Annual Review 2023: UK Advertising’s Success on the World Stage

Aisling Conlon, Director of International Trade, Advertising Association

The advertising industry is no longer commercials and banners; it includes events, ad-funded programmes, sports sponsorship, influencer marketing, and more, valued globally at $250 billion by Goldman Sachs. The UK, ranking as the third-largest advertising market in the world, displayed a 15.5% year-on-year increase in UK advertising exports, reaching a ground-breaking £15.6 billion in 2022. This not only solidifies the industry’s standing as a global powerhouse but also highlights how it is a crucial part of achieving the Government’s export target of £1 trillion by 2030.

The industry’s exports have doubled in just six years from £7.1 billion to £15.6 billion in 2022, helped by the growing engagement of UK advertising and market research companies in international activities. In 2020, our industry came together and launched the UK Advertising Exports Group (UKAEG), backed by support from the Advertising Association, APA, BPMA, IPA, and the Department for Business & Trade.

UKAEG is a programme that allows industry and Government to work together. At the heart of our mission is the commitment to promote the UK as a global hub for advertising excellence, effectiveness, and innovation by driving growth and expanding our global reach. We do this through global trade missions, PR, research, and consultancy with UK Government.

Our Work in 2023: 

Significant Moments for UKAEG this year include:

Our UKAEG trade missions provide UK advertising companies with opportunities to explore and enter new international markets. Targeting countries or regions with significant growth potential has allowed our industry to highlight its expertise on a global stage. UKAEG has facilitated collaborative opportunities between UK advertising companies and prospective international customers and key stakeholders. Networking sessions and roundtables allowed for the exchange of ideas, fostering partnerships that contribute to the growth and development of the global advertising industry.

UKAEG made a real impact at SXSW 2023 at UK House, with a bootcamp that
delivered 30 official talks, 93 speakers and a roundtable with US stakeholders. At Cannes Lions, UKAEG orchestrated a triumphant initiative, including the GREAT global dinner; a roundtable in partnership with Campaign; 24 presentations, including five roundtables with key markets such as the US, MENA, India, and Japan which connected UKAEG members with global guests.

Meanwhile, UKAEG’s strategic presence at Advertising Week NYC, resulted in two companies requiring offices in the United States, highlighting the impactful global outreach. Lastly, UKAEG hosted the inaugural UK & China Advertising Summit in London and Manchester to facilitate collaboration between the Shanghai International Advertising Festival and UKAEG members. This has set the stage for mutual success in China for 2024.

You can download a full copy of our 2023 Annual Review here.