At Carat, alongside our peers at iProspect and dentsu X, we estimate that an overwhelming majority of ad spend will be algorithm-driven as soon as 2027. Brands looking to thrive in this algorithmic era must learn today to master media craft to achieve the right outcomes from the algorithms.
For our new Global Ad Spend Forecasts report, our analysts examined major shifts in ad spend across 56 markets. Their report outlines key implications for brands in 2025 and beyond.
Some of their findings include:
- The global advertising market is forecast to grow by 6.8% year-over-year to close 2024 at $772.4 billion.
- Ad spend growth is forecast to continue at a slower 5.9% in 2025, yet still outpace the global economy by 2.7 percentage points.
- Growth is driven by continual advertising innovation. Algorithmically enabled ad spend is estimated to reach 59.5% of total ad spend in 2024 and 79.0% in 2027.
- In 2025, retail media, the leading driver of new ad dollars, is expected to expand by 21.9%, paid search by 6.7%, and paid social by 8.7%, bolstered by an integrated ecosystem.
- The Americas region is expected to remain the most dynamic region in 2025 (+6.3% growth, 47.0% share of global spend), followed by Asia Pacific (+5.8%, 31.0%) and Europe, Middle East and Africa (+5.0%, 22.0%).
To learn more and to receive your own copy of dentsu’s Global Ad Spend Forecasts report in your inbox, visit dentsu.com.
