London, United Kingdom – Global advertising expenditure is projected to grow by 5.1% in 2026, surpassing US$1t for the first time, according to the latest dentsu Global Ad Spend Forecasts released on 3 December 2025. The anticipated growth rate outpaces the projected 3.1% expansion of the global economy and reflects what dentsu describes as a shift into an “Algorithmic Era,” where media plays an increasingly central role in shaping consumer behaviour.
“Crossing the trillion dollar threshold signals a structural shift in how growth is created. Media is now the front door to every brand and the most powerful system for driving relevance, creativity and value at scale.” Will Swayne, global practice president, media and integrated solutions at dentsu, said.
“In the Algorithmic Era the brands that win will be the ones that understand how discovery and decision making are shaped by algorithms and use media as a strategic engine to earn attention and build long term advantage. 2026 rewards the marketers who innovate with intent, design for outcomes and meet people in the moments that matter,” he added.
The forecast notes that major global events—including the Olympic Winter Games, the FIFA World Cup and multiple national election cycles—are expected to drive audience engagement across platforms. Shifts in viewing behaviour are also contributing to diversification in content consumption, with dentsu citing data showing that 40% of consumers globally watched a sports docuseries in the previous month, while Japanese anime is now watched weekly by half of Gen Z.
In the United States, more Gen Z consumers reportedly identify as anime fans than as followers of major sports leagues. With 42% of CMOs planning to increase investment in original content and sponsorship, dentsu expects brands to broaden their creative strategies in 2026.
Regionally, the Americas are forecast to grow by 5.2% to US$460.5b, supported by a 5.0% rise in the United States, boosted by the World Cup and midterm elections. Brazil is projected to see the strongest growth among major markets at 9.1%, while Canada is expected to grow by 5.4%.
Asia Pacific remains the fastest-growing region with an expected 5.4% increase. China is forecast to expand by 6.1% and India by 8.6%, supported by sports programming and continued digital adoption. In EMEA, advertising expenditure is projected to grow by 4.2%, with the United Kingdom leading regional markets at 5.7%.
Digital advertising is expected to account for 68.7% of total global spend in 2026, rising 6.7%. Retail media is predicted to remain the fastest-growing digital format at 14.1%, followed by online video (11.5%) and social media (11.4%). Programmatic advertising is forecast to represent more than 80% of all digital investment. Traditional channels are expected to see mixed performance, with television rising 2.4%, out-of-home increasing 4.1% and cinema up 2.2%, while print is projected to decline by 3%.
Among industry sectors, technology is forecast to show the strongest growth at 10.3%, driven by AI-powered product innovation. Government, social, political and organisational spending, along with beverages, are both projected to grow by 10.1%.
