The forecasts of Investment in advertising At the global level they continue on the path of deceleration, as reflected in a new analysis of WARC The consultant has reduced their expectations regarding the growth of marketing spending, which now places +6.2%, which represents a fall of -0.5% compared to the figure offered last March. This would now place the investment in 1.16 billion dollars.

The main reason for this reduction of forecasts is found in the mainly derived commercial tensions Tariff policy adopted by the United States. The situation has generated restlessness and a decrease in trust of companies and consumers in the evolution of the market.

For example, as the consultant points out, the automobile sector is cutting expenses and turning towards performance advertising; while the retail is adjusting the budgets as tariffs reduce margins. Technology companies, meanwhile, also face uncertainty in terms of regulation and tariffs, despite continuous investment.

The domain of technological giants

WARC analysis, the domain of technological giants Google, Amazon and Meta It will continue to grow, partly promoted by the integration of artificial intelligence solutions. It is expected that its combined quota in global advertising investment – existing China – reaches 54.7% this year, coming to congregate 524.4 billion dollars. The data involves +1.8 more percentage points compared to 2024, and could be placed at 56.2% of 2026.

The whole of the Internet investment -Including social networks, average retail, online advertising or Paid Search-, grew by 11.5% in the first quarter of 2025, up to 195.2 billion dollars. However, the growth rate is expected to decrease 9.9 % during the second quarter and 8.9 % for the second half of the year, reaching an annual total of 829.2 billion dollars.

Currently the Internet as a whole is 70.8% of all world advertising investment, and WARC estimates that it could mean 80% in 2028, at which time it could exceed billion dollars in advertising income.

By elaborating the data by means and channels, the Advertising investment in Search It could grow 7.4% this year, but 6.8% the next. In this field, the expense planned in Google is 213.3 billion dollars, which would mean 85.8% of the total investment in searches.

Regarding the social networks, The consultant indicates an increase of 15% produced in the first quarter. However, growth will descend to an average of 11% for the next three quarters. However, it is estimated that the market reaches 298,000 million dollars this 2025
In this section, the forecasts point to a business growth of Goal of 12.6%, to 142.1 billion dollars, during this year. The figure is a fall compared to the growth of 18.4% registered in 2024.

As for the average retail, An increase of 14.4% is expected to a total value of 176.2 billion dollars this year. Amazon It is the main player in this category. Its business grew 21%, to 13.3 billion, in the first quarter of this year, but the figure that would place in 16% for the set of 2025.

On the other hand, the Global video investment It will foreseeably decrease by 2.6% this year, to 183.9 billion dollars. One of the reasons of the descent is on linear television, whose expense will fall 6.3%, after 2024 marked by sporting and politicians. For its part, it is estimated that video advertising on demand (VOD) increases 13.2%, to 39.9 billion dollars.

Investment by sectors

WARC points out that el Automobile sector It will be one of those affected by the generalized economic situation. Projects a decrease in the investment of this -4% industry for this year -an improvement with respect to the fall of -7.3% estimated in March -but points to a recovery for next year.

He retail, On the other hand, it faces a drop in the investment of -6.1% with respect to the levels of 2024. This is largely due to commercial tariffs on key raw materials.

On the other hand, the consultant expects the sector DE technology and electronics invest 90.3 billion dollars in advertising this year. It is an interannual increase of 5.5 %, a lower figure compared to +6.2 % projected by WARC in March.

The companies of consumer goods Packaging (CPG) have experienced could increase their advertising expenditure by 6.7% this year, exceeding 200,000 million dollars. Categories such as soft drinks, cosmetics and household products experience significant decelerations with respect to 2024 spending.

Investment by countries

WARC has also offered a review of its advertising investment forecasts according to the different markets. In USA The expenditure growth will be 5.2%, which represents half of the rate recorded in 2024 (+13,%). The reduction compared to March is -0.5% and would place the investment for this year at 451.6 billion dollars.

Tariff uncertainty, the interruption of supply chains, the lower demand of consumers and stagnant inflation are the main reasons. It also is that, following tariffs, many international brands, especially Chinese, are diverting their investment to markets such as Canada, Australia or Europe.

Tariffs also affect Chinese companiesand in this sense, WARC reduces the expectations of growth of advertising investment by 2025 to 7.2% from the 8.3% estimated in March.

On the other hand, the consultant provides a 6.5% growth for the advertising market of United Kingdom In 2025, while the increase planned for Germany It is 2.9%. France, For its part, it will experience an increase of +2.7%.