Powered By Podcasts, Audio Leads Product Placement Growth.

As advertisers look for ways to connect with consumers beyond traditional commercial breaks, product placement is becoming one of marketing’s fastest-expanding categories. New research from PQ Media finds that music and audio led all media categories in product placement growth last year, with host-delivered brand mentions in popular podcasts helping fuel the increase.

PQ Media’s new global product placement forecast estimates worldwide product placement spending increased 12.7% to $37.16 billion in 2025. Spending is projected to climb another 12.8% this year, reaching $41.92 billion, marking a sixth consecutive year of double-digit growth.

While television accounts for the overwhelming majority of spending, the music and audio category posted the fastest growth in 2025, increasing 13.5%, according to the report’s executive summary. The category includes podcasts, broadcast and streaming radio, music videos and brand mentions in song lyrics.

PQ Media specifically identifies popular podcasts as a growth driver, particularly programs where hosts reference advertisers’ brands and products as part of their conversations. Unlike a conventional commercial inserted into an advertising break, product placement integrates a brand directly into the surrounding programming. In audio, PQ Media says that often involves a talk show host or radio personality discussing a product or mentioning a business they have visited.

The approach can make advertising part of the content itself, rather than something listeners encounter between segments.

PQ Media says brands are increasingly embracing product integrations because they are largely immune to ad-skipping technology and can continue generating exposure long after content is initially released.

“Despite these concerns, content publishers have become more willing to include product integrations in all media to help deal with rising production costs,” says PQ Media President/CEO Patrick Quinn. “Paid product placements have grown substantially over the past 25 years because brands have become more willing to invest in skillful integrations of their logos and products in storylines that will expose their assets in meaningful ways.”

The U.S. remains the world’s largest product placement market, accounting for more than half — 56.5% — of global spending. Domestic spending increased 13.2% last year to $21.01 billion, accelerating from 12.3% growth in 2024.

Despite its growth, music and audio remains a relatively small piece of the overall product placement business. PQ Media estimates the category generated $502 million worldwide in 2025 vs. $26.16 billion for television and $4.44 billion for films.

The research also points to a potential challenge for podcasting. PQ Media says a slowdown in new podcast titles is among several factors raising concerns about the future supply of product placement opportunities, even as advertisers become more interested in integrating brands into existing programming.