AA/WARC: UK ad spend surpasses £10bn in Q3 2024
Posted on Tuesday 04 February 2025
The latest Advertising Association / WARC Expenditure Report shows UK spend on advertising rose 9.7% to £10.6bn driven by strong digital growth
The latest figures from the Advertising Association and WARC show the UK advertising market rose by 9.7% to £10.6bn in Q3 2024, marking the first time ad spend has surpassed the £10bn barrier in the third quarter.
The growth exceeded expectations by 1.4 percentage points, driven primarily by strong performances in digital advertising such as in Search, which grew 12.6% to £4.6bn, fuelled in part by the expanding retail media sector. You can find out more here.
Speaking about the latest data, Stephen Woodford, Chief Executive of the Advertising Association, said: “While the broader economy faces challenges, the advertising industry continues to drive growth, supporting competition, innovation, and jobs across the UK.
“Advertising is a critical part of the economy, and the evidence clearly shows that it is helping businesses to thrive even in uncertain times.”
Online Display and Online Radio also saw robust growth, rising by 15.2% and 10.0%, respectively. Broadcaster Video On-Demand (BVOD) grew by 8.7%, bolstered by high-profile events such as the Olympics, Paralympics and Men’s Euros.
The strong quarter has led to an upward revision of the UK’s full-year ad spend forecast, now expected to reach £40.7bn, an 11.2% increase compared to 2023.
|
Media |
Q3 2024 |
YTD 2024 year-on-year % change |
FY 2024 forecast year-on-year % change |
Percentage point (pp) change in forecast vs October |
FY 2025 forecast year-on-year % change |
|
Search |
12.6% |
13.1% |
12.7% |
+1.7pp |
8.5% |
|
Online display* |
15.2% |
20.2% |
18.9% |
+0.1pp |
9.4% |
|
TV |
-2.6% |
2.4% |
0.4% |
-0.5pp |
-0.1% |
|
of which BVOD |
8.7% |
14.1% |
12.4% |
+0.3pp |
12.9% |
|
Out of home |
4.4% |
12.0% |
10.3% |
-1.7pp |
7.2% |
|
of which digital |
7.7% |
16.1% |
13.7% |
-1.3pp |
8.1% |
|
Direct mail |
12.9% |
2.6% |
0.8% |
+3.7pp |
-2.8% |
|
Online classified* |
-13.5% |
-16.2% |
-15.6% |
-0.2pp |
2.5% |
|
National newsbrands |
-5.7% |
-4.7% |
-4.6% |
-0.6pp |
-2.0% |
|
of which online |
2.1% |
1.5% |
1.6% |
+0.3pp |
0.9% |
|
Radio |
3.8% |
4.6% |
4.2% |
+0.3pp |
3.4% |
|
of which online |
10.0% |
5.6% |
6.6% |
+0.3pp |
6.0% |
|
Magazine brands |
-16.9% |
-6.8% |
-6.1% |
-2.4pp |
-0.9% |
|
of which online |
-14.8% |
-3.6% |
-3.2% |
-3.5pp |
1.3% |
|
Regional newsbrands |
-1.6% |
-1.4% |
-1.3% |
+0.7pp |
-0.7% |
|
of which online |
4.9% |
3.0% |
3.9% |
+1.1pp |
1.5% |
|
Cinema |
-26.1% |
-16.0% |
-9.5% |
-7.4pp |
4.7% |
|
TOTAL UK AD SPEND |
9.7% |
12.2% |
11.2% |
+0.6pp |
6.9% |
|
Note: Broadcaster VOD (BVOD), digital revenues for newsbrands, magazine brands, and radio broadcasters are also included within online display and classified totals, so care should be taken to avoid double counting. Online radio includes targeted in-stream radio/audio advertising sold by UK commercial radio companies, together with online S&P inventory. |
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