WPP Media Forecasts Stable Global Audio Ad Spending.

The ad agency WPP Media has released its mid-year forecast update, and while it says global advertising will remain in growth mode, the gains will not be as large as initially predicted. “As chaotic as the world may seem, advertising remains resilient,” its just-released report says. WPP now expects the global ad market to grow 6% this year, down from a 7.7% forecast released last December. It points to “disruptions to global trade and continued deglobalization pressures” weighing on advertising investment for the change.

The report says all top ten ad markets are forecast for growth in 2024, with U.S. ad revenue expected to jump 5.6% to $404.72 billion, excluding political spending. And WPP predicts the U.S. ad market will grow another 5.4% in 2025. The U.S. remains the largest advertising market in the world, nearly double the $221.6 billion spent in second place China.

The forecast says overall audio advertising will remain flat in 2025, with global ad spending on audio channels reaching $26.5 million. WPP sees continued growth in ad spending on podcasts and streaming audio, which will be offset by a 1.7% decline in broadcast radio spending. The audio gains are given a boost in a change in methodology as WPP now includes additional video advertising formats attached to podcasts and other content in its audio numbers.

The forecast says digital advertising will continue to tighten its hold on ad budgets, with pure-play digital expected to account for 73.2% of global ad revenue in 2025 — a figure that rises to 81.6% when including digital extensions such as streaming TV, digital outdoor, and digital print. TV (including streaming) is projected to grow modestly, up 1% to $162.5 billion in 2025. WPP retail media remains one of the fastest-growing segments, while print continues its decline.

Forecasters also expect user-generated content to overtake professional production: In 2025, more than half of content-driven advertising revenue will come from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels. WPP predicts creator-generated revenue will hit $184.9 billion this year, up 20% from 2024. And it says the segment is expected to more than double to $376.6 billion by 2030.

Looking ahead for the global ad market overall, WPP’s team forecasts a compound annual growth rate of 5.4% between 2025 and 2030. That is lower than the previously projected 6.4% growth rate for 2024–2029.