Ad spend in the UK came in ahead of expectations for the second quarter of the year, according to the latest survey data from AA/WARC.
The strong figures, though, come in the wake of a rather frightening first Budget statement from the UK’s first ever female Chancellor on Wednesday, just before Halloween!
So what do industry experts make of the latest AA/WARC survey readings, and where might we go from here?…
Joseph Worswick, VP EMEA, Global Head of Sustainability, OpenX
“The strength of the digital advertising sector has underpinned what is set to be the second best year for the UK advertising industry since 2000.
“Revenues for publishers’ online properties are growing, and with programmatic technology evolving to become more efficient and offer more precise targeting, advertisers will likely be seeing better returns on their investments across all digital formats.
“While the upward revision to 2025 forecasts is also encouraging, it remains to be seen whether this optimism aligns with consumers’ post-budget confidence.”
Jason Warner, Director, UK and EMEA, SBSÂ
“The increase in ad spend reflects the remarkable resilience that brands have shown in tough economic conditions – and that we are hopefully turning a corner.
“We’ve seen just how savvy advertisers have been with their digital advertising through their willingness to experiment with innovative ad formats and ability to tell their brand stories in ways that guide potential consumers from awareness right through to a sale or lead.
“However, with such a large portion of ad spend heading towards programmatic, focus needs to be on ensuring that efficiencies enabled by digital advertising and programmatic tech on offer are available to all independent agencies – not just larger players – so these agencies can stay relevant, competitive and continue to be the backbone of media.”
Virginie Dremeaux, VP, Marketing & Comms, Intl, FreeWheel
“The continued popularity of live TV for sports fans is evident in the latest report, with the Men’s Euros cited as a key driver of the rise in TV ad spend over the quarter.
“Advertisers recognise that tapping into the coverage of live sports on increasingly connected screens not only gives them access to a mass audience, but also provides advanced targeting and incremental reach.
“The growth of streaming and the ongoing convergence of linear and digital leaves TV – in all its forms – in a strong position, as advertisers acknowledge its ability to engage consumers with high-quality content.
“The sustained popularity of BVOD highlighted in the report also shows that even amid the proliferation of new offers and platforms, BVOD remains very important in media companies’ business model.”
Mark Debenham, VP Growth Marketing & Ops, Adverity
“Breaking the £10 billion mark in Q2 highlights the UK advertising market’s renewed momentum, led by digital’s continued growth.
“The projected £40.5 billion annual spend isn’t just recovery—it’s a signal that brands are investing where they see real returns.
“Digital’s resilience is clear, and TV’s strong quarter shows the lasting appeal of multi-channel strategies that blend the scale of traditional media with the precision of digital.
“At Adverity, we see these shifts reinforcing the need for real-time insights that help brands make impactful, growth-focused channel decisions.”
Andrew Mole, CEO and co-Founder, pubX
“It’s great to see positivity in the ad market, and that consumer spending is also on an upward trend.
“Hopefully any increased investment in advertising will make its way to publishers, who continue to be the main suppliers of high quality inventory in the digital space.
“It is important we don’t confuse more spend going into the walled gardens as being a net good for digital as a whole; instead the industry must ensure additional spend finds its way to publishers, and that there is greater support for a PubTech ecosystem to enable this to happen.”
Chris Hogg, Chief Revenue Officer, Lotame
“The summer of sport was an inviting opportunity for marketers, so it’s no surprise to see that investment ramped up during this period.
“While we may not be out of the woods yet, and with this week’s budget putting further pressure on many businesses, there still seems to be an appetite from many brands to continue to spend on advertising.
“This is heartening and aligns with our own data, which revealed 38% of marketers and agencies in the UK anticipated an increase in programmatic spend a year from now.
“Maximising this increased spend to continue navigating the uneven economic terrain will mean new technologies that help marketers drive greater efficiencies.
“While many are keen to adopt automation and identity resolution solutions in the next six to 12 months, there is also a struggle to find the high-quality data partners needed to optimise these tools.
“It’s clear that this issue must be addressed if advertisers are to see returns from their spend.”