WPP Media has lowered its global advertising growth forecast for 2025 to 6.0%, revising down from its earlier projection of 7.7% made in December last year. The downgrade reflects mounting macroeconomic pressures, including trade uncertainties and a broader trend of deglobalization that continue to weigh on marketing investments worldwide.
Global ad revenues are now expected to hit $1.08 trillion in 2025, with growth moderating slightly to 6.1% in 2026. Over the long term, WPP Media estimates a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2025 to 2030, down from the previously forecast 6.4% CAGR for 2024–2029.
India and Brazil Lead Growth Markets
Despite the slowdown, all major advertising markets are expected to post gains in 2025. Brazil is projected to grow the fastest at 11.9%, followed by India at 8.4%. The U.S. continues to dominate global ad spend, expected to rise 5.6% to $404.7 billion, trailed by China at $221.6 billion (6.8%), and the UK at $55.0 billion (6.5%).
Digital Advertising Reigns Supreme
Digital formats continue to command the lion’s share of global ad dollars. Pure-play digital is set to account for 73.2% of ad spend in 2025, climbing to 81.6% when including digital extensions like streaming TV, digital out-of-home (DOOH), and online print.
Retail media remains a standout, projected to hit $169.6 billion this year and soar to $252.1 billion by 2030, comprising nearly one-fifth of global ad revenue.
UGC & Streaming Drive New Growth
User-generated content (UGC) platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Kuaishou, and Instagram Reels are fueling rapid growth in creator-led advertising. UGC-related ad revenue is expected to reach $184.9 billion in 2025, up 20% year-on-year, with projections of $376.6 billion by 2030.
Streaming TV will also see a significant rise, growing from $41.8 billion in 2025 to nearly $72 billion by the end of the decade, though overall TV (linear + streaming) remains relatively flat.
Other Formats See Mixed Fortunes
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OOH Advertising: Stable at $52 billion, with digital OOH now 41% of the segment
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Print: Continues decline at -3.1%, reaching $45.5 billion
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Audio: Flat at $26.5 billion, with growth in streaming offset by a -1.7% dip in traditional radio
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Search (Intelligence): Expected to grow 7.4% to $226.2 billion
Market Concentration Deepens
The industry continues to consolidate around a few tech giants. Google, Meta, ByteDance, Amazon, and Alibaba together accounted for over 54% of global ad revenues in 2024. The top 25 media sellers now capture more than 70% of total global ad dollars.
A New Classification Framework
WPP Media also unveiled a new classification framework for advertising, grouping spend into four categories: Content, Commerce, Location, and Intelligence. The model aims to provide greater clarity on investment trends across sectors, media types, and advertiser profiles.
