Observed Signal · Sep 23, 2026 · Forecast Update · Source: Horizont · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Positive
German digital ad market forecast raised for 2026
The German Online-Vermarkterkreis (OVK) within the BVDW has significantly raised its forecast for digital advertising revenue in Germany for 2026, now expecting net revenues of nearly €9 billion, a growth of 13.8%, up from a spring forecast of 8.7%. The upward revision is partly due to an expanded data basis including Connected TV and streaming advertising. First-half revenues grew 12% in Q1 and 15% in Q2. Digital video will account for €4.8 billion (53% of the market), and programmatic buying is expected to reach €7.1 billion (78%). The report highlights the rise of agentic advertising, with Amazon and Meta enabling AI agents to manage campaigns, and notes the impact of generative AI on publishers, including reduced direct traffic from AI-driven search summaries. A BVDW trend monitor shows agencies expect search marketing relevance to decline from 77% to 39% over five years.
Important for the German AdTech market as it indicates growth, but only a forecast revision and paywalled.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- OVK forecasts 13.8% growth in German digital ad market to nearly €9 billion in 2026.
- Online video advertising will account for €4.8 billion, or 53% of the market.
- Programmatic buying is projected to reach €7.1 billion, representing 78% of the market.
- OVK market model now includes Connected TV and additional streaming inventory for the first time.
- Amazon opened its Ads API to AI agents in early 2026, and Meta allows external AI tools for ad management.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mappedBVDW
German digital economy trade association with training, certification and events.
Netflix
Streaming platform with subscription and advertising revenue.
Meta
Consumer internet platforms monetised through advertising, apps, subscriptions and VR.
Amazon
Global commerce, cloud, advertising and subscription platform company.
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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