On June 3, we attended SXSW at Sir Hotel in Shoreditch, where UK House hosted a range of sessions and panel discussions on topics ranging from music and art to exports and AI.
Director of Credos, Dan Wilks, announced our new UK Advertising Exports Report 2026. The new data reveals how exports hit a record high of £19.4bn in 2025, as the sector recorded a 38% growth in surplus. This secured the UK’s position as the world’s second-largest advertising exporter.
Dan described how this report demonstrates the scale, growth, and global influence of the UK advertising industry, and shared five key recommendations to the UK government to secure long-term global growth. These include sector recognition, engage advertising, talent mobility, export enabler, and support innovation.
That evening, UK House partnered with the Department for Business and Trade to host a Creative Industries VIP Reception. Key notes from Rupert Daniels, Director, Services and Skills at Department for Business and Trade, and Michael Frohlich, Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer, WPP, described their mission to bring the industry and government together in a stronger, more unified voice and back creativity on a global stage.
UK House also hosted panels and keynotes discussing how AI is transforming venues into dynamic environments, Crocs’ launch of the brand’s first full-price retail store in Europe, and Artist Sophie Tea’s painting experience exploring how community, digital culture and accessibility are reshaping the art world.
The new exports report can be found here.
