Finally, we can share the work we’ve been doing with industry stakeholders when it comes to our advertising expenditure figures. These figures, which we produce quarterly and annually in partnership with WARC, provide the backbone for conversations about how and where advertisers invest their budgets in support of their campaigns.
This latest dataset for the FY 2025 is a refreshed presentation of the figures – it includes new channel definitions as well as the introduction of new channels, including social media and retail media, plus a new term, Addressable TV. There are many people to thank for this update. You can read more about the figures and who has been involved here but there is one person, in particular, that I’d like to say a huge thank you to. That’s James McDonald, WARC’s Director of Data, Intelligence and Forecasting, who has so skilfully steered the data through 50 sets - this will be his last as he is stepping down from WARC and moving into a new role overseas. We will miss him and his encyclopaedic knowledge of ad investment data.
If you’re reading this newsletter freshly delivered this morning, switch on Times Radio. You might just hear our chief executive Stephen Woodford in conversation with host, Ed Vaizey, about these figures and more including our ongoing initiative, The Success Files. He should be on air around 12.15.
Our must-reads:
- Our CEO, Stephen Woodford, has described the process of convening the AA/WARC forum and refreshing the expenditure report. (Advertising Association)
- UK ad spend hit £46.7bn in 2025 as growth outpaces economy. (Marketing Week)
- The industry vocally responds to the Government’s impact assessment justifying the switch to the 2018 Nutrient Profiling Model. (The Grocer)
- Our Public Policy and Regulation Director, Konrad Shek, has explained to adland how to develop its AI skills using his recently published e-book. (LBB)
- VCCP’s ‘Better the hide, better the treat’ for Cadbury has been rated as exceptional for predicted long-term market share. (System 1)
Our pick of the ads:
- Our Ad in the A is BBH’s ‘The Fruit Giant’ by BBH for Tesco.
- Saatchi & Saatchi have enlisted Ant and Dec for ‘Moving Starts Here’ for Santander.
- Ogilvy and WPP Open X have incorporated the Diet Coke ‘Canny Pack’ for The Devil Wears Prada.
- VCCP have promoted Muller FRijj’s new competition in ‘Moos In Unexpected Places’.
Dates for your diary:
- Our CEO, Stephen Woodford, will be speaking at Westminster Insight’s annual UK Arts and Creative Industries Conference on Wednesday 6 May in London. Use our code SPKR5172 for 20% off here.
- CreatorFest 2026 on 14-15 July has a packed two-day agenda of networking and panels. Get 20% off your tickets using the code AA20OFF here.
And finally, a couple of congratulations. Firstly to the team behind The Future of Brands which took place earlier this week. It was a brilliant event and we were delighted our President, Andria Vidler, was able to share her thoughts about trust in advertising. The second set of congratulations goes to the team at Bauer for their fabulous new glow-up for Kiss which was properly celebrated last night beneath Phonica in Soho with special guest DJ, Joel Corry.
