The leading global market in terms of advertising spending is, and always has been, the United States. The country invested nearly 229.7 billion U.S. dollars in promotional activities in 2018. This figure is roughly 2.5 times higher than that of its closest competitor, China, which in comparison only spent 87 billion dollars that year. Japan was third in line for the crown, with advertising expenditures slightly surpassing 45 billion dollars. In Europe, the UK and Germany are leading the pack and in Latin America Brazil is the frontrunner.

A closer look at the ad market in the United States

   Television is currently the largest medium based on spending share, accounting for 36 percent of total ad expenditures in the country. However, its strong position is being challenged by digital media. According to forecasts, in 2019 digital spending is expected to slightly surpass TV, and by 2020 the difference in allocated investments will reach more than five percent in favor of digital. This may be in response to trends in general consumption of advertising in the U.S., where more than half of surveyed adults admit to not paying attention to commercials. Digital media, in contrast to TV, offers the opportunity for better targeting and personalization of ads. The only exception to this rule is addressable TV, which combines the best of both worlds. Addressable TV advertising is constantly growing and seems to be the future solution to diminishing TV investments.