Observed Signal · Nov 19, 2025 · Market Research / Survey · Source: VideoWeek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Brand Activity Gains as UK Marketers Boost Budgets
UK marketers are signaling stronger budgets for 2026 despite macro headwinds, based on the 2026 Media Budgets Survey by ISBA, Ebiquity and the WFA. The study found 65% of UK marketers expect increased budgets next year, above the global average of 50%. This aligns with S&P Global’s UK Business Outlook, which describes a cautiously optimistic stance for 2026, with AI deployment and digital marketing highlighted as growth areas. Marketers plan to shift spend toward performance channels amid higher prices and weaker consumer spending, while many aim to preserve or grow branding to maintain visibility: 37% plan to increase brand advertising and 14% to boost performance activity. The 2026 mix shows 70% intend higher digital video budgets and 83% higher addressable/connected TV spend. Generative/agentic AI usage in media strategy/planning (≈30%), buying (≈30%), reporting (≈30%), and measurement (≈32%) is rising, with 52% using AI for media optimization. Concerns about transparency and evolving agency pricing toward outcomes-based models (23%) are also noted.
Moderate industry impact: confirms budget optimism and shifts toward branding and AI-enabled media planning in the UK AdTech/MarTech landscape.
Track Ebiquity Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- 65% of UK marketers expect increased budgets in 2026; global average 50%.
- S&P Global UK Business Outlook describes 2026 as 'cautious optimism' with AI deployment and digital marketing highlighted for investment.
- 37% plan to increase their share of brand advertising; 14% plan to increase performance activity.
- 70% of UK marketers expect to increase digital video budgets; 83% expect higher spend on addressable/connected TV.
- Generative or agentic AI usage for media strategy/planning (30%), media buying (30%), media reporting (30%), and media monitoring/measurement (32%); 52% use AI for media optimization.
- Around 23% expect to include outcomes in their agency remuneration models.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
UK Marketers Cautiously Boost Budgets Amid Economic Uncertainty
UK marketing budgets rose for the second straight quarter in Q3 2025 according to the IPA Bellwether Report, though growth slowed amid economic and political uncertainty ahead of the Autumn Budget. The net balance was +3.6%, down from +5.5% in Q2, with 22% of panellists reporting increases and 18.7% reporting reductions. Growth was driven by events and direct marketing, while main media budgets remained flat; video and online categories grew, but budgets for published brands, audio, and OOH declined, and sales promotions fell to -0.9% from +9.4%. The IPA kept its 2025 ad spend forecast at 0.6%, while 2026 forecasts were trimmed from 1.6% to 1.2%. The report emphasizes balancing immediate ROI with long-term brand building, as AI tools reshape research and targeting and push spend toward ABM, LinkedIn, Meta, earned media, and programmatic channels. Industry voices stress accountable measurement, stronger brand storytelling, and a continued shift toward omnichannel strategies into early 2026.
UK Brands Raise Media Spend Despite Economic Worries
A quarterly Bellwether survey from the Institute for Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) finds U.K. advertisers plan to increase media budgets by 7.3% in the first quarter of 2026 despite concerns about supply-chain disruption, weak consumer confidence and geopolitical tensions. The survey of more than 300 British marketers (conducted March 2–24) shows a shift toward channels perceived as safer: online video and direct marketing are rising while audio and out-of-home fall. Industry figures and holding-company results (Publicis, Havas) cited in the piece corroborate resilient ad investment, and analysts warn the broader U.K. economy faces slower growth per IMF and S&P Global revisions. Agency leaders and analysts quoted argue maintaining brand spend through volatility protects long-term market share.
UK Marketers Prioritize Performance Amid Budget Stasis
The IPA Bellwether report shows UK marketing budgets were flat in Q4 2025 (net balance 0.0%), marking a rare ‘budgetary stasis’ during the Golden Quarter. Budgets rose for PR (+3.5%), events (+1.4%), and other online (+13.2%), while main media budgets remained unchanged. Within main media, declines appeared in out-of-home (-17.6%), audio (-10.2%), and published brands (-6.5%), with video down -5.0% in Q4 after a +6.7% rise in Q3. Analysts note a shift toward performance-led investment and shorter ROI horizons, against a subdued macro backdrop including cost pressures and geopolitical tensions. Forecasts for 2026/27 show cautious growth, with UK ad spend expected to rise around 1.5% in 2026 and 2.3% in 2027, while the 2026/27 budgets survey indicates a net +1.7% increase in planned spend. Budget discipline is seen as essential to sustaining long-term brand-building alongside ROI-focused channels.
Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts
Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.