Global ad spend to exceed $1 trillion in 2026, report

Global advertising spend is expected to rise by 5.1 percent in 2026, surpassing 1 trillion US dollars for the first time and outpacing the projected 3.1 percent expansion of the world economy.

dentsu’s latest Global Ad Spend Forecasts suggest the industry is entering what it calls the Algorithmic Era, a period in which algorithms exert growing influence on how people discover, evaluate and engage with brands.

The report positions media as the connective system between brands and consumers, with every channel becoming a potential point of interaction, commerce and community.

Media emerges as the strategic engine of growth

Will Swayne, Global Practice President, Media and Integrated Solutions at dentsu: “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. 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.

Cultural interests broaden as global events boost engagement

Alongside the Olympic Winter Games, FIFA World Cup and key election cycles, consumer attention is expanding into emerging areas of entertainment. Forty percent of consumers globally watched a sports docuseries in the past month, and half of Gen Z watches Japanese anime weekly. In the United States, more Gen Z identify as anime fans than fans of major sports leagues. With 42 percent of CMOs planning to increase investment in original content and sponsorship, brands will have room to explore new creative territories in 2026.

Growth accelerates across regions

The Americas are forecast to grow by 5.2 percent to reach 460.5 billion US dollars, with the United States rising by 5.0 percent, supported by the World Cup and midterm elections. Brazil is set to expand by 9.1 percent, the fastest among major markets, and Canada by 5.4 percent. Asia Pacific remains the most dynamic region with projected growth of 5.4 percent, led by China at 6.1 percent and India at 8.6 percent. EMEA is expected to grow by 4.2 percent, with the United Kingdom leading the region at 5.7 percent.

Digital investment continues to dominate budgets

Digital advertising spend is forecast to rise by 6.7 percent in 2026, accounting for 68.7 percent of total investment. Retail media is expected to grow by 14.1 percent, followed by online video at 11.5 percent and social at 11.4 percent. Programmatic will represent more than four fifths of digital spend. Traditional channels are projected to see moderate growth, with television up 2.4 percent, out of home up 4.1 percent and cinema up 2.2 percent. Print is forecast to decline by 3.0 percent.

Technology and public-sector categories lead sector growth

Technology is predicted to be the fastest expanding category at 10.3 percent, driven by AI-focused product launches and innovation in connected ecosystems. Government, social, political and organisations are expected to grow by 10.1 percent, matched by the beverages category at 10.1 percent.

www.dentsu.com

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