Nicole covers digital advertising and performance marketing, including US digital ad spending as well as search, programmatic display and retail media trends.

Last year, China was the only market to see overall ad spending growth, although digital ad spending performed well almost everywhere. This year, every country will see growth in almost every category.

With one in 8 digital advertising dollars now going to retail media, it has quickly become the third most popular digital advertising channel in the US, just behind paid search and paid social advertising. Although retail media is not an emerging channel, the bulk of its incredible growth has happened over the last few years after the onset of the pandemic drove ecommerce sales through the roof.

US marketers go all in on gaming

China’s total media ad spending and digital ad spending will both grow at their lowest rates since we began tracking them in 2012, but the ad industry is nonetheless set for an eventful year in the world’s second-largest market.

Search ad spending in the US will rise by 5.9% this year, significantly below trend, in the face of the massive disruption to consumer lifestyles. But the pandemic is setting search up for a bigger future.

By 2023, US adults are expected to spend more than 8 hours a day with digital media. To effectively engage consumers in an increasingly digital world, marketers must have an effective strategy in place.