The investment trend in marketing and advertising leaves 2025 with negative figures, but professionals in the sector seem to approach the next year with optimism, according to the results of the 32 Barometer Trend Score, promoted by the Spanish Association of Advertisers (AEA) and Scopen.
The report analyzes the evolution of investments in marketing and advertising every six months and on this occasion has taken into consideration surveys of 111 marketing, media and advertising professionals from Spanish advertising companies, with investment in communication of more than 300,000 euros. These were carried out between September 2 and October 3.
Estimates for the end of 2025 improve, but are moderate
The data relating to the second half of this year indicate a slight improvement compared to the first half, which closed with a significant decrease in investments well below the estimates made in the previous wave of the study. Expectations for the end of this year are more positive, although still very conservative, especially in the marketing section.
Thus, according to the report, in the first quarter of 2025 the marketing investment trend closed at -0.8 points, putting an end to four consecutive waves of positive closing. In the case of advertising, investment decreased to -0.5 points, falling from -0.3 previously.
Regarding the closing of the second half of this year, expectations are heading towards stability, with a variation of -0.2 points in marketing investment and +0.2 in advertising.
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In addition, the Trend Score also advances the estimates for the beginning of 2026, and describes them as optimistic by venturing a recovery of around +0.5 points in marketing and +0.6 in advertising, compared to the previous semester.
Specifically, 29% estimate growth in investments by 2026, an increase of three percentage points compared to the previous year. However, the percentage of those who will bet on the stability and maintenance of their investments is growing, from 44% to 54%. It does so to the detriment of those who estimate declines, which falls to 17% from the previous 30%.
Investment expectations in the second half of 2025
As stated in the report, marketing investment expectations for the end of 2025 are marked by optimism, compared to the end of 2024. Although the proportion of professionals who predict a decrease in investment remains the same (27%), the percentage of those who estimate growth increases. Thus, it went from 19% at the end of 2024 to 27% currently.
The investment, as is usual, will not be distributed in the same way between the different areas. More than 65% indicate that their Research budget will remain stable, while almost 14% will make significant reductions. Just over 10% will carry out increases.
In the field of Advertising, 41% of those surveyed indicate that they will keep their budgets stable; while 22% will opt for increasing them moderately. And in the Promotion section, 52% opt for stability, while 24% foresee moderate increases.
Likewise, the distribution of the investment will not be the same depending on the different disciplines. The report highlights the greatest budget growth in digital areas: in media buying, as well as in content and digital creativity. Respondents point to moderate growth in general, but stability stands out in the BTL section.
The closing of the first half of 2025
The first half of this year has ended in a negative way. Compared to the same period of the previous year, the proportion of professionals reporting decreases in their marketing budgets has grown by 11%; and the percentage of those indicating increases in their investments has also decreased by 9%.
Social networks, display advertising and online video have remained the main channels to which advertisers have dedicated their budgets. In this sense, online video, search and social networks have led the investment in terms of formats.
Beyond the media, artificial intelligence also stands out as an area of investment for advertisers. Specifically, AI applied to content production and AI in process automation.
In-house content development and user experience are also sections that concentrate budgets.
More info.: Trend Score second half 2025
