Things to know about UK advertising

The UK is the global hub for advertising, with an unrivalled concentration of expertise, creativity and knowhow, and we have the evidence to prove it. Here are some key facts about our industry in the UK and why we are regarded as the world’s leading location for clients to find the best advertising services on offer.

• The UK is a magnet for global talent and a top exporter of advertising expertise
• Since 2005 the UK has won more Cannes Lions than any other European country – over 1,500!
• Every £1 spent on advertising contributes £6 to UK GDP – that’s more than £138bn per year in total!
• Advertising supports nearly a million jobs across the length and breadth of the UK.
• The Advertising Association’s UK Advertising Exports Report shows we are a top location for global advertising businesses looking to expand overseas.
• Over a third of the top 20 UK ad agencies’ revenue comes from overseas business – that’s almost £300 million.
• Advertising finances UK culture, media and sport, valued at £10 billion a year.
• The latest full year AA/WARC Expenditure Report, published in April 2019, shows UK adspend rose 6.3% year-on-year to reach £23.6bn in 2018 – the ninth consecutive year of market growth.
• Both the 2018 annual and fourth quarter adspend totals were the highest on record.
• The forecast for 2019 has been upgraded to £24.7bn, equivalent to 4.8% growth and the UK’s ad market is expected to grow a further 5.5% in 2020.
• The world’s most influential marketer (according to Forbes) Keith Weed, is British, and President of the Advertising Association.
• The world’s best advertising agency in 2018, according to Cannes Lions, was British… adam&eveDDB and one of its founders, James Murphy is now UK Advertising Exports Champion.