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WPP Media Lowers 2025 Global Ad Revenue Growth Forecast to 6% Amid US Trade Uncertainty

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WPP Media on Monday revised down its forecast for global advertising revenue growth in 2025 to 6%, from an earlier estimate of 7.7%, citing increased uncertainty over U.S. trade policies. Advertisers appear to be delaying new marketing commitments amid shifting trade dynamics, the report by WPP’s media investment division revealed.

Digital advertising remains a key revenue driver for major tech firms including Google (Alphabet), Meta Platforms, Pinterest, Reddit, and Snap. The report highlighted how economic uncertainty is accelerating the adoption of AI tools for ad creation and targeting. Meta, for instance, plans to enable brands to fully create and target ads using AI tools by the end of 2026.

Research from Emarketer also suggests companies reliant on traditional keyword-based search ads may face revenue declines due to the rise of AI-driven search advertising.

WPP Media projects global advertising revenue will reach $1.08 trillion in 2025, with growth moderating to 6.1% in 2026. Digital advertising is expected to represent 73.2% of total ad revenue this year. Notably, user-generated content is forecasted to generate more ad revenue than professionally produced content in 2025.

The report anticipates print advertising revenue will decline by 3.1% to $45.5 billion in 2025, while search ad revenue is forecast to grow by 7.3%.

WPP Media also noted shifting brand strategies, including prioritizing flexible ad contracts, reallocating budgets toward direct-to-consumer media placements, and emphasizing secure data handling amidst economic uncertainty.

The U.S. remains the largest advertising market, with an expected growth of 5.6% to $404.7 billion, followed by China and the UK.

Samsung Electronics Co-CEO Han Jong-hee Dies, Jun Young-hyun Becomes Sole CEO

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Samsung Electronics announced on Tuesday the sudden death of co-CEO Han Jong-hee, who passed away at the age of 63 after suffering a heart attack. Han’s death leaves newly-appointed CEO Jun Young-hyun in charge of the tech giant as it faces challenges in its underperforming chip division and navigates uncertainties in global trade.

Han, who had a distinguished 40-year career at Samsung, was known for his pivotal role in building Samsung’s influential television business. Despite his unexpected passing, Samsung stated that Jun would now serve as the sole CEO, after Han had previously shared leadership responsibilities with him, overseeing the company’s consumer and semiconductor divisions.

Jun’s appointment as co-CEO was announced just a week ago at Samsung’s annual shareholders meeting. He had been promoted in 2024 to lead the semiconductor division, which has been lagging behind competitors like SK Hynix and TSMC, particularly in the growing artificial intelligence (AI) chip market.

Samsung has faced difficult times in recent quarters, with weak earnings, a declining share price, and struggles in its semiconductor and smartphone divisions. The company has fallen behind in advanced memory chips and AI-related contract chip manufacturing, sectors in which rivals have enjoyed strong demand, particularly due to the AI boom. Han had acknowledged these challenges during the shareholder meeting, citing 2025 as a potentially tough year and emphasizing Samsung’s efforts to flexibly respond to trade challenges, including U.S. tariffs.

Han’s passing could have a long-term impact on Samsung’s business strategy, particularly in marketing and other areas like home appliances. The company is also exploring new growth opportunities in automotive electronics, a sector Samsung aims to expand into for future revenue streams.

Sony and Suntory Stockpile Inventory as Japan Faces Potential U.S. Tariff Threat

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Japanese companies Sony and Suntory are taking proactive steps to safeguard against potential tariffs imposed by the U.S., building up stockpiles of products in the country. These moves come as President Donald Trump has hinted at further tariffs, specifically targeting Japan, after imposing new trade barriers on Mexico and China—key low-cost production hubs for Japanese industries such as automotive manufacturing.

The ongoing uncertainty regarding U.S. trade policies is exacerbated by Japan’s heavy reliance on exports, particularly to the United States, which has become increasingly vulnerable to tariff measures. The latest potential threat for Japan Inc. has already prompted some companies to adjust production strategies. For instance, Honda has moved some of its production to the U.S., and Japan Display, a major supplier of LCD screens to the automotive sector, is also considering shifting some of its production to the U.S.

Sony, a key player in the electronics and gaming industries, confirmed that it has been preparing for tariffs by stockpiling inventory in the U.S. A similar strategy has been employed by Suntory, a global drinks maker, which shipped tequila from its Mexican brands to the U.S. to avoid tariffs. Suntory is also looking at shifting its sales strategy by selling more American whiskey in the U.S.

Other companies, such as Alps Alpine and Murata Manufacturing, are adjusting their supply chains to avoid the impact of tariffs, with Alps considering moving production back to Japan, while Murata is diversifying its production across China, Japan, and Thailand.

The trade uncertainty has spurred over 300 Japanese companies to consider entering the U.S. market, reflecting growing concerns about tariffs and the shifting trade environment. According to a survey by Japan’s export-promotion agency, many companies are planning to set up U.S. operations to insulate themselves from escalating trade tensions.