This Year, Next Year: WPP Media MENA's midyear forecast

We are pleased to release our Mid-Year Global Advertising Forecast Update. This Year, Next Year offers a clear and forward-looking perspective on the evolving advertising landscape, and highlights exciting opportunities and dynamic shifts shaping media in our region and beyond.

Our forecast projects global advertising revenue to reach an astonishing $1.08 trillion in 2025, with the MENA advertising market set for a strong 8% year-on-year increase. While this reflects continued growth, it signals a slowdown for a region that has grown accustomed to double-digit annual gains in recent years.

Despite this, our regional mid-year projections reflect a more optimistic outlook with many advertisers releasing budgets post Q2. This presents an exciting opportunity for growth, and this report is designed to give the clarity and confidence to navigate the path ahead.

Key findings

Digital's unstoppable momentum

Digital pure-play advertising, encompassing retail media and social/other digital, continues to lead the way and is expected to account for a remarkable 65.9% of total advertising revenue in the MENA region in 2025.

The extraordinary rise of retail media

As the fastest-growing channel in 2025, retail media is projected to surge by 18.1%, reaching $434 million. We see this channel exceeding $700 million in ad revenue by 2028, presenting a powerful opportunity for brands.

Streaming and search show impressive growth

Streaming is set to grow by an impressive 25.8%, opening new, dynamic avenues for audience engagement. Simultaneously, Search is expected to grow by 11.9% as it evolves with the increasing influence of AI.

OOH's innovative leap

Out-of-Home advertising continues its strong growth trajectory at 12.7%, driven by major investments in programmatic digital formats, now expected to account for 38.6% of all OOH revenue in 2025, and DOOH budgets anticipated to hit $100 million by 2030.

These insights, combined with our deep understanding of the MENA market, are here to empower marketeers to make bold, informed decisions and capitalise on the incredible energy of the MENA market.

To explore the full report and gain a comprehensive look at the trends shaping our industry, or to discuss these findings and how they can specifically benefit your business objectives, reach out to us at [email protected].