Asia-Pacific ad growth will remain steady in 2026 as momentum shifts to digital, retail media, and CTV. Rising demand for premium video contrasts with uneven expansion across fast-growing and mature markets.

Total media time is on a steady slide in the UK. By 2026, it will drop to below 10 hours per day, the lowest level in a decade. Digital media—particularly digital and social video—is picking up some of the slack, but it won’t halt the decline.

The digital ad channel is hugely dominant in the UK, so there is increasingly less room for growth. But in the broader digital category, retail media is the main driver.

OTT video viewing is about to get a boost in the UK, as traditional TV viewing gets a broadband delivery option next year.

Total media time is flattening out in the UK after the artificial bump brought about by the pandemic. Video consumption, though, via multiple platforms, is one area where marketers can count on continued consumer engagement.

The UK ad market is under as much pressure as it’s ever faced. But while spending growth will hit a historical low, there are some positive signs for advertisers with experimentation away from the duopoly a very real possibility.

UK consumers have a voracious appetite for digital video content, but the cost-of-living crisis is boosting ad-supported options, particularly broadcaster video-on-demand services. Netflix’s pivot to an ad tier, meanwhile, may have legs.

The UK is home to some of the most voracious digital video viewers, but planning a campaign across the plethora of video platforms is getting more and more complicated. An increase in ad-supported on-demand platforms is adding to the complexity.

The UK digital ad market is thriving. It will grow 11.9% this year, reaching £25.84 billion ($35.54 billion). Video will be a big contributor to this growth, as will social network spending, which is being disrupted by the likes of TikTok.

Digital video viewership continues to rise in the UK, despite already high penetration. A thirst for subscription content hasn’t quite been sated, but with a cost-of-living crisis looming, ad-supported options might garner interest among consumers.

Next year in the UK, digital video ads will make gains, Brexit will continue to complicate ecommerce and data privacy rules, and retailers will reimagine the in-store experience.

Digital won’t be able to make up for the shortfall in ad spend in the UK's traditional channels, but it will register a small increase this year.