broader audiences.
Generalist channels resumed their pre-pandemic
profiles
Pro TV, the market leader, proved once again
to have a stable Urban audience profile, with a
balanced gender split, still registered marginal
shifts in social status (ABC social grades -1
pp vs. 2020) and 25-54 decreasing (-1.7 pp vs.
2020) due to higher mobility aimed to support
work related activities, out-of-home leisure
time, socializing and holiday travels. Half of
the channel’s audience is Rural and on positive
trend (+1.3 pp vs. 2020), creating the right
context for the adoption of the new TV buying
targets with National definition.
Antena 1, a strong number two, increased even
further its propensity among female audiences
(+1.6 pp vs. 2020) at 63.9% of its urban profile
and reflecting a stable preference among
medium and high social status (ABC social
grades only -0.1 pp vs. 2020). It also continued
to have a higher penetration in medium urban
and rural households.
Kanal D also performed as a women dedicated
station with 70.9% female audience in 2021,
given its high reliance on Turkish soap operas.
It also increased penetration among low social
status urban population (DE social grades
represented almost half of the viewers) and
continued to have a large pool of rural viewers
(57.6%) which justifies the shift towards a
national commercial target, starting 2022.
So, in 2021, both Antena 1 and Kanal D
consolidated their positions as most effective
reach builders among female target audiences.
Prima TV is the second generalist channel with
balanced gender profile, further improved last
year by increasing women penetration by 2 pp
vs. 2020. It also managed to preserve young
adults’ interest with the new programming
strategy and anchors introduced in 2020
(+0.7 pp among young adults 25-44 vs. 2020).
A strong preference for Prima TV lays in small
urban and rural areas rather than in Bucharest
and large cities. Similar profile was reflected
by the main public channel, TVR 1 which
had a quite stable evolution in 2021, showing
only marginal shifts triggered by lifestyle
normalization. Notable to mention that TVR 1
managed to rejuvenate the viewers profile,
which resulted in a significant decrease of 65+
age group (-3.2 pp vs. 2020). National TV
maintained the female skew but gained 3.3 pp
male penetration and secured a +3.6 pp gain
in C1C2 social grades, while improving rural
penetration at 55.6% of its audience.
News channels more viewed by 55+ urban population
with medium and high social status who shows a
preference for the traditional information broadcasts
Following the audience boom in 2020, in
2021 News channels lost the interest of young
urban upscale viewers but strengthened their
high preference among 55+ medium and
high social status viewers. However, audience
structure dynamics was different by channel,
for example, Romania TV preserved its natural
gender balance but gained 2.7 pp male audience
and consolidated preference among mature
viewers (over 80% of the viewers in 55+). The
channel gained a higher affinity in rural and
small urban areas while its middle class (C1C2
social grades) penetration dropped by 3.8 pp
as mobility restrictions were gradually lifted
and most people went back to work. Antena 3
continued to rely massively on women 55+ and
managed to consolidate the preference among
urban high social status viewers (AB social
grades were up 1.5 pp vs. 2020). In terms of
residence, Antena 3 achieved a very high
affinity in urban areas, nevertheless it decreased
in Bucharest and large cities in favor of rural,
which increased by 3.8 pp vs. 2020. On an
opposite trend, Realitatea Plus lost significantly
from the medium and high social status
audience (ABC social grades dropped 10.3 pp
vs. 2020) and lost 5.1 pp in Bucharest in one
year due to the new editorial approach. Digi24
continued to stand out in terms of the audience
structure by winning significantly in middle
class audience (C1C2 social grades increased
by 5.3 pp vs. 2020) and achieving the highest
penetration among urban medium and high
social status (ABC social grades reached 88.8%
of its viewers). It also managed to improve
its gender balance by gaining 2.9 pp female
audience and to keep its focus on Bucharest,
large and medium urban regions, consolidating
its distinctive urban white-collar profile.
Women’s thematic channels showed strong audience
shifts in residence areas and social status
Intact channels Happy Channel and Antena
Stars preserved their dominant feminine profile
and consolidated their audience among middle
class (C1C2 social grades increased by 2/4 pp).
The increased mobility among young urban
population shifted their profile towards 65+
at 53% and respectively 46.8% of their urban
penetration. Nevertheless, the two channels
have a different projection regionally, with
Antena Stars being strong in large urban and
rural and Happy Channel covering better
Bucharest (despite the 4.3 pp decrease in 2021
vs. 2020) and main urban levels (+7.6 pp in
2021 vs. 2020).
Diva maintained its women profile with 72.5%
female audience but at the same time gained a
significant 6.9 pp of male audience by reducing
the soap operas dominance in favor of more
gender-neutral drama and detective TV series.
The high preference for this channel lays strong
in urban (71% of its audience) and among
population with medium and high social status
(ABC social grades represent 79.2% of its
viewers). TLC managed to keep a quite stable
urban profile, increasing its high preference in
Bucharest and urban areas, gaining massively
in high social status audience (AB social grades
+8.4 pp) and increasing the 65+ share by 7.5 pp,
as most of the stations. CME women thematic
channels Acasa and Acasa Gold maintained
stable penetration in rural areas with 51% and
respectively 55.8% of their total audience.
Acasa managed to get more male audience
(+2.3 pp), to rejuvenate the profile by increasing
significantly 25-34 (+2.9 pp) and reduce 65+
share. Acasa Gold managed to decrease the low
social status urban viewers (DE social grades)
and to increase the preference among middle
class (C1C2 social grades by 5.7 pp vs. 2020).
Most Movie channels preserved their gender balance
and gained a more mature audience profile
AXN and Pro Cinema maintained gender
balance at urban level, while Film Café and
AMC increased the skew towards male audience
by 3.8 pp and respectively 4.7 pp vs. 2020.
AXN increased the high preference among AB
social grades (+6.7 pp) and continued to gain
preference in 35-44 (+4 pp).
Pro Cinema consolidated its inclination among
medium and low social status (CDE social
grades +4.7 pp), by increasing penetration
in rural areas to almost 58% of the audience
(+2.1 pp). Its main achievement though, is the
profile rejuvenation by gaining in 34-54 (+2.1
pp) and keeping 65+ stable, against the general
TV market trend. Film Café consolidated 65+
age groups, extended middle class preference
(C1C2 social grades +4.4 pp) and expanding in
rural (+10.9 pp vs. 2020), at 52.3% of its total
audience. Comedy Central gained more urban
mature viewers 65+ (+10.2 pp) consolidating at
the same time its penetration among medium
and high social status population (ABC social
grades represent 92.6% of its total audience).
AMC preserved the high preference among
elders, gaining 2 pp among 65+ but also
increased in 35-44 (+2 pp) and kept over urban high social status (AB +3.1 pp vs. 2020).
77% of its audience structure in high urban
For detailed data regarding the evolution of
social grades. Warner TV reflected the slight
audience profiles during 2021, please see In-
masculine skew but increased by 3.5 pp its
Depth Data section at the end of the Television
female audience, gained more preference among
chapter.

TV MARKET OVERVIEW measures, the TV market registered lower

In 2021 the general TV audience downtrend
resumed with a more abrupt evolution (-8%)
vs. 2020 on the 18-54 Urban commercial
target, after the 2020 unexpected (+3%)
triggered by COVID-19 pandemic.
As life slowly began to return to “normal”,
with people going back to work and boosted
by the frequent periods with relaxed pandemic
audience levels almost continuously in 2021,
with only a few weeks with higher ratings:
starting last week of January and throughout
February, influenced by the start of new seasons
for most TV shows, third week of October, when
the Government announced that wearing mask
outdoors was again mandatory, and last week
of December when special shows or seasonal
movies and TV series are usually scheduled for
family watching.

Chart 03: 2019 – Q1 2022 TOTAL TV RATING WEEKLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban)
28.0
26.0
24.0
22.0
20.0
18.0
16.0
14.0
12.0
10.0
wk 10
wk 11
wk 12
wk 13
wk 14
wk 15
wk 16
wk 17
wk 18
wk 19
wk 20
wk 21
wk 22
wk 23
wk 24
wk 25
wk 26
wk 27
wk 28
wk 29
wk 30
wk 31
wk 32
wk 33
wk 34
wk 35
wk 36
wk 37
wk 38
wk 39
wk 40
wk 41
wk 42
wk 43
wk 44
wk 45
wk 46
wk 47
wk 48
wk 49
wk 50
wk 51
wk 52
wk 53
wk 1
wk 2
wk 3
wk 4
wk 5
wk 6
wk 7
wk 8
wk 9

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database 2019 2020 2021 2022

The number of monitored TV channels 2 and Telekom Sport 3 became Orange

maintained high (76), same as in 2020, as the
TV content consumption continued to keep
high levels in Romania. Some notable changes:
Cinemaraton, Viasat History, Teen Nick,
Metropola TV and A7TV entered the reporting
system, while Paramount, Animal Planet,
VH1, MTV and Agro TV decided to exit. In
2021 TNT rebranded in Warner TV, while in
2022, so far, Telekom Sport 1, Telekom Sport
Sport 1, Orange Sport 2 and Orange Sport
3, LookSport+ and LookSport 1 became
Prima Sport 1 and Prima Sport 2 and Pro 2,
Pro X and Pro Gold rebranded to Acasa, Pro
Arena and Acasa Gold.
In 2021 top 3 ranking was stable, being led by
general interest channels with Pro TV (Rtg.
3.7% & SOA 21.6% vs. Rtg. 4% & SOA 21.5% in & SOA 9.1% in 2020) increased significantly
2020) and Antena 1 (Rtg. 2.8% & SOA 16.2% vs. in rating, being supported by the high reliance
Rtg. 2.9% & SOA 15.4% in 2020) both decreased on female audience and the exceptionally good
marginally in rating but increased in share, while performance of the locally produced reality show
Kanal D (Rtg. 1.8% & SOA 10.5% vs. 1.7% Rtg. Survivor Romania.

Chart 04: 2012-2021 TOP 3 TV CHANNELS YOY PERFORMANCE DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, All Day)
25%
21%
20%
Total TV Rating Pro TV Antena 1 Kanal D
14%
15%
10% 10% 10%
10% 8%
7% 6% 7% 6%
4% 4%
5% 2% 3% 3%
1% 0%
0% 0%

-5% -4% -4% -3%

-4% -4% -6% -5%
-6% -7% -6%
-8% -7% -8% -7%
-10% -9% -9%
-11% -11%
-15%
2013 vs 2012 2014 vs 2013 2015 vs 2014 2016 vs 2015 2017 vs 2016 2018 vs 2017 2019 vs 2018 2020 vs 2019 2021 vs 2020

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Top three Generalist channels are followed by Next in line are Digi Sport 1 (Rtg. 0.4%, Shr.
a cluster of three News stations, Romania TV 2.3%), Prima TV (Rtg. 0.3%, Shr. 1.6%),
(Rtg. 0.6%, Shr. 3.8%), Antena 3 (Rtg. 0.6%, Happy Channel (Rtg. 0.3%, Shr. 1.5%) and Pro
Shr. 3.4%) and Digi24 (Rtg. 0.5%, Shr 2.9%). Cinema (Rtg. 0.3%, Shr. 1.5%).

Chart 05: 2020 – Q1 2022 TOP 10 TV CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)

Pro TV Antena 1 Kanal D Romania TV Antena 3 Digi 24 DigiSport 1 Prima TV Happy Channel Pro Cinema

5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0
Jan-20

Feb-20

Mar-20

Apr-20

May-20

Jun-20

Jul-20

Aug-20

Sep-20

Oct-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Jan-21

Feb-21

Mar-21

Apr-21

May-21

Jun-21

Jul-21

Aug-21

Sep-21

Oct-21

Nov-21

Dec-21

Jan-22

Feb-22

Mar-22

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Second tier generalist channels lost 15% in (-7% Rtg, +0.005 pp SOA) and National TV is
ratings. Prima TV is the leader of the second third (-23% Rtg, -0.25 pp SOA) being also the
tier (-14% Rtg, -0.13 pp SOA), TVR 1 follows channel with the biggest rating decrease.
Chart 06: 2020 – Q1 2022 GENERALIST CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)
0.5
Prima TV TVR 1 National TV TVR 2 N24 PLUS TVR 3 Canal 33 Metropola TV A7 TV
0.4

0.4

0.3

0.3

0.2

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.0
May-20

May-21
Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Aug-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21
Jul-20

Jul-21
Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

News lost 16% ratings overall in 2021 being less terrified by the killer virus and the
Romania TV was the only one to increase in vaccination campaign being ongoing. Antena 3
2021, with +0.27 pp in SOA (3.8% SOA vs. decreased in average rating by 15% and SOA
3.5% in 2020) despite the 0.5% decrease in by 0.28 pp (3.4% SOA vs. 3.7% in 2020) and
Rating, as it proved a more flexible editorial Digi24 lost 25% in rating and 0.65 pp in share
approach regarding the topics of interest (2.9% SOA vs. 3.6% in 2020). Realitatea Plus
(political, social, economic etc.), compared showed a 9% decrease in rating and 0.01 pp in
to Antena 3, for example, which continued share (0.92% SOA vs. 0.93% in 2020), having a
to focus its prime time on politics. All other lower audience gap to match vs. 2020 compared
news channels dropped compared to 2020, to the other news channels, while B1TV
as the population’s high interest in frequent registered a dramatic drop of 49% in rating and
breaking news and detailed information about 0.56 pp in share (0.7% SOA vs. 1.3% in 2020).
the pandemic development as well as official
announcements faded away in 2021 with people

Chart 07: 2020 – Q1 2022 NEWS CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)
1.4
Romania TV Antena 3 Digi 24 Realitatea Plus B1TV Aleph News
1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
May-20

May-21
Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Jul-20

Jul-21
Aug-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Women channels lost only 5% overall ratings Acasa (+5% Rtg, +0.09 pp SOA) and Acasa
in 2021. Local channels such as Happy Gold (+17% Rtg, +0.11 pp SOA) increased
Channel (+21% Rtg, +0.35 pp SOA) and their performances, while international
Antena Stars (+26% Rtg, +0.35 pp SOA) both broadcasters TLC (-51% Rtg, -0.29 pp SOA)
from Intact Group increased, followed by Diva and E! Entertainment (-24% Rtg, -0.02 pp
(-31% Rtg, -0.42 pp SOA). CME channels SOA) both dropped versus 2020.

Chart 08: 2020 – Q1 2022 WOMEN CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)
Happy Channel Antena Stars Diva Acasa Acasa Gold TLC E! Entertainment
0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
May-20

May-21
Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Jul-20

Aug-20

Sep-20

Jul-21
Nov-20

Dec-20

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21
Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Movie channels lost 17% ratings overall in which overtook previous Paramount programs.
2021. Leading stations Pro Cinema (0.26% AMC (+13% Rtg) and AXN White (+39%
vs. 0.28% in 2020), AXN (0.17% vs. 0.19% Rtg) added captivating new TV series and were
in 2020) and Film Café (0.16% vs. 0.19% in the only growing channels. Bollywood TV
2020) decreased only marginally year over year was highly affected during 2021 losing 56% in
while Comedy Central increased (+1.4% Rtg), ratings and 0.38 pp in share.

Chart 09: 2020 – Q1 2022 MOVIE CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)
Pro Cinema AXN Film Cafe Comedy Central AMC Warner TV TV1000 Bollywood TV AXN White AXN Black
0.5

0.4

0.4

0.3

0.3

0.2

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.0
May-20

May-21
Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Jul-20

Aug-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Jul-21

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Factual and Science channels lost only 9% National Geographic (-4% Rtg, +0.02 pp SOA).
in overall ratings in 2021. History remained HGTV which is the most recent launch in this
the most watched channel despite the decrease cluster was the only channel with year on year
(-19% Rtg, -0.12 pp SOA), followed by increase (+52% Rtg, +0.17 pp SOA).
Discovery (-25% Rtg, -0.12 pp SOA) and

Chart 10: 2020 – Q1 2022 FACTUAL & SCIENCE CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)
History Discovery National Geographic HGTV National Geographic Wild TV Paprika Viasat History Travel Channel
0.30

0.25

0.20

0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00
May-20

May-21
Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Aug-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21
Jul-20

Jul-21
Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Sports and Male Lifestyle channels cluster is +0.03 pp SOA) and Pro Arena (CME channel
the only one with increased ratings in 2021 previously named Pro X, -12% Rtg, -0.02 pp
(+10%). DigiSport 1 dominates here, with SOA). In March 2022 Telekom Sport became
2.3% Rtg (+15% Rtg, +0.44 pp SOA); on the Orange Sport, after being acquired by the leader
second place comes DigiSport 2 at a significant of the Telecommunication category, while
distance with 0.1 Rtg (+17% Rtg, +0.10 pp LookSport channels were rebranded in April
SOA), folowed by Eurosport 1 (-2% Rtg, 2022 as Prima Sport.

Chart 11: 2020 – Q1 2022 SPORTS/ MEN LIFESTYLE CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)
DigiSport 1 DigiSport 2 Eurosport 1 Pro Arena Prima Sport 1 Eurosport 2 DigiSport 3 Orange Sport 1 DigiSport 4 Prima Sport 2 Orange Sport 3

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0
May-20

May-21
Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Jul-20

Jul-21
Aug-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Music channels lost 21% ratings overall. (-25% Rtg, -0.06 pp SOA), the most popular
Kiss TV continued to lead despite the major folk music channel. Apart from ZU TV, which
downtrend (-19% Rtg, -0.05 pp SOA), followed celebrated 7 years in 2021 with a promotional
by Zu TV (+36% Rtg, +0.10 pp SOA) on a very campaign in April and May, Taraf TV was the
positive evolution and Etno only music channel with increasing performance
year over year (+1.1% Rtg).

Chart 12: 2020 – Q1 2022 MUSIC CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)
0.1
Kiss TV ZU TV ETNO Favorit TV U TV Magic TV Taraf TV Music Channel Hit Music Rock TV
0.1

0.1

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0
May-20

May-21
Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Aug-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21
Jul-20

Jul-21
Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Family channels lost 28% in overall rating in incidence. Boomerang kept the leading position
2021. After the increase in March 2020 when despite the decrease (-26% Rtg, -0.22 pp
schools were closed and throughout the Summer SOA), followed by Disney Junior (-16% Rtg,
of 2021 when most children were attending -0.06 pp SOA) and Disney (-15% Rtg, -0.05
online classes, the cartoons channels decreased pp SOA). Only channels for preschoolers, JIM
dramatically in Autumn, when schools remained JAM (+40% Rtg, 0.05 pp SOA) and Duck TV
open and the decision of suspending classes (+29% Rtg, +0.04 pp SOA) increased their
was localized and based on specific infections performance in 2021.

Chart 13: 2020 – Q1 2022 FAMILY CHANNELS MONTHLY DYNAMICS (Rtg %, All 18-54 urban, 06:00-26:00)
Boomerang Disney Junior Disney Nickelodeon Nick JR Minimax Cartoon Network Nicktoons JIM JAM Duck TV TeenNick

0.4

0.3

0.3

0.2

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.0
Aug-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21
May-20

May-21
Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Jul-20

Jul-21

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

TV programming: locally produced talent shows kept continued to be very successful due to new
the lead concepts adopted every year, followed by
Sef sub acoperire (Pro TV) and Asia Express
Talent shows and cooking programs continued (Antena 1). Survivor Romania (Kanal D) was
to be the most popular genres since 2016. highly popular among viewers, as were Poftiti
Romanii au talent (Pro TV) remained the most pe la noi (Antena 1), iUmor (Antena 1) and
viewed talent show at more than ten years Masked Singer (Pro TV).
after its launch, Chefi la cutite (Antena 1)

Chart 14: 2017-2021 TALENTS SHOW PERFORMANCE EVOLUTION (Rtg%, all 18-54, Urban)
18.0
16.1

15.7
16.0
14.2

14.1
14.0
12.0

10.9

10.4

10.4
10.2
10.0
9.1

9.0
8.8

8.9

8.9
8.6

8.6
8.3

8.2

8.3
8.0
7.9

7.6

7.3
7.2
7.1
8.0

7.0
6.6
6.5

6.4

6.3
6.2

6.2
5.9

5.9

5.9
5.7

5.6

5.7
5.4
5.3

5.4

5.3

5.2
5.0

6.0
4.9
4.8
3.9

3.7
3.2
4.0
2.0
0.0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Romanii au talent (PRO TV) X-Factor (Ant 1) Vocea Romaniei (PRO TV) Te cunosc de undeva (Ant 1) Next Star (Ant 1) iUmor (Ant 1) Poftiti pe la noi (Ant 1)
Chefi la cutite (Ant 1) Asia expres (Ant 1) Show si-asa! (Ant 1) Sef sub acoperire (PRO TV) Masked Singer Romania (PRO TV) Survivor Romania (Kanal D)

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA establishment surveys

The main TV channels continued their (Rtg. 6.3%). Antena 1 continued to produce
programming strategy with local productions its successful shows Chefi la cutite (Rtg. 8.9%),
which are preferred by broad TV audiences: Asia Express (Rtg. 8%), iUmor (Rtg. 6.8%),
Pro TV maintained leadership with most of its Poftiti pe la noi (Rtg. 7.3%) and Te cunosc
shows in top: Las Fierbinti (Rtg. 11%), Romanii de undeva (Rtg. 6.2%). Apart from Survivor
au talent (Rtg 10.4% vs. 14.1% in 2020), Sef Romania (Rtg. 7.6%) Kanal D’s program grid
sub acoperire (Rtg. 8.3%), Visuri la cheie (Rtg. continued to be dominated by Turkish soap
7.5%), Vlad (Rtg. 7.4%), Imperiul leilor (Rtg. operas such as Doctorul minune (Rtg 4.2%),
6.6% vs. 8.6% in 2020), Masked Singer (Rtg. Hercai (Rtg. 4%) and Prizoniera destinului (Rtg.
6.3%) and new production Superstar Romania 3.6%).

Chart 14: 2017-2021 TALENTS SHOW PERFORMANCE EVOLUTION (Rtg%, all 18-54, Urban)
18.0
16.1

15.7

16.0
14.2

14.1

14.0
12.0
10.9

10.4

10.4
10.2

10.0
9.1

9.0
8.8

8.9

8.9
8.6

8.6
8.3

8.2

8.3
8.0
7.9

7.6
7.3
7.2
7.1

8.0
7.0
6.6
6.5

6.4

6.3
6.2

6.2
5.9

5.9

5.9
5.7

5.6

5.7
5.4
5.3

5.4

5.3

5.2
5.0

6.0
4.9
4.8
3.9

3.7
3.2

4.0
2.0
0.0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Romanii au talent (PRO TV) X-Factor (Ant 1) Vocea Romaniei (PRO TV) Te cunosc de undeva (Ant 1) Next Star (Ant 1) iUmor (Ant 1) Poftiti pe la noi (Ant 1)
Chefi la cutite (Ant 1) Asia expres (Ant 1) Show si-asa! (Ant 1) Sef sub acoperire (PRO TV) Masked Singer Romania (PRO TV) Survivor Romania (Kanal D)

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA establishment surveys

TV ADVERTISING DEMAND: SOLD TV As in 2021 TV audience resumed the traditional
eroding trend long observed before 2020 and the
INVENTORY: +5% VS. 2020 air-time demand increased, an unprecedented
TV sold inventory increase was pressure on TV prices was created, resulting in
an estimated average cost inflation of minimum
tempered by the total TV rating drop 15%.
(-8%) vs 2020 The variation of the TV average CPT was of
10%, respectively 2.97 EUR on 18-54 urban
Despite still being influenced by the COVID-19 target vs. 2.71 EUR in 2020. On national target,
pandemic and additionally by the severe impact average CPT is 0.63 EUR and 1.23 EUR on
generated by the supply chain crisis and the urban target.
inflation triggered by this global issue, 2021
brought a gradual consumption improvement. Chart 15: TV SOLD INVENTORY TREND
This fueled a stronger than expected recovery
of most of the marketing budgets, and implicitly Year 2019 2020 2021
impacted the entire media market. Almost all 2,179 2,233 2,350
All 18-54, urban target sold GRP30" (000)
the media categories expanded during 2021
which paid off in terms of revenue. TV market Sold Inventory % minutes (All Day) 86% 81% 92%

boosted by 16% to 350M EUR from 302M EUR Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database & Initiative's estimates
in 2020. Note: Only Paid advertising included

Apart from the economic stimulus which helped In 2021, the sold inventory (minutes) increased
the consumers spend more, the TV market was by 28% in H1 compared to H1 2020, when the
further sustained by significant sports events spending was affected by COVID19 pandemic
such as Euro 2020 and the Summer Olympics. outburst, and was steady in H2 vs. the same
Another catalyst was the fast dynamics of some period in 2020, when the consumption was
categories such as e-commerce, which increased high. Overall, the year ended with +14% for All
their TV investment to boost brand awareness Day (92%), and +6% in PT (99%), similar to
in highly competitive business environments. pre-pandemic levels.

Chart 16: 2020 – Q1 2022 AVERAGE SOLD INVENTORY BY MONTH (% Min) VS. LEGAL LIMIT
120%
110%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
All Day (06:00-26:00) Average Prime Time (18:00-24:00) Average
40%
30%
20%
Jan-20 Feb-20 Mar-20 Apr-20 May-20 Jun-20 Jul-20 Aug-20 Sep-20 Oct-20 Nov-20 Dec-20 Jan-21 Feb-21 Mar-21 Apr-21 May-21 Jun-21 Jul-21 Aug-21 Sep-21 Oct-21 Nov-21 Dec-21 Jan-22 Feb-22 Mar-22

Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Q2 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2021 Q1 2022

Source: Kantar Media & Initiative Estimation

Chart 17: 2019 – Q1 2022 SOLD GRP30” (‘000) BY MONTH
Sold GRP30" All 18-54, urban

250

238
232

231

218
214

212

211
210

208

208
205
202

199

200
199
195

194
192

191
200
187

186

185

183
180

176

175
174

174
172

173
170
168

169
161

162
159

157
145
150

137
100

50

0
May-19

May-20

May-21
Aug-19

Sep-19

Nov-19

Dec-19

Aug-20

Sep-20

Nov-20

Dec-20

Aug-21

Sep-21

Nov-21

Dec-21
Feb-19

Mar-19

Feb-20

Mar-20

Feb-21

Mar-21

Feb-22

Mar-22
Jan-19

Jun-19

Jan-20

Jun-20

Jan-21

Jun-21

Jan-22
Apr-19

Oct-19

Apr-20

Oct-20

Apr-21

Oct-21
Jul-19

Jul-20

Jul-21
Q1 2019 Q2 2019 Q3 2019 Q4 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Q2 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2021 Q1 2022
Source: Kantar Media & Initiative Estimation

Overall, 2021 ended with +5% increase in the top generalist channels, Kanal D had the
sold GRP30” with a total of 2.3 M GRP30” highest growth in sold GRP30” +15%, followed
18-54 urban. Most of the exposure, 29%, was by Antena 1 with +9% and PRO TV with +5%
sold by CME, 26% by Intact, while Dogan in sold GRP30”.
and Thematics followed with 12% each. From

Chart 18: 2020-2021 TV TRUSTS: ADS REVENUES SHARE VS. SOLD GRP30” SHARE

Inner: Sold GRP30" (18+54 Urban)

12% 12%
Outer: Net Ads Revenue Share

6% 5%
CME
17% 15%
29% 39% 29% 39%
Intact 9% 6%
9% 6%
2020 Dogan 12% 2021
12%
Thematics
11% 12% 26%
10% 11% 25%
RCS

Others
24% 24%

Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database & Initiative’s estimates

TOP 10 Categories on TV in 2021 outburst. In 2021, in an environment with less

restrictions, Grocery Retail continued its way
The top 10 investing economic segments up, with constant investment from leading
gathered an estimated 69.2% of the total net net brands LIDL and Kaufland. NA Beverages
TV market budgets (paid exposure w/o barters), took the opportunity to put more focus on TV
in slight decline vs. 71.2% in 2020. Medicines and Coca Cola was the main category driver,
maintained the leading position (16.5%) despite while Sweets reflected the same approach, with
the 1.8 pp decrease and Pharmacies exited Ferrero being the main category player across
the top as Vitamins got more visibility in the several subcategories.
second year after the COVID-19 pandemic
Chart 19: 2020-2021 TOP 10 CATEGORIES INVESTMENTS IN TV (NET NET SHARES)
2020 TOP 10 Categories in TV (net net share)
Medicines 18.3%
Grocery Retail 10.4%
Personal care 8.3%
Mobile Services 7.0%
Vitamins & supplements 6.1%
Sweets 5.5%
Online Retailers 5.4%
Beer & Cider 4.1%
Bets & Gambling 3.2%
NA Beverages 3.1%
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2022?
2022 started with completely lifted COVID-19
measures and most of the economic sectors back
to normal activity, which means that almost the
entire population returned to a normal lifestyle.
The burst of freedom in social activities since
Spring as well as the unusual warm weather
have accelerated the TV viewing habits decline
and the return to the pre-pandemic erosion.
During January-May 2022 the Total TV
Viewing (TTV) dropped by 10.2% compared
to the same period in 2021 and more than the
historical 5-6% year over year evolution prior
the pandemic.
All top generalist channels achieved lower
ratings: Pro TV dropped marginally -3%,
while Antena 1 and Kanal D registered
-12%, respectively -47%. The major decline
in Kanal D’s performance is generated by
the absence from the programming of the
reality show Survivor Romania, which had
an outstanding contribution to the station’s
performance in 2020. Survivor show is produced
by Pro TV starting 2022.
In the second tier, Prima TV has managed
an excellent performance by keeping loyal
viewers and increasing +3.3% due to its new
programming strategy.
2021 TOP 10 Categories in TV (net net share)
Medicines 16.5%
Grocery Retail 10.5%
Personal care 6.8%
Mobile Services 6.2%
Vitamins & supplements 6.1%
Sweets 5.6%
Online Retailers 5.6%
Beer & Cider 4.1%
Bets & Gambling 4.0%
NA Beverages 3.7%
The news cluster ratings boosted again this
year, mainly due to the war in Ukraine, which
is concerning for the Romanian population first
because of the proximity and second because of
the financial crisis it entangles. However, the
high interest for this topic has already halved
since March and is now lower than before the
invasion. Compared to the same period in 2021,
Antena 3 increased by almost 17%, Romania
TV increased in ratings by 16%, while Digi
24 by 14.3%. Realitatea Plus achieved the most
dynamic growth +60%, while B1TV lost 20%,
being the only one dropping.
Looking at the most popular programs, Romanii
au talent remains the leader with the most
viewers (10.7% and 35.8 share), but also gains
during this season +3% in ratings and +7.4 pp in
share (vs. 28.4 in 2021). Pro TV also managed,
as expected, to grow Survivor Romania +4.9%
in ratings and +2.9 pp in share compared to the
previous season on Kanal D in 2021. Antena 1’s
most popular shows had lower ratings this season
but managed to increase the share. Te cunosc de
undeva lost 10% in ratings but gained 5.2 pp in
share (22.5 in 2022 vs. 17.3 in 2021).
After last year’s outstanding results, in January-
May 2022 Total TV Viewing has dropped by
10.2% vs. January-May 2021, affecting the level
of GRP30” sold in this period. Pro TV registered
so far -5% in sold GRP30” and +1.3 pp in SOV,
Antena 1 -8.5% in sold GRP30” and +0.7 pp
in SOV, while the exit of Survivor Romania
from Kanal D resulted in almost -45% in sold
GRP30” and -5 pp in SOV. Prima TV remains
steady in terms of SOV and sold GRP30’’, with
minor gains compared to last year. Significant
gains were observed this year among the news
channels, Digi24 shows +10.6% in sold GRP30”
and +0.8 pp in SOV, Romania TV +5.5% in
sold GRP30” and +0.5 pp in SOV, Antena 3
+3.8% in sold GRP30” and +0.5 pp in SOV,
Realitatea Plus +36% in sold GRP30” and +0.7
pp in SOV.
Overall, since the beginning of the year, period
January-May, CME lost 6% in sold GRP30” and
gained 1 pp in SOV, while Intact lost 3% in sold
GRP30” and gained 2 pp in SOV, compared to
January-May 2021. Thematic Channels also lost
10% in sold GRP30” and stayed flat in SOV.
Increases in sold GRP30” are seen so far from
RCS stations (+1% and 0.7 pp in SOV).
The advertising loading of 12 minutes per break
shows marginally variations during January-May
2022 compared to the same period last year.
After 2021 reached the highest levels in the past
years, Q1 2022 decreased 0.7% in prime time
and gained 0.7% in off prime time, although
both time slots started the year with increases.
While January had 92% loading in prime time,
80% in off prime time and 84% during all day
(up from 91%, 72% and 78% in January 2021),
April registered 98%, 83%, 87% (down by 6%
in PT, 8% in OPT and 7% all day), continuing
the downtrend vs. the records seen in 2021. May
showed a slower decline against last year, by
only 2% in PT and 4% for the rest of the day, to
97% in PT, 81% in OPT, respectively 86% for
all day.
This stability in sold minutes (-2% vs. January-
May 2021 and flat vs. January-May 2019)
might be seen as the first sign of the TV market
recovery in terms of prices, considering that
CPP30 in Romania is still low compared to
other countries in the CEE region.
Without any doubts, 2021 was a very difficult
year, with almost permanent sold-out periods as
200%-300% airtime was ordered by the agencies
which generated extreme pressure on prices as
well as on surcharges for quality placements.
2022 sales policies continued the previous
year aggressive inflationary trend but added
various new instruments. The most notable
one is the extension of commercial buying
targets definitions in terms of demographics and
residence area: approx. 60% of the TV revenues
switched from the 18-49 urban or 18-54 urban
buying targets to national buying targets
combined with extended age groups 21-54,
18+, 21-59, which are more stable in terms of
performance and allow a better monetization of
the available inventory. The second significant
change applies only to CME channels and
represents the buying reference adjustment to
20 sec instead of 30 sec. Other cost inflation
drivers are resulting from overcharging selective
premiums in ad break versus bulk premiums
distribution and the increase of the spot length
correction index.
Considering all the above and the current
economic and geo-political context, the rest of
the year is expected to reflect high prudence in
spending for both consumers and the advertising
industry.
Thus, we estimate that in the worst-case
scenario 2022 will reflect a stagflation of the
TV market – between -2% and +2% in terms of
volume.
IN-DEPTH DATA: TV CHANNELS AUDIENCE PROFILES URBAN VS. NATIONAL
GENERALIST CHANNELS - 2021 vs. 2020 Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Pro TV Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Pro TV National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Antena 1 Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Antena 1 National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB Urban Social grade AB
2021 200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Kanal D Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Kanal D National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
Prima TV Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Prima TV National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

TVR 1 Urban Profile (Affinity Index) TVR 1 National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

National TV Urban Profile (Affinity Index) National TV National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
NEWS CHANNELS - 2021 vs. 2020 Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

România TV Urban Profile (Affinity Index) România TV National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Antena 3 Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Antena 3 National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Digi 24 Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Digi 24 National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
Realitatea Plus Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Realitatea Plus National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

B1 TV Urban Profile (Affinity Index) B1 TV National Profile (Affinity Index)

Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
WOMEN THEMATIC CHANNELS - 2021 vs. 2020 Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Antena Stars Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Antena Stars National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Happy Channel Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Happy Channel National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Diva Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Diva National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
Acasă Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Acasă National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Acasă Gold Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Acasă Gold National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

TLC Urban Profile (Affinity Index) TLC National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
MOVIES CHANNELS - 2021 vs. 2020 Source: KANTAR MEDIA / ARMADATA database

Pro Cinema Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Pro Cinema National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Film Cafe Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Film Cafe National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

AMC Urban Profile (Affinity Index) AMC National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
Comedy Central Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Comedy Central National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

AXN Urban Profile (Affinity Index) AXN National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50
50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44

Warner Urban Profile (Affinity Index) Warner National Profile (Affinity Index)
Men Men
Bucharest 250 Women Bucharest 250 Women
2020
Urban 200 Social grade AB 2021 Urban Social grade AB
200
200k+ 200k+
150 150 Social
Urban Social Urban
100k-200k grade C
100k-200k 100 grade C 100
Social
50 Urban
Urban Social 50 grade DE
30k-100k
30k-100k grade DE
0 0
Urban Age 4-11
Urban Age 4-11 30k
30k

Rural Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 12-17

Age 65+ Age 18-24

Age 55-64 Age 18-24

Age 45-54 Age 25-34 Age 55-64 Age 25-34

Age 35-44 Age 45-54 Age 35-44
Digital
DIGITAL MARKET
ECOMMERCE
Crisis can sometimes be great teachers and
contributors to success. The pandemic gave
birth to a golden age for Romanian Ecommerce
and most of the behaviours and practical
benefits are here to stay.
2021 was the year of consolidation and solid
growth even faced with major global disruption
and uncertainty.
The positive trend for Romanian ecommerce
translated in a double-digit growth in 2021,
reaching 6.2billion €, according to the GPeC
2021 report, a 10% raise profoundly influenced
by the supply chain delays, high prices for
energy and overall high costs for transportation.
Everyday 17 million euros were spent for online
shopping, 41.5% of the transactions were made
using a mobile phone. People became more
relaxed and chose in a greater number the
accessibility, easiness, and safety of mobile apps
for online shopping.
According to Eurostat research, 44% of
the online population in Romania used an
ecommerce platform in 2021, this in the context
of an 88% internet penetration for the last year.
We can see just how deep and consistent the
ecommerce growth is by analysing the new
level of trust users gained in the process and
how useful access to this type of economy is
for them. The GPeC annual report highlights
data registered by 2Performant platform for an
average spent on desktop of 66.67 euro and on
mobile 60.7 euros, both in significant growth
from the previous year.
Ecommerce platforms are becoming major
investors in technology, are changing buying
behaviour and act as gate keepers for the
national digitalisation process. Adding a content
creation element to the way they are conducting
business and building on practical benefits with
instant reward, top players are setting a high
standard for the industry.
2021 came with important growth for 3 major
categories: fashion, books-movies-music and beauty
With most of the transactions made via mobile
and with top international players investing
heavily in digital campaigns, the fashion vertical
registered 26% growth in sales number YoY.
Fashion Days, Answear.ro, About You and top
brands directly used all the incentives possible
to become a top option in competition with
shopping malls.
Culture, with a strong focus on books, became
a source of escapism during and after the
pandemic. From children’s literature to personal
development authors, Romanians took their
time in researching and ordering online,
choosing to use both mobile and desktop as
point of transaction.
2021 marked a strategic change for the beauty
sector where we saw the powerful entry of major
international brands and local business in the
ecommerce arena. This led to a 11% growth on
a YoY basis.
Pharma, Fashion, Petfood and Furniture are the
categories with the most positive perspectives for
2022
The complex and profound change in
consumer’s behaviour can be seen in the rapid
growth of mobile transactions. While smaller
in value, the number of transactions made via
a mobile phone led to higher overall value of
the products bought. 61.7% of the total value
transacted is being generated from mobile orders
and 75.5% of the online traffic registered by
Romanian ecommerce platforms comes from
mobile, according to the GPeC 2021 report.
This paints a complete picture of a new type
of consumer: always connected, open to digital
marketing and comfortable with the ecommerce
process.
 E-COMMERCE
17M € for online shopping 6.2bn € theRomanian
were spent daily estimated value reached by
e-commerce in 2021

TOP 3 E-COMMERCE CATEGORIES: Fashion Books-movie-music Beauty

76% of the online traffic registered by

Romanian e-comm platforms came from Mobile

88% INTERNET PENETRATION

+14% internet usage for people
living in rural areas +8% internet usage for
55-74 y.o.

SMARTPHONES ARE TOP CHOICE FOR ACCESSING THE INTERNET

93% Gen Z 95% Millenials
91% Gen X
86% Baby Boomers

PRIVACY PRIORITIES IN 2021

(% from the online population)

35% use an
ad-blocker 35% refuse cookies used
for ad targeting 15% use
a VPN

PLATFORMS

+13% YOY IN USERS NUMBER 9.9M FACEBOOK USERS 6.4M USERS

reached by TikTok among
YouTube reached a record remaining the most popular
13.3M users in Romania social media platform in Romania 18+ y.o. audience in 2021
Small purchases and very optimised apps
contribute to the high penetration of
ecommerce. Food delivery platforms and
mobility aggregators had the role of ice breaking
for both ends of the age spectrum.
According to the GWI study on online
population the biggest factor that influences
an online acquisition is free delivery (69.6%),
followed by good reviews (45.3%) and
discounts (42.6%). More than half of the buyers
search actively for reviews online, according
to an iSense study on online population.
This behaviour generates an entire set of
optimisations and incentives the ecommerce
platforms implement for each purchase.
Ecommerce and delivery companies have a
complex and challenging relationship, both
being in some part dependent on the success
of the other. This led to a rapid development
of a locker network for a better transport
price and time optimisation. This is becoming
the favourite delivery option for customers
according to Fan Courier. The investment made
by top players like Same Day-eMAG and Fan
Courier in a national network of delivery lockers
contributes to a greener type of ecommerce and
a shorter delivery time.
The end of 2021 came with the rapid growth of
Quick Commerce and an urban network of dark
stores- small warehouses located in premium
urban locations with great connectivity to
facilitate easy and fast delivery. This new
business model carries limited selection of
products, specially chosen to satisfy the everyday
need of a family. The ultra-fast delivery in 15-30
minutes influences the expectations people will
have for all deliveries. This type of pressure will
most likely lead to major optimisations in the
delivery system.
The biggest player on the Romanian market,
Dante International, the company that operates
eMAG, Fashion Days, Tazz by eMAG and from
October 2021 Freshful is reporting a revenue
close to 10 billion lei in 2021, making it the
leading voice and the trend setter in local and
regional ecommerce.
Investing heavily in technology and commercial
innovation, eMAG succeeded in doubling the
number of mobile apps downloaded in 2022,
reaching an impressive number of 5 million
users. Mixing the marketplace business model
with their own product selection they succeeded
in diversifying the sold portfolio with a 75%
percent of non-electro and IT products.
2022 and the next years will bring more focus on
the first part of the commercial process with the
global growth of Live Shopping on social media
platform, generating a new category Social
Commerce. This will impact most the younger
generation and will generate leading voices for
digital communities.
INTERNATIONAL STATS
The world is getting closer to the universal
digital accessibility with each passing year.
This trend is picking up speed and 2021 is the
year that reflects a change beyond what the
pandemic forced everyone to accept. In the post
pandemic world digital access is becoming more
of a human right, a way of conducting personal
and professional life. The digitalisation process
reaches all levels of the global population and
becomes an intrinsic part of being a citizen.
The main driver in digitalisation comes from
the social media platforms and their diversity
in reaching all audiences, cultures, and
territories. The expansion of mobile usage and
the high global penetration of accessible data
networks allow a sustainable growth even in
underdeveloped countries.
With a global population of 7.91 billion in
January 2022 the world is more than two thirds
connected via a mobile phone. According to
the Kepios global report, 62.5% of the total
population is using the internet, 4% more than
the previous year. This number seems small
in comparison with one of the strongest gains
of 10.1% registered for the social media users.
Alongside the constantly growing number of
internet users, we can see an increase in the
time spent online, this is also explained by
which are the most popular platforms.
YouTube ranks first as number of hours spent on
the platform, showcasing the success of video in
comparison with all other types of content. The
Meta trifecta follows with Facebook, WhatsApp
and Instagram reaching new highs in 2021. In
terms of number of users Facebook remains the
global social media star with 2.91 billion users.
TikTok is changing the rules with an impressive
growth, challenging the big players with more
than 650,000 new users every day in the final 3
months of 2021.
This type of success caught the attention of all
international media spenders and brands of all
sizes. This led to a sharp increase in advertising
costs on all platforms, data from Statista shows
global social media spend exceeded 150 billion
$ in 2021, one third of this budget being
accounted by social media ads. In the last
quarter social media CPMs increased by 21.7%
YoY, this cost becomes reasonable considering
that according to the latest GWI study on global
online population 1 in 4 internet users discover
new brands, products, and services via a social
media ad.
The new digitally influenced behaviour has the
power to disrupt traditional business models
just as the data from the GWI study shows
us that nearly 6 in 10 working age internet
users buys something online every week. Also,
their willingness to pay for online content is
remarkable with 71.5% of the internet users
paying each month for some type of digital
content, Millennials being the generation that
exceeds this percentage.
Mobile apps are taking a bigger slice in the
global digital market with an impressive number
of 230 billion downloads and a new record
of 170 billion dollars spend by consumers
worldwide. For a better understanding of the
importance of mobile apps we could see this
amount as 0.2% of total global GDP.
When speaking about money in 2021 we could
not miss the global impact of cryptocurrencies,
we registered a 37.8% YoY increase of the
number of people owning crypto. According
to GWI study, 1 in 10 working age internet
users owns some type of cryptocurrency, this
percentage being higher for younger audiences
and in some parts of Asia.

EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL IN ROMANIA

Internet penetration
The post pandemic world is set to keep all the
technological advances gained and is building
on accessibility, usability and creating a space
for even more profound digital transformation.
Romania is riding this global trend with a high
internet penetration considering the major
differences in development between urban and
rural areas. In 2021 the internet penetration
has reached 88% of the population, according
to Eurostat data. The 3% increase from the
previous year shows a steady growth path and
a consolidation in digital connectivity for all
social categories.

EU = 80 0 200 400 600 800 km

< 65 65 - < 74 74 - < 80 80 - < 88 88 - < 91 ≥ 91

Data not available Source: Eurostat
INTERNET PENETRATION IN ROMANIA

100%
85% 88%
90%
77% 80%
80%
70%
66%
70%
59% 62%
60% 55%
50%
50% 44%
37% 40%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Source: Eurostat | Internet use by individuals aged 16 to 74 in the last 12 months - whether at home, at work or from anywhere else and whether for private or
work/business related purposes

The profound and real change comes from the
categories of consumers who register the highest
increase in internet usage. Real progress means
reaching the oldest audiences and the ones
that live in rural and remote areas. In 2021 we
registered an 8% increase in internet usage for
all people aged 55-74, and an impressive double
digit increase of 14% for usage by people in
rural areas. As one can expect young people
aged 16-34 have a small increase in internet
usage of only 2%, but with an overall impressive
total of 98%. The mature adults in the 35-54
age segment have registered a 3% increase in
internet usage, reaching 95%. This shows us a
healthy growth rate in internet usage for the
general population and a positive perspective for
the senior segment.

120%

100% 94% 95% 96% 98% 92% 95%

89% 92%
85% 88%
80% 77%
72% 68%
63%
51% 55%
60%

40% 34% 38%

20%

0%
16-34 y.o. 35-54 y.o. 55-74 y.o.
Source: INS | All 16-74 National, last 12 months 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

People with high education remain the most
active internet users with the same 99% as in
the last four years. In 2021 we registered a slight
increase of only 2% for people with secondary
education, reaching now a 91% internet usage
for this category. The good news comes from the
lower educated segment where we have a 6%
increase from last year, reaching 69% in 2021.
This increase is very similar with the previous
year marking a solid and relevant trend for a
new digital user.
In 2021 rural areas were the ones with the
highest gains in terms of internet usage, a
remarkable increase of 14% in comparison
with the previous year. Slowly the internet
usage gap between urban and rural areas is
becoming smaller. The fast-paced growth of
rural audiences leads to just 4% difference
in internet usage between those two areas,
according to National Institute of Statistics’
study on all population between 17-74 y.o. 92%
of the people living in cities are frequent users
of internet, which indicates a slight increase of
only 2% compared to 2020.

100%
90% 92%
86% 86% 88%
90%
76% 80% 77%
80% 72%
70% 66%
60% 53% 57%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Urban Rural
Source: INS | All 16-74 National, last 12 months 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
In terms of geographical spread we have a Ilfov register a slight decrease of 1% and reach
consistent YoY growth of 9% for the central 93% internet penetration marking a slowing
part of the country. The North-East is also down and consolidation in terms of behaviour
registering a 7% YoY growth and reaches an and technology.
88% internet penetration rate. Bucharest and

Internet connections the pandemic. A significant change comes from

the number of households connected to high-
2021 marks a new high in both broadband fixed speed internet, in 2021 we register a 24% annual
connections and mobile internet connections growth and a total of 3.7 million connections.
in Romania. According to ANCOM, we have The fixed broadband connections are 80.6%
reached 6.1 million broadband fixed connection, in urban areas and 63.3% can be found in rural
an impressive 11% increase YoY, this is due to parts of the country.
high penetration in rural areas during and post
30 21.2
19.9 19.5
19.3
25
16.6
14.8
20 13.2
12
15
9.6
7.1
10 3.53 6.1
2.53 4.6 4.9 5.3 5.5
3.42 3.8 4 4.1 4.3
5 2.93 3.13

0
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Source: ANCOM
Broadband fixed Mobile
Mobile internet penetrations reached a new
peak with 21.2 million connections, this due
mostly to the fast growth of prepaid internet
cards, according to ANCOM. This represents
Devices used to access the internet
According to the 2021 GWI study on online
population we can say mobile first is the rule
of action for all digital content. Romanians
prefer to access the internet via smartphones
in an overwhelming proportion, Gen Z 93%,
Millennials 95%, Gen X 91% and Baby
Boomers 86%.
95%
93%
100%
91%
86%
84%
90%
82%
80%
73%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
23%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Smartphone Desktop or laptop
Adoption of digital innovations
2021 and the first part of 2022 represent a slow
but steady comeback to a more classic lifestyle
where interactions happen in both digital and
real life. This moment marks the consolidation
of technological gains and a significant openness
to discover, test and integrate innovation in
everyday life.
The role played by technology in simplifying
and securing everyday life can be seen in the
fast-paced adoption of mobile payment systems
like Apple Pay or Google Pay. In 2021, 17.3%
of the online population used this type of
innovation for faster, safer, and easier payments.
We registered an important rise in usage of
interconnected technology like smart home
an increase of 9% YoY, while traffic increased by
32%, reaching a monthly average of 6 GB per
person.
Desktop/laptop are the types of devices that
suffer the biggest lost in terms of usage, with
both Gen Z and Baby Boomers having an
8% decline, on an YoY basis. We register
a significant increase for tablets as devices
preferred especially by the Millennial
generation. After an initial wave of interest for
smart home devices in 2020, now we can see a
slowing down of the pace of adoption for this
type of device, especially for the younger, more
active population segment.
Gen Z
Millenials
Gen X
Baby Boomers
46%
45%
38%
38%
37%
35%
32%
11%
10%
6%
6%
6%
5%
2%
2%
Tablet device Smart TV Games console Smart home device
devices with a 34.6% increase YoY and smart
watches and personal heath monitors with a
29.7% increase YoY. Gen X and Baby Boomers
being the drivers of this growth. Consistent
with the media consumption behaviour in 2021
the positive trend for streaming services kept
on growing with 26.8% from the previous year.
While the acquisition of new game consoles
registered a small decrease, we have learned
from researching the behaviour of the online
population that the time spent playing on
them is reaching a new high. The adoption and
integration process for all new innovations is
becoming more consistent and spread among
generations. We are exiting the curiosity and
trial period for a more mature and integrated
usage of new technology in everyday lifestyle.
 Brand discovery
The competition between TV and digital for
gaining the consumers attention is getting
closer, with each year passing search engines
are becoming more relevant and trustworthy. In
2021, according to a GWI research on online
Ads on television
Search engines
Direct mail or email
Ads seen on social media
Word-of-mouth recommendations
TV shows or films
Ads seen on websites
Product brochures or catalogues
Ads seen on public transport
Brand or product websites
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
The general population percentages come with
a little more background when we analyse the
differences between the major age groups. For
the younger audience TV remains the top source
of brand discovery (29.4%) but is very closely
followed by social media (28.7%) and direct
communications from the brands (28.5%).
According to the same GWI online research,
we can see the major role celebrities or macro
Online privacy
After the pandemic, with all its waves of
information and fear, society has become more
doubtful of what is true and real and what could
be put under the fake news label. 62% of the
online users expressed concern about what is
real and what is fake on the internet.
According to the National Institute of Statistics,
only 38.6% of the active online population
made the effort to verify suspicious information
on other media or news platforms.
population, 39.9% of the people pointed out
at the TV as main source of brand discovery,
while 35.9% mentioned search engines. In the
digital pool of discovery touchpoints, we have a
complete ecosystem that includes social media
(28%), ads seen on websites (27%) and brand
websites (24%).
40%
36%
29%
26%
26%
26%
25%
25%
24%
23%
25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
influencers play in brand discovery for Gen Z,
17.6% declared this as a touchpoint for brand
discovery, more than any other age segment.
Older audiences are more open to influences
from offline sources, such as printed catalogues
34.2%, word of mouth from friends and family
33.1% and in-store promotions 21%.
From misleading ads to political propaganda,
the online communication is seen as much more
vulnerable to bad actors. This makes it necessary
to use different types of digital protection.
27.1% refuse cookies that could track their
digital behaviour in order to deliver better
targeted ads, while 34.7% use an ad blocker to
keep ads away as much as possible.
A third of the online population is fearful of
how the digital companies could use their
personal data, this being one of the reasons
for using a VPN by 15% of the general online
population.
Personal data protection is becoming a priority their geolocation and 45% have limited the
between frequent online users, 62.3% refused personal information available on social media
to grand access of their data for commercial platforms.
purposes, almost half have restricted access to

ONLINE CONSUMERS
Consumer interests trends
The online behaviour reflects just how mixed
and transformative 2021 was. While Covid19
and all the information related with the
pandemic remained in top interests for the
online audiences we could see a true comeback
for lifestyle curiosities. The top 10 Google
searches shows an almost perfect alternation of
subjects related to the adaptation process to a
new reality.
Major international events, celebrities and
heath information dominated the Google search
top.
In line with the TV consumption, reality TV
and big local productions were in top searches
for Romanians in 2021. A real interest for
competitions and new heroes was present in
queries made throughout the year.
A strong driver in terms of top searches are the
social media platforms, from viral recipes on
Instagram to social celebrities on TikTok, all
entered the short list of queries made las year.

TOP GOOGLE SEARCH QUERIES OTHER

Search Query TV SHOWS WHEN... SYMPTOMS
1 Euro 2020 Chefi la cu]ite Când începe [coala COVID
2 Certificat verde Survivor Când este Black Friday 2021 COVID delta
Simptome
3 Loteria vaccin`rii Asia Express Când se termin` anul [colar 2021
COVID pe zile
4 Petric` Mâ]u Stoian Burlacul Când se redeschid [colile Miocardit`
5 iPhone 13 C`s`tori]i pe nev`zute Când se schimb` ora 2021 Anxietate
6 Programare vaccinare Românii au talent De când intr` în vigoare noile restric]ii Pneumonie
7 Squid Game Vlad Când începe Survivor 2021 Gut`
8 Alexandra Dinu Adela Când sunt Floriile 2021 Infec]ie urinar`
9 Preven]ie COVID Masked Singer Când se pune busuioc sub pern` Depresie
10 Emma R`ducanu Mireasa Când cade Pa[tele în 2021 Norovirus

Video consumption generations are taking a break from watching

YouTube’s leading role in driving the video
consumption worldwide is just as strong on the
local market. With a YoY growth of 12.7%,
YouTube reaches a record 13.3 million of users
in Romania at the beginning of 2022. The
platforms audience ads have reached 79.2% of
the country’s total internet user base.
In the post pandemic reality, the time spent
watching online video is competing with offline
activities. While the last few years people of
all ages discovered a video world influenced by
the platform’s algorithm, now the more mature
YouTube. This translates in an average decline
in time spent on the platform of 8% YoY, for
online population between 16 and 64 years old.
Netflix continues to be the star of the Video on
Demand platforms with a gain of 6% YoY, for
all online population, Millennials and Gen X
being the main drivers for this growth. Because
good quality content is more valuable than ever,
Romanians are in line with the international
trend of choosing paid ad-free services that offer
them all the content they want in one place,
with an YoY increase of 14% for Netflix paid
subscriptions.
 Gen Z Millennials
100% 100%
90% 90%
80% 14% 80% 30%
70%
13% 70%
11%
60% 27% 60%
50% 18% 17%
50%
38%
40% 40%
30% 30%
20%
47% 43% 20% 41%
10% 10%
27%
0% 0%
TV Online streaming TV Online streaming

< 1h 1-3h 3h+

Gen X Baby Boomers

100% 120%
90%
100%
80% 31%
70% 80%
43%
60% 8%
60%
50%
37% 15% 8%
40%
40%
42% 10%
30%
20% 40% 20% 35%
27%
10%
0%
13%
0%
TV Online streaming TV Online streaming

Social media people, with quite a balanced split of 51.9%

Social media platforms are part of everyday life
for an overwhelming number of Romanians.
2021 was the year of a new high in terms of
users on all platforms, spreading across all age
segments. 13.3 million Romanians have access
and use social media, this represents a 10.8%
YoY increase, making it the biggest gain in users
from the last five years.
The most popular platform remains Facebook
with 9.9 million users reported by Meta as
potential ad targets. This translates as 51.9% of
the total population that could be reached via a
Facebook ad.
Mobile first design and content are here to stay
with an impressive 98.3% of the users preferring
mobile as a device to access the platform, while
75.2% of the users are exclusively on mobile.
Facebook is also responsible with 97.23% of all
web traffic referrals from social media platforms.
This makes it a powerful tool for all marketers
and media outlets.
Instagram, also a top platform for Meta, has
a potential audience ad reach of 5.4 million
female and 48.1% male. In constant change
and in a race to attract younger audiences,
Instagram pushes video content and a full
mobile experience in a global direct competition
with TikTok.
The international star of all social media
platforms, TikTok continued to grow in 2021
reaching an advertising audience of 6.37 million
+18 y.o. Romanians. Engaging content, the
high chance of virality and the high return in
investment for brands make TikTok the digital
place to be for every campaign.
One of the surprising facts about TikTok is
the platform’s appeal to older audiences. The
diversity, video format and AI driven algorithm
made it grow in double digit percentage on
a YoY basis. The 45-55 years old category
registered a 17% increase in users in 2021.
The social media landscape includes platforms
with remarkable growth such as Pinterest where
we registered a 32.5% YoY rise in number of
users. LinkedIn, the social platform dedicated
to professionals and corporate communication
has a total potential reach of 3.2 million users,
 a valuable audience representing 20.6% of the of 2.65 million. With video content, trendy
working population. filters, and a mostly female audience (61.6%),
Snapchat is delivering a global social experience
Similar to Instagram and TikTok, Snapchat is
for local users.
reaching young audience and registers a new
year of growth with a top potential audience

Gen Z Millennials
80% 73% 90%
81%
68% 80%
70%
70%
60%
47% 60%
50%
50%
40% 36% 40%
40% 33%
30% 30%
20% 14%14% 20% 12%
9% 7% 9% 8% 7% 9% 12%11% 7% 6% 7% 5% 6% 5%
10% 5% 7% 5% 4% 4% 10% 4% 3% 3%
0% 0%
Instagram Facebook TikTok Snapchat Pinterest Reddit Twitter LinkedIn FacebookInstagram TikTok Pinterest LinkedIn Snapchat Twitter Reddit
Daily Weekly

Gen X Baby Boomers

90% 83% 90% 85%
80%
80%
70% 70%
60% 60%

50% 50%
40% 40%
28% 30%
30% 21%
19% 20% 14% 15% 15%
20% 14% 14% 11%
8% 10% 8% 8% 8% 6% 9% 10% 7% 7%
10% 4% 10% 4%
4% 3% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1%
0% 0%
FacebookInstagram TikTok Pinterest LinkedIn Twitter Snapchat Reddit FacebookInstagram Pinterest TikTok LinkedIn Twitter Snapchat Reddit

MOBILE Keeping in touch with loved ones is the top

Mobile operating systems
Android continues to be the predominant
mobile OS in Romania with a market share of
79.04%, while IOS gains momentum with a
5.6% YoY increase, to a total of 20.55% of the
mobile operating systems market.
Mobile activities
The behaviour updates from the pandemic are
here to stay and we can see this in the reasons
and ways Romanians are using mobile apps in
everyday life. Even if life is happening without
restrictions and offline activities are regaining
relevance in the daily program we can see how
impactful mobile apps, smartphones and digital
connectivity are for every Romanian.
reason for using a mobile app, 98.1% of the
online population used a messaging app in 2021.
The same human need is secured accessing
social media platforms, here the experience
comes in pair with the second reason, FOMO
(fear of missing out). According to the GWI
study on the online population 16-64 yo., 47.2%
of the Romanians use social media apps to stay
informed, updated about their close ones and
not miss something important.
The new mobile first world comes with easy
access to all ecommerce platforms and every
year the percentage of acquisitions made using
a mobile app is growing. In 2021, 41.5% of the
online acquisitions were attributed to a mobile
connection. This represents a 3.1% YoY increase
and is following a global trend of mobile
designed ecommerce.
 Made a video call or used FaceTime 35%

Used / scanned a QR code 34%

Tracked your spending 31%

Sent money to friends / family 25%

Used an image recognition tool (e.g. Google Lens, Pinterest Lens) 24%

Used a mobile payment service such as Ap ... 17%

Tracked your screen time or set limits for certain apps 10%

Sent money to a different country 3%

Source: GWI, 2021 | Online population

Communication apps year marks the mainstreaming of two new

2021 marked the moment when slowly, but
constantly, people began to mingle more, to be
more active and to search for easy and secure
communication channels.
While WhatsApp (74%) and Facebook
Messenger (59%) are continuing to be in
top preference for all online population, this
communication apps, according to the GWI
2021 study. Telegram 8% and Discord 6%
are gaining an audience focused on secure
communication and around communities.
These communication options open the
conversation for brands to create customised
approaches for the new audiences and to try to
engage with them in a customised style.

All 16-64 y.o.

80% 74%
70%
59%
60%

50%

40%

30%
20%
8% 10% 8%
10% 4% 6% 5% 5%
3%
0%
WhatsApp Messenger Telegram Skype Discord
Daily Weekly
Source: GWI, 2021 | Online population

The most visited websites news creates an amplification effect that

The 24h news cycle and the constant fear of
missing out drive online traffic to a mix of
information platforms that cover all subjects of
national interest.
Social media platforms are a major source of
traffic and the possibility of subjects becoming
viral or having the characteristics of breaking
increases the audiences for all major sites.
In 2021 we have a switch between digi24.ro
and olx.ro for the top position, while the rest of
top 10 websites is dominated by news platforms.
Sports news, technology and online gossip are
the few exceptions for what Romanians accessed
more in 2021.
 digi24.ro
www.olx.ro
www.libertatea.ro
adevarul.ro
www.playtech.ro
www.stirileprotv.ro
www.observatornews.ro
www.hotnews.ro
a1.ro
digisport.ro
fanatik.ro
www.mediafax.ro
ziare.com
cancan.ro
antena3.ro
capital.ro
www.gsp.ro
www.stiripesurse.ro
www.zf.ro
g4media.ro
0 2,000,000 4,000,000 6,000,000 8,000,000 10,000,000 12,000,000

The major change in lifestyle that 2021 brought
was a more active social life and a return of
offline activities. This led to a drop in visitors
on major categories like Economy & Finance
(40%), Classifieds (22%) and Auto Moto
(16%).
Still, after the pandemic, the interest for major
and expensive acquisitions dropped, this being
visible also in the online traffic for two major
content categories: Classifieds and Auto Moto.

Economy & finance Classifieds

Age 16-34 Age 16-34

Gender Male Age 35-54 Gender Male Age 35-54

Gender Gender
Age 55-74 Age 55-74
Female Female

ESOMAR ESOMAR ESOMAR ESOMAR

social grade DE social grade AB social grade DE social grade AB

ESOMAR social grade C 2020 2021 ESOMAR social grade C

Auto & Moto Health & personal care
Age 16-34 Age 16-34

Gender Male Age 35-54 Gender Male Age 35-54

Gender Gender
Age 55-74 Age 55-74
Female Female

ESOMAR ESOMAR ESOMAR ESOMAR

social grade DE social grade AB social grade DE social grade AB

ESOMAR social grade C 2020 2021 ESOMAR social grade C

After a long period of worries and insecurities
society’s focus switched to a more stress-free type
of content.
Health and Personal Care gained a more
feminine audience, with a focus on prevention
and getting back in shape for a new offline start.
Overall, the News category registered a decrease
in traffic, marking a first period of relaxation
after the pandemic. The second half of 2021
acted as a breath of fresh air before the return of
breaking news in the Q1 of 2022.

General news News & analysis

Age 16-34 Age 16-34

Gender Male Age 35-54 Gender Male Age 35-54

Gender Gender
Age 55-74 Age 55-74
Female Female

ESOMAR ESOMAR ESOMAR ESOMAR

social grade DE social grade AB social grade DE social grade AB

ESOMAR social grade C 2020 2021 ESOMAR social grade C

Celebrity & Entertainment registered an proportion with just a 4% increase YoY, Women
important rise in traffic 21% YoY, marking an lifestyle news complement the change in digital
overall more relaxed social atmosphere and the consumption.
desire to follow lighter news topics. In a smaller

Celebrity Women lifestyle

Age 16-34 Age 16-34

Gender Male Age 35-54 Gender Male Age 35-54

Gender Gender
Age 55-74 Age 55-74
Female Female

ESOMAR ESOMAR ESOMAR ESOMAR

social grade DE social grade AB social grade DE social grade AB

ESOMAR social grade C 2020 2021 ESOMAR social grade C

Entertainment
Age 16-34
Gender Male Age 35-54
Gender
Age 55-74
Female
ESOMAR ESOMAR
social grade DE social grade AB
ESOMAR social grade C 2020
Google
For Google Ads advertisers, 2021 has been a
very challenging year, with various changes
and updates concerning campaign types, bid
strategies and features designed for better
optimization. The platform is now bringing
forward automated campaigns, meant to
drive better performance and simplify ads
management.
In this regard, the most important event of the
year was the release of Performance Max (beta),
a new goal-based campaign type that allows
performance advertisers to access all of their
Google Ads inventory from a single campaign.
In line with the automation trend, Smart
campaigns were launched, especially for small
businesses looking to highlight selling points
and attract customers by showing ads across
Google Search, Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail,
and Google partner websites.
Moving forward, Google stands by its
mission to increase campaign efficiency and
maximize performance by introducing auto-
apply recommendations. This feature allows
customized best practices to be regularly applied
in the account.
As new features emerge, some of the old ones
disappeared, as is the case of broad match
modified keyword match type, which is now
included in the phrase match. Bid strategies
traditionally used before - Target ROAS and
Target CPA - are no longer independent bidding
Sports
Age 16-34
Gender Male Age 35-54
Gender
Age 55-74
Female
ESOMAR ESOMAR
social grade DE social grade AB
2021 ESOMAR social grade C
strategies but are only available as options
for Maximize conversion value, respectively
Maximize conversions. The only exceptions are
Target ROAS for Standard shopping campaigns
and Target CPA for Smart Display.
Facebook
For Facebook, one of the most importantSports
changes in 2021 is represented by the company
name itself, which is now known as Meta. But
the most impactful challenge among advertisers
was the iOS 14 update and Meta’s answer to the
new privacy rules.
Because social media advertising depends to
a large extent on privacy regulations, the iOS
14 update, which allows users to opt-out of
tracking, brought a series of changes to the
way Meta is collecting data. In this regard,
Conversions API was launched to improve
measurement and campaign optimization by
providing more accurate insights about Apple
customers (by sending user data from the
website server directly to Meta).
In addition, Aggregated Event Measurement
Protocol was designed to help businesses
understand and collect data for the actions users
take on their websites and apps. As a result,
Meta aims to help advertisers to create strategies
relying on accurate measurement, in order to
drive better performance and achieve their
marketing goals.
In line with the new privacy adjustments,
starting from 2021, the option to target users
under 18 based on their interests will no longer
be available. Businesses can still include teens in
their audience, but based only on their gender,
age and location.
Taking one step forward, the platform is also
trying to improve campaign results by releasing
“Optimize text per person” feature, designed to
simplify ad creation and serve more relevant
content for Meta users.
Facilitating advertisers’ work and improving the
relevance of the ads people see is exactly what
Meta intends to do in the future by removing
some of the interests which can be targeted and
by launching Advantage+ Campaigns in 2022.
Local Display & Programmatic
Ringier Romania consolidated their position on
the market by reaching close to 40 websites that
cover the most important categories. In terms of
product innovation, they introduced first local
websites brand lift measurement tool and also
diversified their portfolio with influencers (and
microinfluencers) marketing services mixed in
custom packages with targeted programmatic
advertising.
Teads added the Native Single Video & Social
video formats as part of the development of
the Traffic Acquisition solutions, which proved
to generally bring above benchmark results
(0.8% avg. CTR). Teads also launched Smart6
– a video format meant to offer advertisers an
alternative to leverage the 6 seconds video
assets in premium editorial content, with
viewability benchmark above 90%. In Q4
2021, Teads announced that Teads Ad Manager
(TAM – their proprietary buying platform) has
become the first cookieless platform on the
open web. TAM clients have the opportunity
to leverage an off-the-shelf catalogue of over
100 Teads cookieless audiences, and also use
the Cookieless translator, an innovative new
product addressing custom audiences targeting
needs.
Project Agora increased focus on Contextual
targeting – adding a list of words given by
the advertiser to predefined Project Agora
audiences, targeting increased significantly in
accuracy. In terms of formats, they had different
updates such as click to SMS / open Whatsapp
function, that can be added to the CTA in
Vertigo Light and Vertigo Horizontal formats, or
CUBE launching served inArticle (bringing an
avg. viewability of 73%).
What to expect in 2022?
For 2022, there are certain general growing
trends that will maintain in Romania, such
as e-comm (from both clients and advertisers
perspectives), increased attention on tracking
options and privacy, all in a mobile first
environment.
Looking forward for 2022 in Google products,
Smart shopping campaigns are planned
to disappear and be replaced entirely with
Performance Max campaigns. Another essential
future perspective is the shift from Google
Analytics Universal to Google Analytics 4
(GA4), in order to improve measurement and
attribution, to better understand the customer
journey.
Facebook will continue to try to align with
evolving privacy regulations, by taking different
measures (such as removing Detailed Targeting
options that relate to topics people may perceive
as sensitive – e.g. options referencing causes,
organizations, or public figures that relate to
health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation,
religion, or sexual orientation).
For 2022, Teads will focus on helping advertisers
& agencies run cookieless activations and
prepare for the “cookieless world” by leveraging
contextual targeting & Cookieless audience
targeting capabilities.
Brand lift studies (Brand Pulse) is also another
key point in Teads offer, as a tool to show
efficiency beyond media metrics for campaigns
delivered on editorial content websites, using
advanced delivery & optimization algorithms.
For 2022, Project Agora prepare new
development on audiences targeting capabilities,
while in Q4 there is expected to be launched
a new special format around the idea of ​​
Influencers.
Just as a rumor (yet), the big one of the 2022-
2023 might be Netflix launching of a lower
priced, ad supported option, with NBCUniversal
and Google as top contenders to help the
streaming company create an advertising-
supported tier of its service.
OOH
 THE OUT OF HOME
2021 can be regarded as an impressive
comeback from the pandemic, with 30M euro
estimated net spending.
There was a general urge for everyone to come
out of homes as restrictions were lifted, and most
advertisers seized the momentum and chose to
be present in the recovering outdoor scenery.
The top investing economic sectors in
2021 were Retail, Bets & Gambling,
Food & Beverages followed closely by
Telecommunications services and Healthcare.
The industry recalibrated from the 2020 turmoil
and found a way out of the pandemic period
when different levels of mobility restrictions
were in place almost continuously. Although
everyone was just testing the waters in the
first two months of 2021, starting March most
of the networks were already booked. As
competition for premium locations grew, prices
recovered and bounced back by an estimated
15% increase. Most vendors resumed the work
of developing their networks and expanded
their inventory with new locations not only in
the major cities, but also in the countryside.
Retailers, pharma, and lately betting advertisers
helped in extending the coverage of the outdoor
networks.
There also has been a challenging period for the
production suppliers who went out of stocks and
had to prioritize orders. Prices went up by 40%
to 60%, depending on the quality and type of
used material.
In 1st and 2nd Bucharest districts most of
the locations from the public domain were
terminated, but new ones were developed in
privately owned areas, recalibrating the overall
coverage. The deadlock between Mayors
and Vendors continues with no foreseeable
resolution in the near future.
As the Government program for buildings
rehabilitation continued, new mesh locations
became available, and ads were installed on
large iconic buildings.
Outdoor ads: very fragmented market
dominated by two traditional leaders
Services were improved, and sales policies
were adapted as networks grew in coverage
and vendors were engaged in new local
administrative challenges. For example, after
tough negotiations, Euromedia managed
to maintain competitive sales packages for
Bucharest transit media in Bucharest.
In 2021, Bucharest subway traffic was still
struggling, at 56% lower numbers than in 2019
as advertisers were still reluctant to invest in a
non-distancing travel environment, therefore no
major investments were made by Metrorex. For
the first time in years prices were more flexible,
but only for some formats. The auction that
was due in 2020 is still in freeze mode and the
trains ads are still sold by Lemon Design and
Euromedia.
The 2021 estimated market shares for main
vendors maintain the overall configuration as in
2020: Euromedia & Affichage Romania are still
in the 1st place (34%), Getica (11%) and 55%
gathered by other providers. Defi Romania is
still the most important supplier of big formats.
OOH vendors succeeded in maintaining their
overall inventory and improving their networks
quality by making new investments, especially
in DOOH locations, the most dynamic ones
being Phoenix Media, Euromedia, New Age
Advertising and Universal Solution.
MARKET IN 2021
Chart 01: 2021 MARKET SHARES BY VENDOR (net) Indoor ads: a segment which had a
very good pace at recovering from the
Phoenix
pandemic
Media Getica Brand Management succeeded in
7% 13% maintaining the leader position in
Defi 10% the indoor and in-store categories.
Elevate and Invent Media are still the top
Others New Age 9% players in Indoor ads in office buildings,
14% although the segment is still being affected by
Universal 7%
Way 7%
white collars adopting the work-from-home
system from spring throughout the year.
Euromedia & Affichage
33%
Info Sanatate remains the only niche player
providing Digital Signage TV Analytics, the
first frequency study for indoor advertising
Source: Initiative’s estimate implemented in our country. The study was
conducted by GBD Research and is endorsed by
In terms of format types, networks still rely organizations such as ARMA & ARIA.
on backlit, the dominant format in the local
outdoor industry, with an estimated 45% of the
locations, followed by billboards with 19% and
city lights / bus-shelters with 14%. The rest of
Digital outdoor was a segment with
22% mostly consist in roll-overs, meshes, prisms, a dynamic development in 2021
unipoles, flags and DOOH. Although the last two years were very
challenging for suppliers, they kept investing in
digital supports, claiming a 10% increase of the
Chart 02: 2021 MARKET SHARES BY FORMAT TYPE DOOH locations.
The segment kept growing in 2021 especially
driven by Phoenix Media which continue to
lead the segment, followed by Euromedia and
Other Universal which succeeded in keeping up a
22% strong scalability pace of their DOOH networks.
Backlight
45% All three companies were committed to invest
City light
significantly in their DOOH assets, building
Bus shelter large-scale formats both in Bucharest and most
14%
important cities.
Billboard Phoenix Media continued to lead the entire
19%
segment with a 20% network expansion and
new software innovation for the Romanian
11%
market. Some of the new developments are:
Others = Roll-overs, Mesh, Prism, Unipole, Flags and Special projects
Social integration and cross-channels:
Digital OOH is being used as a dynamic
integrator of media channels, especially online
and social media content transferred on OOH
digital support, allowing an ongoing journey
even off their personal digital screens. The new
developed software feature will allow advertisers
to transfer specific online campaigns directly to
DOOH with no graphic specification changes.
The online format will be automatically adapted
to a compatible DOOH digital spot.
Smart planning: Targeting specific brand audience
and allowing real time quick and dynamic
changes is already a must-have which is
constantly fine-tuned. The platform allows the
selection of targeting markers such as specific
and various time slots, outside temperature,
weather conditions, position coordinates and
close-by target interests.
DOOH STOC software developed by Phoenix Media
was enhanced and is turned into a programmatic
platform with all the specific benefits included:
real time optimization, context targeting,
constant budget adjustment.
Interactive and creative messaging:
a campaign can be transformed into a viral
message by using creative targeting in relevant
and specific context that will allow the user to
engage with the brand and give feedback on
different topics.
Security related features: starting with their motto
“Security isn’t expensive. It’s priceless”, Phoenix
Media invested heavily in data protection and
client privacy, being able to provide clients
with 100% system reliability. Every panel has
multiple independent back-up connections to
the internet and guarantees campaign promised
deliverables.
BRAT affiliation: starting July 2021, Phoenix
Media has joined existing syndicated BRAT
monitoring system, allowing third party
independent audit, and further ensuring
campaigns deliverables.
Novelties continued in 2022, when Phoenix
Media launched E-BACKLIT on the 26th of
May. It is a brand-new strategic product that
will help clients improve their quality media
exposure. The project took-off with a 10 units
Bucharest network, which are equipped with the
latest STOC technology and integrated in the
planning platform along the rest of the DOOH
network. It can support static or animated
images and address a dynamic audience by
offering up to 20 seconds exposure at reasonable
fees.
Digital Indoor: Is currently represented by using
plasma displays distributed across networks in
crowded places and Blitz TV maintained its
contract with Metrorex for the subway LCD
network.
Outdoor audience measurement
(SAO) data and Mobility insights
In 2021 BRAT continued to develop the
Outdoor Audience Measurement Survey
(SAO): the study currently covers 7,086
advertising locations in Bucharest and top 10
cities (Timisoara, Iasi, Constanta, Craiova,
Oradea, Cluj Napoca, Sibiu, Bacau, Brasov and
Ploiesti). Bucharest subway is not included, as
Metrorex is not part of the research.
The study measures the number of people and
the profile of those who see an OOH support
on a weekly average. The methodology is based
on 3 components: The Mobility Study & Travel
Modeling based on traffic data obtained from
satellite images, Panels’ inventory & Visibility
analysis for each support and the Audience &
Media Indicators Calculation for each location
and for the total campaign. The outcome of the
study modules varies from being able to evaluate
an OOH campaign in terms of total audience as
the number of people who had the opportunity
to see any of the panels in the selection at least
once during the campaign period, to analyzing
specific mobility data such as travel habits,
frequency of trips, travel purpose.
The research covers 80% of the total
urban population as a weekly average, with
different penetration levels observed by city,
in accordance with local specifics in terms
of city geography, available locations and
support types as well as applicable regulations
enforced by local authorities. Except of Cluj-
Napoca, Ploiesti and Iasi all other cities are
covered at least 80%, which means that the
available planning data offers an excellent
representation of the large, high-quality urban
available networks. Mobility insights bring
media strategist and planners closer to high
effectiveness in OOH campaigns in terms of
exposure and budget allocation as valuable data
about the target audience daily mobility and
trips scope lead towards an optimized impact.

Chart 03: SAO STUDY COVERAGE IN TOTAL AND BY CITY (Reach %)

0% 88%

0% 83%
82%
80% 80% 80% 80% 80%
0% 79%
77% 77%

0% 74%

0%

0%
Total BACĂU BRAȘOV BUCUREȘTI CLUJ-NAPOCA CONSTANȚA CRAIOVA IAȘI ORADEA PLOIEȘTI SIBIU TIMIȘOARA

Source: Quantum 2021 database; Population 14-74 y.o. (3.5M urban individuals), sample of 13,252

On average, in 2021 urban population made 3.4 be dimmed by some mobility restrictions still in
trips/day and spend 3.1 hours/day outside, with force. Therefore, last year the urban population
variations between the most active group 14-34 with upscale social status (AB social grades) was
y.o. with an average of 3.8 trips per day & 3.4 less inclined to travel (with an average of 3 trips
hours/day outside, and the 55-74 y.o. having and 2,9 hours daily), being also less inclined to
the lowest mobility with an average of 2.4 trips/ frequent trips, as their main trip purpose was the
day & 2.8 hours/day outside. These data will daily shopping routine.
definitely improve in 2022, as all restrictions
have been lifted as of the beginning of March Chart 04: TRIPS NUMBER & TIME SPENT OUTSIDE (AGE
and people are returning to their out of home GROUPS) Daily Average
socializing, leisure and- travel habits, and
schools and universities have resumed their on-
site attendance. 3.8
3.6
So, based on the Mobility study we can analyse 3.4 3.4
any campaign coverage potential for various 3.1 3.1
2.8
target groups resident in specific areas, as travel
patterns could be very different not only by 2.4
age group but also by social status. In 2021 the
mobility of urban white collars continued to be Base population 14-34 35-54 55-74
affected, although less than in 2020, as most No of Trips Time Spent Outside (hours)

of them spent less time in traffic for the daily Source: SNA FOCUS, 14-74 ani, National 22/06/2021 - 31/01/2022,
NOTE: Population 14-74 (8.1M urban individuals), sample of 5,010
commute, the majority of work-related meetings
stayed on Teams or Zoom and out of home
socialising and leisure activities continued to
Overall, 83.7% of the analyzed population such as going to the park, meeting with friends,
traveled at least 3 times/week as a monthly going out for a coffee or dinner or visit malls.
average, with 35-54 y.o. groups reflecting the The highest mobility features were reflected
highest trip frequency (90.8% traveled more by 35-54 y.o. which continued to be most
than 3 times/week as a monthly average) and involved socially and economically although
55-74 y.o. inclined to less frequent trips as only they were forced to prioritize the scope of their
72.1% of them traveled more than trips according to the legal restrictions: besides
3 times/week as a monthly average. the daily shopping activities, 72.8% of them
continued to travel for job related purposes,
28.9% kept their walk in the park habit while
Chart 05: TRIPS NUMBER & TIME SPENT OUTSIDE (SOCIAL 21.9% of them continued to socialize with
GRADES) Daily Average friends and family members. Elders focused
their interest highly on household supply trips
3.6
and their regular walk in the park as they are
3.3 naturally prone to a more passive lifestyle
3.2
3.0 3.1 compared to younger age segments.
2.9

AB C1C2 DE Chart 06: TRIPS FREQUENCY BY AGE GROUPS Monthly

No of Trips Time Spent Outside (hours) Average
Source: SNA FOCUS, 14-74 ani, National 22/06/2021 - 31/01/2022,
NOTE: Population 14-74 (8.1M urban individuals), sample of 5,010
2.3 1.2 1.3 3.1
3.1 4.7
1.2 6.2
2.4
8.9
The trips’ purpose insights for different target
audience demographics offer a valuable 17.7
support in developing the outdoor campaign
architecture in the desired region, as the
most relevant areas in each city can be easily 59.0
54.0
identified and proximity locations can be 41.4
accessed.
On a weekly average, last year, Daily shopping
was the main trip purpose for all age segments,
with almost 82% (weekly average) of the 35-54
y.o. undertaking this activity while 55-74 y.o.
30.6 31.8 30.7
(80%) and 14-34 y.o. (73.1%) also reflected
very high levels. The young dynamic 14-34 y.o.
continued to show high interest for social habits
14-34 35-54 55-74
Never/past month 1-2 times/week
Once/past month 3-5 times/week
Once/2 weeks 6-7 times/week
 Chart 07: TOP 10 TRIP SCOPES BY AGE GROUP (Reach %) Weekly average
55-74

35-54

14-34

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
14-34 35-54 55-74
Mall 15.5 10.9 6.1
Ouside of City Trips 13.8 14 6.8
Reastaurant / Café 24.5 13.5 5.7
Friends / Relatives 29.3 21.9 17.4
Park 39.3 28.9 30.4
Job Related 49 72.8 18.4
Daily Shopping 73.1 81.6 80

What to expect in 2022? In terms of ads locations, no public auction

It has been a very good year start and budgets
continue to be on an increasing trend. Although
the environment is pressing for higher prices,
inflation is kept under 5%. The only exception
are the production materials costs which went
up by more than 40%, with no predictable
stabilization. Still, we are not yet in 2019 full-
throttle mode as the post-pandemic context and
the Ukraine war remain obvious warning signs
for the further development.
SAO already refreshed the audited data and
refined their overall approach on vendors
networks. Starting 2022 Digital OOH networks
joined the Study with all the specific audience
markers available.
has been yet announced for Bucharest, and
most of the panels in 1st and 2nd district are in
privately owned areas. Metrorex and STB didn’t
announce any auction for their media supports,
either.
Following a significant delay, Constanta
administration organized a public auction for
their locations and the winners are Euromedia
and New Age Advertising.
Phoenix Media, Euromedia, New Age and
Universal reaffirmed their commitment to
further expand their DOOH networks.
The 2022 OOH net market is expected to
increase by 7% at an estimated total of 32.1M
euro, as summer festivals campaigns are ongoing,
boosting the overall OOH spending for
this year.
Radio
THE RADIO MARKET
IN 2021
After a very tough 2020 market due to the
sanitary crisis and severe mobility restrictions,
2021 was for the Radio market a year of
expected recovery as people were able to resume
almost entirely their daily routines and travel
habits.
Radio stations have moved on and adapted their
programming from a more factual, news and
recommendation broadcast structure of 2020,
to a more relaxed content which brought back
to the public’s attention the concerts, festivals,
more music, entertainment and leisure.
It was the right time for Radio broadcasters
to develop attractive loyalty campaigns with
contests and prizes, to consolidate the loyal
listeners base and win new ones. Thus, most
Radio campaigns and events were related to
having fun and rejoicing life as we did before the
pandemic outburst.
At the same time, radio stations moved on
with their transition towards digital content
integration as a key trigger to engage young
active audiences by continuing to produce
projects with integrated radio and digital
content, especially video content on social
media platforms:
Kiss FM, Magic FM and Rock FM KIMARO
music event represented the biggest
post‑pandemic live festival which took place in
Constan]a with the participation of 22 bands
and lasted 4 days.
Europa FM developed the Maratonul vacan]elor
la Europa FM campaign, where participants
could win an all-inclusive weekend at the
seaside with their family by participating to the
contests aired in Europa Express and Drum cu
Prioritate. A high attraction was also the project
called Marea migratie la mare cu Europa FM,
where participants could win accommodation
for 4 nights in double rooms, all-inclusive
by engaging from Monday to Friday in the
Desteptarea contest and submitting the right
password on contest website page. Europa FM
listeners continued to have the best of fun every
morning with the Dublu sau Nimic contest
in the morning program De[teptarea when
participants could win significant money prizes
if giving correct answers to a general knowledge
quiz.
Kiss FM campaigns Ai cuvântul! and
Ai cuvântul Junior! managed to engage
listeners with their contest every day in the
Morning Show, as alphabet letters were selected
randomly, and contestants had to answer live
questions, answers being supposed to start with
the respective letter and each correct answer
counted as a 10 euro gain for the participant.
For kids, the contest was tailored in the Foarte
Bun` Diminea]a, cu Andrei, Ionut [i Ana!
broadcast.
Most of the big radio stations developed special
broadcasts in December, emphasizing on
the beauty of the Christmas season: Kiss FM
(Secret Santa), Magic FM (Radioul lui Mos
Craciun), Pro FM (Pro FM Open Christmas
Playground), and Europa FM (Telefonul lui Mo[
Cr`ciun) are some of the examples.
Ora[ul faptelor bune campaign, which is already
a constant in Radio ZU’s social involvement
was implemented in two editions in partnership Christmas campaign, as pandemic brought
with several advertisers, grocery retailer LIDL people together, making them more receptive to
being part of both editions. They had a huge other people needs and willing to offer support
engagement impact, setting new records and make donations, and good deeds came out
by raising over 3M RON during the Easter of this extraordinary event.
campaign and over 800k RON during the

Radio continued to rely significantly on radio listening (radio receiver) continued

to lead by far with a 61% daily reach during
linear listening weekdays (vs. 58% in 2020), while the digital
devices penetration was at comparable levels
Even though the digitalization process
with 2020, mobile phone having a 11.6% daily
continued in 2021 as a need for population to
reach and PC/Laptop a 7.8% daily reach in
adapt to the pandemic new reality, the linear
weekdays among Urban 11+ population.

Chart 01: RADIO LISTENING DEVICES - DAILY REACH (%) TREND (Urban 11+ MON - FRI)

62.9 64.7
62.3 60.9
57.7

11.6 12.7 11.7 11.6

10.6
7.2 7.8 8.2 7.3 7.8
2.3 3.7 1.6 0.4 2.6 3.2 2.0 0.2 2.9 3.9 3.0 3.0 4.0 3.6 3.5 3.2 3.5
0.7 0.7 0.3 0.7 0.2 0.6 0.2 0.6

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

PC/Laptop Tablet Smartphone Ipod/MP3/MP4 Player Smart TV Linear Radio TV Other Mode
Source: ARA-MasoR
Radio consumption is on a positive trend
as mobility restrictions were off
As 2021 operated almost entirely on milder
mobility restrictions than 2020, the result was
a significant radio audience recovery during
weekdays in both Bucharest (+1.4 pp) and urban
regions (+1.9 pp), although performance is still
below 2019. Nevertheless, the comparison with
2019 should be taken with a grain of salt as the
radio market adopted a new audience
measurement methodology in 2020, generating
shifts in the reported audience performance.
As the vaccination campaign gained traction
throughout the year, the freedom to travel
during the weekends resulted in a positive daily
reach evolution, with (+1.3 pp) in Bucharest
and at urban level being directly influenced by
the return to a normal life.

Chart 02: DAILY REACH (%) EVOLUTION YOY

76.9

76.8
73.5
71.6

72
70.6
66.7

66.2
65.2

64.5
63.9

63.2
MONDAY-FRIDAY SATURDAY-SUNDAY MONDAY-FRIDAY SATURDAY-SUNDAY
URBAN BUCHAREST
Source: ARA-MasoR 2019 2020 2021

With fewer mobility restriction and partial overtaking the at-home listening (41.7%) while
return to work, daily reach of urban population at-work listening kept stable at 14.4%.
for in-Car listening (42%) showed a spectacular
positive dynamic (+5.3 pp vs. 2020), marginally

Chart 03: PLACE OF RADIO LISTENING DAILY REACH (%) TREND (Urban 11+ MON - FRI)

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Source: ARA-MasoR At home In a car At work Other place
The daily linear Radio consumption frequency
(radio receivers) is, as expected, significantly
different by age groups: the youngsters (14-17
y.o.) shows the lightest usage, while medium
to heavy consumption grows during 25-34 y.o.
with 22.5% listening more than 1 hour/day on
average and stabilizing at 35+, making radio
an effective media channel for reaching adult
population if high spots frequency is used.

Chart 04: DAILY LINEAR RADIO LISTENING BY URBAN AGE GROUP (%)

61.2 54 59.7 60.2

82.4 76.2

21.8 13.9 11.9

16.3
14.1 14.7 16.2 16.6
8.8 16.8
7.8 8 5.7 9.5 10.1 11.2

14-17 Y.O. 18-24 Y.O. 25-34 Y.O. 35-44 Y.O. 45-54 Y.O. 55-74 Y.O.
Source: SNA FOCUS Heavy (>3h/day) Medium (1-3 h/day) Light (< 1h/day) Not at all

Urban online Radio listening continues to
be lower than expected, only 7.1% of 14-74
y.o. declaring they listen to the radio daily on
digital devices, being mostly preferred by heavy
socializing urban adults 25-44 y.o.
According to SNA FOCUS, 14-74 ani,
National Period (22/06/2021-31/01/2022)
38.1% of urban population enjoy listening to
radio programs during their usual daily activities.
Top preferred broadcasts are Music (27.5%),
News broadcasts (21.8%), Weather reports
(20.2%) and Morning programs (20.1%).

Chart 05: DAILY ONLINE RADIO LISTENING BY URBAN AGE GROUP (%)

89.9 89.7 85.4 88 92.8 97.1

5.3 4.8
3 7.1 5.4 4.7 8.1 2 5.2 3.5 2.8
14-17 Y.O. 18-24 Y.O. 25-34 Y.O. 35-44 Y.O. 45-54 Y.O. 55-74 Y.O.
Source: SNA FOCUS Heavy (>3h/day) Medium (1-3 h/day) Light (< 1h/day) Not at all
Radio Market Overview: stable vendors Chart 06: RADIO REVENUE SHARE BY MEDIA TRUST
(ESTIMATED NET NET )
ranking in terms of revenues
As in previous years, the radio media houses
ranking in terms of estimated net revenues 20%
24%
shares was the same as in 2020, with marginal
variations for each player, being the result of
years and years of business consolidations. MGSI
(Kiss FM, Magic FM and Rock FM) continued
3%
to lead with 33% of the estimated net radio ad
market, RRM (Europa FM and Virgin Radio)
with 24% and Grupul Media Camina (Radio 14%
33%
ZU) with 20% of the net ad revenue, while RCS
1% 5%
& RDS (Pro FM and Digi FM) kept the fourth
position with 14%.
GMC (Radio ZU) MGSI (Kiss FM, Magic FM, Rock FM)
Overall, 2021 proved to be a successful recovery
Radio Guerrilla Radio Smart
year as the radio market increased by 21% vs.
RCS-RDS (Pro FM, Digi FM) SRR = Radio Romania Actualitati
2020 reaching an estimated net value of 29M
RRM (Europa FM, Virgin Radio)
euro. Source: Initiative’s estimates for (paid) net net investments

The dynamic image of the radio activity
recovery in 2021 is marked by the monthly
evolution of radio commercials as it is mirroring
the population’s laxer mobility pattern, with
a strong start in January (+17%) and February
(+14%) more spots, followed by a small decline
in March (-7%) to recover strongly in April
(+12%) for the specific Easter communication,
while summer is also expected to show high
levels of aired spots.

Chart 07: RADIO INSERTIONS EVOLUTION 2020 - APRIL 2022

80,000

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2020 2021 2022

Radio Audience Performance: different
evolution by station as the more relaxed
mobility restrictions impacted differently the
loyal listeners base of each station.
In Bucharest, despite the 0.5 pp drop vs. 2020
Radio ZU regains the first position with 12.7%
daily reach, overtaking last year leader, Radio
Romania Actualitati (-1.4 pp vs. 2020), while
Kiss FM ranked 3rd with 9.5% daily reach and
 an almost flat evolution (+0.1 pp vs. 2020).
Europa FM maintained the 4th place at 8.8%
daily reach despite the significant drop (-0.4 pp
vs. 2020), being strongly challenged by Magic
Chart 08: TOP 10 RADIO STATIONS PERFOMANCE (Urban vs. Bucharest)
16
14.6
14
12.712.7
12 11.611.9
Daily Reach %
10 9.5
8
6 5.9
4 3.7
2 1.9 1.6
0
Kiss FM ZU Actualitati
Source: ARA-MasoR
For urban audiences, Kiss FM 14.6% daily reach
successfully consolidated its urban leadership
(+0.5 pp vs. 2020), being followed by Radio
ZU with flat evolution (12.7% daily reach).
Romania Actualitati performance was stable
(11.6% daily reach) and Europa FM got very
close at 11.4% daily reach with a significant
performance increase (+0.5pp vs. 2020). Radio
stations with outstanding performance were
also Magic FM, Digi FM and Rock FM, each
increasing their daily reach by 0.5 pp vs. 2020.
What to expect in 2022?
As now life is back to normal and all mobility
restrictions are off, this will create new growth
opportunities for the radio stations through
consistent and creative integration of their
linear audio with an engaging integration with
their wide range of digital properties.
Radio stations will continue to invest in
developing special integrated projects that will
make social media become an important trigger
for Radio content consumption, helping Radio
trusts to aggregate higher media budgets.
FM (+1.1pp) and Rock FM (+1.2pp) which
both had a very dynamic increase and reached
the 5th place at a minimal difference from
Europa FM.
11.4
8.8 8.7 8.7
6.6
4.5 4.1 4 4.1
3.8
Europa FM Magic FM Digi FM ProFM Virgin Radio Rock FM Ant. Satelor
Urban 11+ y.o. Bucharest 11+ y.o.
Local Radio: ARBOmedia remains the largest
Sales house for local Radio stations across the
country, representing the interests of over 90
stations in the advertising market.
The local Radio stations continue to represent
an important communication vehicle for brands
in need of local targeting. In 2021, local Radio
stations increased their presence in social
media, more and more broadcasts starting to be
live streamed. Still, the most important barrier
for local Radio stations remains the absence
of audience data measurement, which could
generate additional ad revenues.
Radio broadcasters are expected to carry out
360 projects to increase the interaction time on
radio, online, social media, as radio listeners will
continue to be loyal, but will migrate to other
listening platforms which will best suit their
lifestyle habits.
Keeping in mind the uncertainty brought upon
us by the global economic crisis and the geo-
political tensions at our borders, we estimate
that in 2022 the net Radio market will stay flat
at around 29M euro.
Print
THE PRINT MARKET IN 2021
After the massive 2020 drop triggered by severe
mobility restrictions which had a direct negative
impact on print publications distribution at
national level, 2021 was a year when the print
market managed to keep flat at an estimated
6.2M euro net value, being the only medium
not to recover at least partially in the more
favourable context.
The market remained unchanged also in
terms of estimated net revenues share among
main publishers, being dominated by Ringier
with 31% with its broad publication portfolio
(Elle, Viva, Avantaje, TV Mania, Libertatea
pentru femei, Libertatea, Gazeta Sporturilor
being some of them) and Adevarul Holding
(Adevarul, Click, Click pentru femei, Click
Pofta Buna, Click Sanatate, OK Magazin,
Historia) with 22%. Mediafax Group (Ziarul
Financiar, Business Magazin and Dupa Afaceri
Premium) also achieved a good performance
reaching 8% of print net revenues, while
City Publishing (ex Burda) dropped on the
fourth place at 6% after closing several iconic
titles, most of them launched 15-20 years ago
(Cosmopolitan, National Geographic, National
Geographic Travel, Harper’s Bazaar). This was
the most dramatic loss for Romanian glossy
magazines readers and most probably will never
be recovered. BP Publishing (Forbes, Forbes
Life) came fifth with 5% of print market net ad
revenues, achieving an excellent performance
with its premium niche products.
Despite being ongoing for several years now,
as a way to create new exciting experiences
for both readers and advertisers, the print
market digitalization process is quite slow, as
few publishers seem to have in place strong
integration strategies besides the regular media
packages with print and online content. Ringier
seems to be the most notable in this respect,
with 360 commercial offers built around
print, online and social media content, the
publisher constantly investing in the social
media platforms development, including the
most recent ones, such as TikTok. Additionally,
advertisers are offered QR codes embedded
in both print and digital editions, linking the
readers directly with the brand’s content. The
media packages are completed with video
content and podcasts which provide advertisers
with additional engagement triggers.
Chart 01: 2021 PRINT AD REVENUES BY MEDIA GROUP
28% 31%
5% RINGIER ROMANIA
ADEVARUL HOLDING
6% 22% MEDIAFAX GROUP
CITY PUBLISHING
8%
BP PUBLISHING MEDIA
Source: Initiative estimates, excluding barters. OTHERS
Print Readership on declining trend,
except for Dailies
The impact of a disruptive 2020 was still
visible in 2021 in a more abrupt readership
decline among Urban 14-74 y.o. population for
monthlies and weeklies. The average coverage
of monthlies decreased at 9.3% (-5.3 pp)
from an already low level, as many titles with
national distribution were closed, while weeklies
dropped at 2.6% (-1.6 pp), continuing the
several years decline.
In a year marked by iconic sport events
rescheduled from 2020, such as the European
Football Championship and the Tokyo Olympic
Games, daily newspapers (especially sports)
coverage managed to be on a positive trend in
2021, increasing at 5.2% (+1.5 pp).
The audience profile analysis shows different
structure by publication type, as the covered
topics and editorial approach varies widely
across print types.
 Chart 02: PRINT COVERAGE TREND AT URBAN LEVEL
40
Monthlies
Weeklies 35
Dailies
30

25

20

15

10

0
WAVE WAVE WAVE WAVE WAVE WAVE WAVE WAVE WAVE
JAN12-DEC13 NOV12-NOV14 MAY14-NOV15 JUN15-NOV16 FEB16-OCT17 FEB17-OCT18 OCT17-OCT19 JUL18-DEC20 JUN21-IAN22

Sources: BRAT SNA-FOCUS database. Coverage represents the average number of readers for each publication type as percentage of the universe.

Daily newspapers reader profile is the broadest, medium educated readers interested in daily
with 25-54 y.o. representing 63.2% of the urban updates on general interest topics, as well as
readers and reflecting a higher preference among sports events and tabloid news.

Chart 03: PRINT TYPE PREFERENCE BY AGE GROUP seeking a more profound and exclusive editorial
content which is made available for them and
are enjoying the self-indulging leisure moments
13.2 14.1 14.4 of reading a printed glossy magazine.

16.2 13.6 15.3

What to expect in 2022?
20.5 20.9 22.1 Publishers will continue their ongoing focus
on their digital properties in the attempt to
better monetize the advertising revenues. They
20 22.9 20.7 will continue developing and integrating more
formats across several platforms to adapt to their
18.8 readers’ content consumption habits.
19.2 20.4
As an effect of the paper crisis and high
11.3 9.4 7.1 production costs, print titles will become a
MONTHLIES WEEKLIES DAILIES second priority, and will most probably continue
14-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 to diminish in time.
Sources: BRAT SNA-FOCUS database We are expecting to see more and more print
brands consolidating their digitalization by
Weeklies are more appealing to 35-54 y.o. developing online editorial content, social
readers with high education, being more media engagement as well as video content
to offer integrated media exposure to their
focused on practical topics such as wellbeing,
advertising clients.
health, cooking, as well as house and garden
maintenance while Monthlies, most of them Print market is expected to strive for keeping
glossy women and lifestyle magazines are a flat evolution in 2022, hoping to reach an
preferred by high income 35-54 y.o. which are estimated 6.2M euro, as it did in 2020.
List of abbreviations
ABCDE = ESOMAR Social Grades – a classification
system based on socio-economic status, often used to
GRP = Gross Rating Point
H1 H2 = Half of a calendar year
describe a profile of users or target customers
HoReCa = The abbreviation used for the food service
APIA = Agricultural Payments and Intervention industry (Hotel, Restaurant, Café)
Agency
K = Thousand
ARIA = Romanian Association for Indoor
KPI = Key Performance Indicator
Advertising
LCD = Liquid Crystal Display, a type of flat panel
ARMA = Romanian Association for Audience
display which uses liquid crystals in its primary form
Measurement
of operation
AVG = Average
M = Million
B = Billion
NBR = The National Bank of Romania
BRAT = Romanian Transmedia Audit Bureau
NIS = National Institute of Statistics
CAPI = Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing
OOH = Out-Of-Home Advertising
CEE = Central and Eastern Europe
OPT = Off Prime Time
CPM = Cost Per Mille – also known as Cost Per
PNRR = National Recovery and Resilience Program
Thousand
PP = Percentage Point
CPP = Cost per Point
PT = Prime Time
CPT = Cost per Thousand
Q1 Q2 = Quarters of a calendar year
CTA = Call to action
QR = Abbreviated from Quick Response code, a type
CTR = Click-through rate
of matrix barcode
DOOH = Digital Out-Of-Home
RTG = Rating
EST = Estimated
SAO = The Outdoor Audience Measurement Survey
EU = The European Union
SATI = Internet Audience and Traffic Measurement
FMCG = Fast-Moving Consumer Goods – a category – a measurement system developed by the Internet
of products with low profit margins and with a short Department of BRAT
shelf life because of high consumer demand
Shr = Share
GBD = Go Beyond Data Research Center
SNA FOCUS = National Readership Survey (SNA)
GDP = Gross Domestic Product and Consumption – Target Group Survey (FOCUS)
Gen X = The demographic cohort following the Baby SOA = Share of Audience
boomers and preceding the Millennials (they were
SOV = Share of Voice
born between 1965 and 1980)
TTV = Total TV
Gen Y = Also known as Millennials are the
demographic cohort following Generation X and VOD = Video on Demand
preceding Generation Z (they were born between VS = Versus
1981 and 1996)
Y.O. = Years Old
Gen Z = Colloquially also known as Zoomers, is
YOY = Year over Year – method of measuring
the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and
statistical changes against the same time period last
preceding Generation Alpha (they were born between
year
1997 and 2015)
YTD = Year to Date refers to the period of time
GPeC = eCommerce Awards Gala – the most
beginning the first day of the current calendar year or
important e-commerce and digital marketing event in
fiscal year up to the current date
Romania