Welcoming the Creative Industries Sector Plan at our Parliamentary Reception

Our Parliamentary Reception took place on 23 June 2025 in the House of Commons Terrace Pavilion, celebrating the Advertising Pays 2025 Report highlighting the economic contribution of advertising and what it delivers for each of us in constituencies across the UK. With perfect timing the Government’s long awaited Modern Industrial Strategy was published hours earlier alongside the Creative Industries Sector Plan which aims to double business investment in the sector by 2035 – from £17b to £31b – cementing the UK’s position as a global creative superpower. Advertising is recognised as one of eight high growth sectors.

Over 100 Parliamentarians and senior industry leaders from the world of the advertising and marketing came together gathered to hear Stephen Woodford, our CEO, welcome everyone and headline the reflections of the Advertising Pays 2025 Report, on the societal, economic and political changes in the first quarter of the 21^stcentury.

Andria Vidler, our President, also spoke about the findings of the Ad Pays 25 Report and noted the publication of the Creative Industries Sector Plan. She said, “It is brilliant that our sector has been recognised as a high growth priority sector. UK advertising massively overachieves on the world stage and globally we are ranked second only to the US in our advertising export.”

A final few words were delivered by the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, Rt Hon Sir Chris Bryant MP:

“My idea of how the creative industries should work with the government – it is not one backing the other, but the two working together. We know that the creative industries are vital to our economic future, but they are also important for our social development, and us being a society which is better able to live with ourselves and for millions of jobs as well.”

“The most important thing which we have done so far as the government in this field is the announcement that the Creative Industries Sector Plan today […] We are not only talking about finding an extra £380 million – more than doubling the amount of money that we are spending on the creative industries over the next few years – it is also targeted at specific areas where we know that we have got to do better.”

He noted that the areas they have targeted in the plan include exports, skills and investment.

Thank you to everyone who attended!