Business

Locate key business information resources for academic research.

Directories

Red Books
Rankings and exclusive information on U.S. and international advertisers who spend over $200,000 annually on advertising. Company listings include: advertising expenditures by media; current agency; fiscal year-end and annual sales; contact information on key personnel; brand name; and industry classifications. Access limited to two concurrent users.

Articles

Search in the news and core article databases through the links on the left side of this guide for more recent or specific information.

Other Related Indexes:

Films

Use the search tools through the Video link on the left side of this guide to identify other media about advertising and marketing, or particular companies. View non-circulating media within a desk in the library's Audio-Visual section.

Popular Videos:

CLIO Advertising Awards
View collections of these award winning ads through the library's DVDs or video-streaming databases.

Advertising Expenditures

Company-Specific Expenditures:

Advertising expenditures, which supplement the income statement, may be available at the discretion of the company. Advertising expenditures for industries that rely heavily on television advertising (food or beverage) are better represented.

Start with the databases listed, a company's annual report or the business article databases for information on a company's advertising expenditures or costs of campaigns.
 

  • Advertising Age
    Search this database or use the library's article databases to identify specific content in articles from Advertising Age. The library has Advertising Age in print (M-level Current Periodicals Room), online, and historically on microfiche.

Within Advertising Age, click on the Data Center to retrieve top advertisers' rankings, and advertising expenditures by type of medium.

  • Red books
    Advertising expenditures by company; further breakdown by media type will vary by company.
  • Compustat (available to JHU faculty and graduate students for academic research only)
    Access Compustat through the Wharton Research Data Service for historical data reported by U.S. and foreign companies. Some companies disclose advertising expenditures.

Rankings and Statistics

Statistical Abstract of the United States
Look up Advertising, and also Media, in the Index for relevant table numbers. Print copies exist under Proquest Statistical Abstract of the United States.
Call Number: M-Level Reference HA 202 (for latest edition)

Advertising Age 
Search this database or the business article databases for information from this key publication. The library has Advertising Age in print (M-level Current Periodicals Room), online, and historically on microfiche.

Click on the Data Center link in Advertising Age for rankings on the top advertisers and expenditures by medium.
 

Print Almanacs and Yearbooks for Historical Research:

Ad Placement and Rates

Web Sites and Digital Collections

Ad*Access
Digital access to one of Duke University's advertising collections. Images and information include over 7,000 advertisements from U.S. and Canadian newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955. Subjects include: radio, television, transportation, beauty and hygiene, and World War II.

Adweek's Creative Index
Creative advertising resources and best spots from Adweek (some free information; fee-based features are unavailable to the university)

CLIO Awards
Online access to the most recent CLIO award winning advertisements. Additional coverage is available through the library's video collection.

Luerzer's Archive
Archive of international print and video ads

Super Bowl Commercials
Videos of recent Super Bowl commercials