UK marketing budgets grow fastest since 2024. Outdoor turns positive for the first time

The IPA said on 15 October that UK companies raised their marketing budgets in the third quarter at the fastest pace since mid-2024. Its Bellwether survey put the net balance at 14.3%, up from 6.9% in the second quarter. The net balance is the share of firms that raised budgets minus the share that cut them.

Main media spending in the UK hits a nine-year high

Main media, which covers TV, video, audio, outdoor, online and published brands, rose to 9.8% from 1.5%. Other online formats climbed to 17.2% from minus 5.1%. Video reached 9.8%, its best result in two years. Outdoor came in at 3.6%, the first positive reading in the history of the series, according to Mediashotz. Audio and published brands stayed close to zero, at 1.1% and 0.8%.

PR, events and sales promotion lead the IPA table

PR had the highest balance at 15.3%, its 13th quarter of upward revisions in a row. Events followed at 15.1%. Sales promotion jumped to 13.1% from 0.9%. Direct marketing reached 5.2%, and market research also posted 5.2%, its first positive figure in seven quarters. Marketing Week reported that over a quarter of firms raised budgets, while 11% cut them.

UK firms still expect a weaker market

Confidence stays negative. The outlook for the whole industry improved to minus 20.3% from minus 25.1%. For firms’ own prospects it rose to minus 2.7% from minus 9.6%. Respondents named the war in the Middle East, supply problems and possible tax rises in the Autumn Budget as risks. IPA director general Paul Bainsfair warned that “excessive focus on today’s sales can come at the expense of tomorrow’s growth”.

Jim Kelly, the IPA’s chair for Scotland, said the recovery is not limited to short-term, performance-led activity. Bhavin Balvantrai of Omnicom Media told Marketing Week that budgets are not simply moving from one medium to another. The survey adds to earlier data showing UK digital ad spend at £21.2bn in the first half, and to the IAB’s raised 2026 forecast for the US.

Media owners who sell outdoor, events and PR gain the most from this quarter’s revisions. Audio and published brands gain the least, with balances barely above zero.