Global media inflation is stabilizing despite tariffs and broader macroeconomic elements, but that doesn’t mean media-related costs are coming down.
According to the World Federation of Advertisers’ (WFA) latest “Outlook” report, global media inflation climbed to 4.3 percent this year, based on data from major holding companies and media consultancies. The forecast for 2026 shows only a slight moderation, with global ad costs expected to grow 4.2 percent year-over-year, the WFA said in its report.
Higher media-related costs will continue to put pressure on advertising and marketing budgets across sectors and platforms, the WFA said. Its report was based on forecasts from Dentsu, Havas, IPG’s Magna, Publicis, Omnicom, the7stars, Cortex, Ebiquity and Mediasense.
In the United States, media cost inflation rose half a point to 3.8 percent this year and is projected to edge up to 4.0 percent in 2026.
“The consequence is that advertisers face sustained, embedded media inflation, with the new 4 percent global trend line signaling that the global media economy has settled into a new normal of moderate but persistent inflation, mirroring the wider economy,” the WFA said on Monday.
The report also spotlighted wide variances between regions and channels: While digital formats continue to capture growing ad budgets, traditional media still commands strong pricing power in key markets.
“Video remains king,” the report states, “but not all screens are equal.”
Among video formats, broadcaster video-on-demand (BVOD) continues to show the steepest cost increases, rising around 5 percent per year globally. Connected TV (CTV) prices, by contrast, remain largely stable, climbing just 1 percent annually as supply continues to outpace demand, even in mature markets like the United States.
Linear television also showed what the report called “surprising resilience,” with costs rising about 5 percent. The WFA attributes this to the continued erosion of traditional TV audiences, particularly among younger viewers, which has made those segments scarcer and therefore more valuable to advertisers.
Overall, the WFA said the data points to a maturing media economy where price pressures remain embedded, reflecting both shifting consumption patterns and evolving ad market dynamics. The group noted that advertisers are likely to respond by refining their media strategies and exploring efficiency gains in planning and buying.
“The headline rate hides a number of starker contrasts between regions and channels, highlighting opportunities for advertisers to identify smarter ways to invest their ad budgets,” the report concluded.
