Pharmaceutical, auto insurance, financial services and consumer packaged goods companies have been the top sectors spending on advertising lately, Kantar Media reports. However global trade or business - a sector of the international economy that was significantly impacted by the recession - has bounced back and campaigns are starting to reflect that.

DHL Express Takes Center Stage

DHL Express is launching what it dubs of its most ambitious advertising campaign in 42 markets, and 25 languages, around the world. Called "International Specialist", the campaign will roll out across a mix of digital, out-of-home elevator video, airport and print advertising including Inc., The Wall Street Journal and Fortune.

Online, the ads will run on eBay, American Express and other sites to total several billion online impressions.

A Strong Manufacturing Sector

Manufacturing has fared better than other parts of the economy - one only has to look at the recent earnings of Caterpillar and John Deere - with much of this growth is focused on emerging markets of China, India and Brazil. For example, share of global light vehicle sales in emerging markets has surpassed share from economically mature regions, led largely by growth in the China market, according to J.D. Power and Associates. In 2010, J.D. Power data indicates light vehicle sales in emerging markets comprised 51% of global sales.

Autos Dominate

This growth may well be one of the drivers behind the ever-more creative online campaigns and integrated social media technologies that the auto industry has felt compelled to create. Not to mention other industrial sectors as well.