Dentsu lowers 2026 forecast: Global ad growth dips to 5% as geopolitical tensions cloud planning and spending confidence.

WBD’s streaming can’t offset TV slump: Linear ads fall 12% as cord-cutting bites, HBO Max rises, and a Paramount deal looms.

Paramount Skydance leans on streaming: Q1 revenues rose 2% as Paramount+ climbed 17%, offsetting TV declines and bolstering its WBD merger pitch.

Oil above $100 trims 2026 spending growth to 7.2%, wiping $28 billion as brands rein in budgets.

OOH revenues hit $9.5 billion in 2025, representing 19 quarters of growth as DOOH fuels scale and measurable impact beyond screens.

Media habits keep evolving as digital gains ground faster than traditional declines. Video is absorbing more attention, screens are doing more of the work, and the central battle is for a share of limited consumer time.

Dentsu forecasts the global advertising market will surpass $1 trillion for the first time in 2026, growing 5.1% and powered by digital channels that will capture nearly 69% of total spend. Retail media leads with projected 14%–16% growth, while online video and social also expand double digits. Major global events—including the Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, and a packed political calendar—will drive attention and pricing pressure across markets. APAC remains the fastest-growing region, led by India and China, while the US will represent about 40% of worldwide spend. For marketers, algorithm-first planning, advanced measurement, and early tentpole buying will be critical.

Publicis Groupe’s 100th-anniversary film, “A Lion Never Gives Up,” blends live action with 4,500 AI-generated images to retell the company’s evolution and project its future. With more than half its workforce now in data, engineering, and AI, leadership says the next era will reward companies that fuse creativity with machine-driven operational scale. The film lands as Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG reshapes the competitive field, and Publicis argues its AI maturity gives it an edge in a more concentrated market.

Pharma marketers are increasingly investing in point-of-care (POC) marketing. Pharma marketers should be able to effectively integrate traditional media advertising with POC content. For example, marketers could use similar wording, data, and testimonials in a TV/online campaign as they do in a POC ad to improve audience retention. Similarly, a TV commercial may spark initial awareness of a prescription drug, while POC ads reinforce it with QR codes or digital resources that patients can explore in the waiting room, or cost-saving information provided at the pharmacy counter.

B2B digital ad spending is rising as marketers lean into formats that build visibility and engagement. Video and display are growing faster than search, reshaping strategies to reach decision-makers.

The news: Global influencer marketing is booming, with spending increasing over $8 billion this year to reach $32.55 billion, per a Later report—and smaller tier influencers are leading the charge. In an exclusive interview with EMARKETER, founder of creator company HYDP Thomas Markland discussed what trends are driving the shift and why smaller creators are making waves. Our take: As advertisers lose confidence in traditional media and creators proliferate across platforms, influencer marketing will continue making strides and driving the way forward for brands—especially those who are cost-conscious amid economic uncertainty.

Total time spent with media per day in the US is no longer growing meaningfully, but there will still be significant churn between devices, activities, and platforms as consumers choose how to spend their time.

Tariff escalation heightens recession fears: EMARKETER's forecasting team analyzes the economic disruption from Trump’s new trade policies.

Top-line time spent with media will grow very little in the US going forward, making it essential to identify which formats and platforms are winning the newly zero-sum competition for consumer attention.

T-Mobile sees a $600 million opportunity in Digital OOH: The mobile provider will acquire Vistar Media in a deal hinting at the format’s future.

How can ad buyers calibrate their B2B ad spending and budget allocations against the market, and how can publishers and solution providers assess whether their ad revenues are in line with industry trends?

How can ad buyers calibrate their ad spending and budget allocations against average for their industry, and how can publishers and solution providers assess whether their ad revenues are in line with industry trends?

Meta and Google enjoy political ad spend boom: The ad duopoly is effective for reaching consumers en masse, but TV spending shifts hint at big changes.

B2B digital ad spending is expected to rebound in 2024. Trends in B2B buying behavior, programmatic advertising, and AI use are contributing to the shift in spending toward display, mobile, social media, and video.