Tag: WARC

Global retail ad market to hit $200bn milestone this year as growth momentum slows

Stuart Mitchell

The global retail media market continues to grow and evolve, with ad investment projected to surpass $200bn this year and reach $223bn by 2027, per WARC Media. However, growth is slowing towards single digits, and there are dangers of ‘enshittifying’ the shopper experience, which in turn may have a negative impact on campaign effectiveness, as retail media networks look to meet ambitious targets. Alex Brownsell, Head of Content, WARC Media, says: “The retail media landscape is maturing and consolidating, forcing marketers to rethink their approach. While retail media excels at…

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WARC reveals insights from the winners of the Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions 2026

Stuart Mitchell

Strategically integrating cultural insights, interactive experiences, strategic creator partnerships, and platform-native ideas into campaigns are key drivers of commercial success, according to a new report by WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness.  ‘Creative Effectiveness Lions – Insights from the 2026 winners’, identifies trends and themes common to the winners of this year’s Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions awards category, which rewards creativity that has also met business goals and driven sustainable impact over time.  Based on WARC’s exclusive access to the jury deliberations and analysis of the entries, the report…

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Effectiveness under threat in shift to social-first marketing

Stuart Mitchell

As brands pour ever more of their marketing budgets into social and creator content, new research from WARC warns that this strategy alone will not scale growth. The Pace Principle 2.0 finds that social and creator marketing – for all its speed and cultural relevance – hits three structural ceilings that no amount of additional content or paid media can break through alone.    The findings build on WARC’s landmark effectiveness study The Pace Principle, released last year, which found the most effective brands in Asia run at twin paces…

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UK Advertising Investment Rises 9.3% to £11.7BN in Q1 2026

Stuart Mitchell

The Advertising Association and WARC have recently published the latest quarterly advertising Expenditure Report, revealing that UK advertising investment increased by 9.3% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching a total of £11.7 billion. The latest report – drawn from a survey of media owners and the industry bodies that represent them – highlights a diverse media landscape where advertisers are actively investing across a variety of established and emerging formats. The Q1 2026 figures show broad-based growth as businesses make the most of the full breadth of the…

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Global consumer agentic AI spending will soar to $3.35trn in 2030

Stuart Mitchell

Marketing is operating in an age of abundance. Today’s consumers face more content and choices than they have the attention or means to manage. AI agents are emerging as fundamental tools to help consumers cut through the noise and make decisions faster. New research by PHD in partnership with WARC reveals how quickly they are reshaping the customer journey.  The study finds that total agent-facilitated consumer spending will triple from $944bn this year to $3.35trn in 2030. While consumers will still make most purchase decisions on their own in the…

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