The UK’s advertising and marketing industry has just delivered a resounding message of economic strength. According to Advertising Pays 2025, a landmark report from think tank Credos, British businesses invested a record £66.6 billion into the sector in 2024.
A Critical Economic Contributor
The sector contributed £109 billion in gross added value (GVA), representing 4% of the entire UK economy. It supported over 1.7 million jobs and reached into nearly two-thirds of all UK businesses. In fact, 3.5 million companies—across every industry—depended on media spend, data support, agency expertise, or marketing professionals to help them grow.
For every £1 spent, medium to large businesses saw £4.11 in profit. Meanwhile, micro and small businesses saw a healthy ROI of £1.89.
A Global Powerhouse in Ecommerce and Influencer Marketing
The report also finds that the UK has cemented its position as a global leader in ecommerce, with 30% of all retail sales now taking place online—an even higher share than in the US. It also highlights the rapid growth of influencer marketing, which is expected to reach £1 billion in the UK by 2026
The Critical Enabler: Trusted Data
Underpinning all of this is the critical enabler of clean, accurate data. As businesses pour billions into increasingly sophisticated media and marketing strategies, the one constant that remains non-negotiable is good quality data.
From ensuring address accuracy in direct mail, to preventing waste in digital campaigns, to fuelling the algorithms behind ecommerce and influencer marketing—it all starts with trusted data. It may not steal headlines, but data hygiene is the bedrock upon which this thriving industry operates.
