Online companies are the biggest spenders on TV advertising in the UK

Internet companies were the biggest spenders on UK television advertising last year, collectively spending $757 million (£639 million) in 2016, according to a report from British TV marketing body Thinkbox.

Online businesses overtook the food category, which led in TV spending in 2015. 

The report, which compiles data from audience measurement firm Nielsen, showed BGL Group - which owns price comparison website CompareTheMarket.com - was the biggest spender of all online brands with a spend of $48.3 million (£38.8 million) on TV in 2016.

Amazon came in second, spending $42.7 million (£34.3 million), and another online retailer, Shop Direct, had the third biggest spend with $38 million (£31 million). Other big spenders were the price comparison websites Moneysupermarket and Confused.com.

Lindsay Clay, CEO of Thinkbox said in a press release: "For online brands in particular, which have little or no physical presence, TV's ability to create emotional connections with large audiences is vital. It helps make them feel less virtual and more real."

Spend from other big American tech companies Facebook, Google, and Netflix was less than $20 million, combined.

Overall, spending on television grew, by 0.2% compared to the previous year.

A forecast from trade bodies the Advertising Association and Warc estimates 2017 TV ad spend will grow by 1.6% in the UK. 

The top online brands spending on TV in the UK were:

• BGL Group (owns comparethemarket.com): $48.3 million (£38.8 million)
• Amazon: $42.7 million (£34.3 million)
• Shop Direct: $38 million (£31 million)
• Moneysupermarket.com: $32.2 million (£25.9 million)
• Confused.com: $26.2 million (£21.1 million)

One of Amazon's latest British TV ads: