The global advertising industry is on track to surpass $1 trillion in 2026, marking a major milestone despite ongoing economic uncertainty. According to Dentsu’s latest Global Ad Spend Forecast, the market is expected to grow 5.1% in 2026, reaching $1.04 trillion, followed by a further increase to $1.15 trillion by 2028.
This momentum will be driven by major global events such as the FIFA World Cup, US midterm elections, and the Olympic Winter Games, along with accelerated digital transformation across emerging markets.
Emerging economies will continue to outperform advanced markets, growing at 4.0% versus 1.9%. India remains the world’s fastest-growing ad market, with spending expected to rise 8.6% in 2026, fuelled by IPL 2026, ICC T20 World Cup, and a 19.2% surge in digital advertising, especially retail media and short-form video. China will also record strong growth at 6.1% in 2026.
Digital spending continues to dominate, supported by platforms like Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet, which reported strong performance through 2025. Retail media (+14.1%), video (+11.5%), and social media (+11.4%) will lead growth, while television will see mild recovery through connected TV and streaming models.
AI-driven advertising is shaping the next phase of growth, with over 71.6% of global ad spend expected to be algorithmic by 2026. CMOs are prioritising generative AI, automation, and data-driven insights; however, concerns remain over fragmented AI adoption.
Overall, the global ad economy is shifting into a more resilient, digitally accelerated era powered by AI, events, and emerging markets.
