Kasia Davies
Research expert covering the German market
Advertising in Germany - statistics & facts
Advertising in Germany, same as around the world, has become an enormous industry, closely connected to how various media continues to develop and change. The widespread use of digital and mobile technology among consumers has opened up new markets for advertisers as well as ways to increase advertising reach. In recent years, advertising on social media has become especially popular and this is done not only through traditional adverts but also through partnerships made with influencers. This has made it sometimes difficult for people to tell the difference between a normal post and an advert.
Consumer behavior, regarding digital media consumption in particular, is generally geared towards either quicker perusal on the go or more direct access to content, this also affects attention to advertising. As far as traditional and long-standing types of media are concerned, many rely on selling advertising time or space to survive, which is especially true for print media in times of falling paid circulation and subscription numbers. In 2000, the net advertising revenue of German newspapers peaked at over six million euros, however in the past few years figures have been closer to 1.6 million.
Plenty of industries still rely on above-the-line advertising, or so-called traditional, easily recognizable ads in classic media, as well as outdoor advertising. The industries with the highest ad spend in this area were food retail, corporate advertising, and online services. Another type of traditional advertising that consumers are used to is advertising on television. Television remains one of the most used media in Germany, so it stands to reason that a large portion of advertising efforts and investments are concentrated there. Monthly gross TV ad spending has fluctuated in recent months and more recently figures have been significantly lower than at the end of 2023.
In terms of the future of advertising in Germany, online ad revenue in particular looks to be facing a rosy future, with rapid growth already recorded in recent years. Revenue is estimated to reach 15.79 million euros in 2025. However, with the rise of AI and the role it could play in the advertising industry, many industry professionals are having to change the way they work and learn new skills in order to anticipate this change.
Consumer behavior
Consumer behavior, regarding digital media consumption in particular, is generally geared towards either quicker perusal on the go or more direct access to content, this also affects attention to advertising. As far as traditional and long-standing types of media are concerned, many rely on selling advertising time or space to survive, which is especially true for print media in times of falling paid circulation and subscription numbers. In 2000, the net advertising revenue of German newspapers peaked at over six million euros, however in the past few years figures have been closer to 1.6 million.
Traditional advertising
Plenty of industries still rely on above-the-line advertising, or so-called traditional, easily recognizable ads in classic media, as well as outdoor advertising. The industries with the highest ad spend in this area were food retail, corporate advertising, and online services. Another type of traditional advertising that consumers are used to is advertising on television. Television remains one of the most used media in Germany, so it stands to reason that a large portion of advertising efforts and investments are concentrated there. Monthly gross TV ad spending has fluctuated in recent months and more recently figures have been significantly lower than at the end of 2023.
In terms of the future of advertising in Germany, online ad revenue in particular looks to be facing a rosy future, with rapid growth already recorded in recent years. Revenue is estimated to reach 15.79 million euros in 2025. However, with the rise of AI and the role it could play in the advertising industry, many industry professionals are having to change the way they work and learn new skills in order to anticipate this change.
