The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have released internet ad revenues covering Q2 and the first six months of 2005. The IAB/PwC report found that internet ad revenue totaled $2.98 billion for Q2 and $5.8 billion for the first half of 2005.

The Q2 2005 revenues represent a 6.6 percent increase over Q1 2005

"It is clear from this continued growth, that most agencies and marketers are now committed to interactive as a critical medium in reaching their audiences, as well as engaging them in more immersive brand experiences. At the end of the day, it is about increased effectiveness from your marketing dollars and Interactive delivers this," says Greg Stuart, president and CEO of the IAB.

Search saw 27 percent increase while rich media grew 26 percent.

"The consistent growth in overall revenues shows marketers may be shifting more of their total advertising budgets to online. This is a natural development as research shows more consumers are spending a larger percentage of their media time online, while the flow of advertising dollars follows," says David Silverman, partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers.