Ben Worthen and Jessica Vascellaro of The Wall Street Journal report that technology companies are beginning to increase advertising budgets in hopes that IT purchasing is going to turn the corner and begin to pickup after a slow year due to the recession.  According to the WSJ:

The moves come as businesses and consumers start buying technology again, after cutting back on such purchases for most of the year. But with spending growth still forecasted to be well below historic levels, tech companies can no longer count on a rising tide to lift all boats. So they're buying billboards, touting new products and introducing new logos in hopes of getting a bigger piece of the pie.

This potential pickup in buying makes sense, as companies are now beginning to adjust to the "new normal," and there's likely pent-up demand to refresh or acquire new equipment given the budget reductions over the last 12-18 months. 

This also holds true based on early results from our most recent survey of IT and business leaders on technology.  The early data shows that over 60% of the respondents were expecting flat or decreasing IT operating budgets.  At the same time, over 45% expected to increase the amount spent on new IT investments in 2010.  Despite ongoing cost pressures, companies are still looking to invest where it makes economic sense, and this, in turn, should help tech spending, at least on the margin.

Look for a more complete summary of the survey findings in the coming weeks.