In general, advertising expenditures are closely related to the economic health of a given country or region, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), however, in 2020 advertising expenditures fell at a much faster rate then overall GDP globally. In 2020, advertising expenditures accounted for 0..68% of global GDP, down 7.8% YoY. In comparison, overall GDP was only down 4.1% YoY.
Advertising spend fell $46.9B YoY globally to $556.7B in 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, total ad spend will grow by $29.7B in 2021, reaching $586.4 by year-end. By year-end 2026, global ad spend will reach $722.7B.