GroupM’s latest forecast predicts a historic year for the global advertising industry, with total revenue expected to surpass $1 trillion in 2024. This represents a substantial 9.5% increase from the previous year, exceeding even the June estimate of 7.8% growth. The upward trajectory continues into 2025, with projected growth of 7.7%, pushing total revenue to $1.1 trillion.
The report reveals a significant concentration of power within the industry. Five companies—Google, Meta, ByteDance (TikTok owner), Amazon, and Alibaba—are poised to control over half of global advertising revenue. Digital advertising continues its dominant growth, projected to increase by 12.4% in 2024 and comprise nearly 73% of total ad revenue by 2025. Within the digital sphere, retail media is rapidly emerging, poised to surpass global TV advertising revenue in 2025, reaching $177.1 billion.
The television advertising sector presents a more nuanced picture. While global TV ad revenue (including linear and streaming) shows modest growth, linear TV revenue is expected to decline by 3.4% in 2025. Conversely, streaming TV advertising is experiencing explosive growth, projected at 19.3%.
This shift is attributed to evolving consumer viewing habits and the decline of the traditional cable bundle. Although streaming services have introduced ad-supported tiers, lower ad loads and the prevalence of ad-free subscriptions limit immediate revenue potential. Despite the milestone of exceeding $1 trillion in revenue, the uneven distribution highlights a stark contrast between thriving digital channels and struggling traditional media, creating a landscape of “haves and have-nots”.
GroupM’s analysis underscores a broader industry transformation, requiring advertisers to navigate a fragmented media landscape and adapt to changing consumer behaviors. The report reveals both the exciting opportunities of new platforms and the challenges faced by legacy media in the digital-first world.