Global AD spending plummeted 10%, according to ZenithOptimedia, a media-buying company owned by Publicis Groupe.

In a separate analysis, Publicis Groupe media-buying firm ZenithOptimedia predicted Oct. 7 that AD spending growth in Asia, including Japan, would slow to 5.2% next year, down from 6.6% this year.

Media buying may seem to be a tertiary concern, but advertising execution can be a make or break venture for brands on the brink of new market success.