Automotive and toiletry advertising took nosedives in 2008, costing the country’s leading consumer magazines an estimated $28 million in revenue, according to a report by Leading National Advertisers Canada, which tracked advertising for 84 titles last year.

(LNA calculates revenue by multiplying the number of ad pages by rate card figures.)

Based on run-of-press pages, inserts and supplements, revenue from toiletry advertising was down 8.8%, or an estimated $17.1 million. Total ad pages, including inserts and supplements, were down 11.2%. Revenue from automotive advertising, meanwhile, plummeted by 27.1%, an estimated $11.3 million declin. Total ad pages, including inserts and supplements, dropped 29.2%.

BY CATEGORY

Of the 31 categories tracked by LNA, 20 saw negative revenue growth versus the previous year. Of the categories that did expand, perhaps the most interesting is “smoking materials.” For background, see this story.

Top 10 decliners by estimated revenue (based on ROP pages, inserts and supplements)

1. Toiletries & Toilet Goods (-$17.1 million)
2  Automotive, Automotive Access & Equipment (-$11.3 million)
3.  Drugs & Remedies (-$4.6 million)
4.  Building Materials, Equipment & Fixtures (-$3.6 million)
5.  Publishing & Media (-$3.5 million)
6.  Pet Products/Real Estate/Miscellaneous (-$2.9 million)
7.  Food & Food Products (-$2.7 million)
8.  Retail Stores (-$1.6 million)
9.  Industrial Materials (-$1.6 million)
10.  Sporting Goods & Toys (-$1.1 million)

Top 10 gainers by estimated revenue (based on ROP pages, inserts and supplements)

1. Business & Consumer Services (+$7.2 million)
2. Apparel, Footwear & Accessories (+$4.7 million)
3. Travel, Hotels & Resorts (+$3.5 million)
4. Household Equipment & Supplies (+$2.1 million)
5. Mail Order ($1.4 million)
6. Beer, Wine & Liquor (+$1.4 million)
7. Smoking Materials (+$1.3 million)
8. Entertainment & Amusement (+$1.3 million)
9. Insurance (+$718,000)
10. Computer & Business Equipment (+$363,000)

BY ADVERTISER

Unsurprisingly, individual companies in the toiletry or car business pulled the most advertising in 2008. Procter & Gamble, despite a substantial decrease in spending, remains far and away the biggest buyer in the country, accounting for $74 million in 2008. L’Oreal Canada, in second, spent $28 million.

Top 10 decliners by estimated revenue (based on ROP pages, inserts and supplements)

1. Procter & Gamble (-$9.6 million)      
2. Johnson & Johnson Inc. (-$6.2 million)                 
3. Lever Pond's (Div. of Unilever) (-$5.2 million)
4. Honda Canada Inc. (-$4.6 million)                       
5. Nestle Canada Inc. (-$4.6 million)                     
6. Laboratoires Garnier (Div. of L'Oreal) (-$4.4 million)  
7. Cadbury Trebor Allan Inc. (-$3.4 million)              
8. Daimler Chrysler Canada Inc. (-$3.2 million)           
9. Wal-Mart Canada (-$2.8 million)                        
10. Coty Canada Inc. (-$2.6 million)                       

Top 10 gainers by estimated revenue (based on ROP pages, inserts and supplements)

1. Dairy Farmers Of Canada (+$4.4 million)                
2. The Loyalty Group (+$3.5 million)
3. Kruger Products (+$3.2 million)                        
4. Kraft General Foods Canada Inc. (+$3.2 million)        
5. Hudson's Bay Co. (+$2.8 million)                       
6. Government Of Quebec (+$2.7 million)                   
7. L'Oreal Canada (+$2.3 million)                         
8. Mark's Work Wearhouse (Div. of Canadian Tire) (+$2.1 million)
9. Wyeth Consumer Healthcare Inc. (+$2 million)        
10. Telus Communications Inc. (+$1.8 million)