Key findings from our 2026 marketing spend outlook, covering the US, Europe and global B2B markets.
Key Summary: we forecast marketing spend to grow 5.4% in the US and 4.2% in Europe in 2026, with global B2B spend up 3.6% to $226bn. That growth continues through to 2031, at 5.6% p.a. in the US, 4.5% p.a. in Europe, and 4.9% p.a. for B2B marketing.
Marketing budgets are proving resilient in 2026. Despite macroeconomic shocks, from geopolitical tensions to AI-driven disruption, robust economic and corporate performance, particularly in the US, is underpinning growth in marketing spend. Our 2026 Marketing Spend Outlook forecasts moderate growth across each region, with the focus of marketers moving budgets toward channels with visible ROI and continuing to make AI investments.
How is B2C and B2B marketing spend expected to grow in 2026?
In the US, we forecast marketing spend to grow 5.4% in 2026, made up of 5.7% growth in B2C and a slower 3.5% in B2B, given B2B’s heavier exposure to tech companies feeling the macro pressure most. Europe follows a similar pattern at a slightly smaller scale: we forecast 4.2% overall growth, split between 4.4% in B2C and 3.3% in B2B.
This year we’ve also widened our B2B lens to include APAC alongside the US and Europe: across all three regions, we forecast global B2B marketing spend to grow 3.6% in 2026, to $226bn, with the US at 3.5%, Europe at 3.3%, and APAC pulling ahead at 5%.
Which activities and channels are winning marketing budget through 2031?
We forecast total marketing spend growing 5.6% p.a. in the US and 4.5% p.a. in Europe in the mid-term (2026-2031), with budgets continuing to move toward digital and face-to-face channels. As buyers increasingly use AI to support the purchase journey, digital media will see the strongest growth of 9% p.a. in the US and 8% p.a. in Europe, as marketers build real capability in agentic engine optimisation (AEO). In-person events and influencer marketing will also see increases in allocation as these channels become increasingly important to cut through a media environment that is increasingly flooded by AI-generated content.
We forecast B2B growth, in the mid-term, of 4.9% p.a. to 2031, led by APAC (6.9%), then the US (4.6%) and Europe (4.4%). Digital media will be the fastest-growing channel at 9% p.a., driven by the same AEO capability building, alongside a shift in lead generation strategy, from volume to quality-led. In-person events are forecast to grow 7% p.a. to 2031, with marketers expecting growth in both established events and alternative formats.
How is AI changing spend on people versus technology?
AI’s influence reaches further than channel selection. Even though few marketers expect AI to replace their teams outright, its rapid adoption inside marketing teams is having an impact on how marketers plan their budget for internal and agency resources. In the US, spend on internal teams is forecast to slow to 2% p.a. and agency and services spend to 3% p.a.; in Europe, both slow to 2% p.a. Both sit below their historical trend, with budgets shifting instead into MarTech and data infrastructure, growing 10% p.a. in the US and 9% p.a. in Europe, or further into media buying. How far and quickly this shift goes depends on marketers gaining comfort with the cost and quality of AI models and outputs, data privacy, and maintaining brand authenticity.
What insights will you find in Plural’s Marketing Spend Outlook:
- AI’s influence on the buyer journey and the rise of agentic search
- Where B2B and B2C marketing leaders are focusing their budget allocations
- Which channels are a strategic priority and where marketing investment is slowing
Download the full US, Europe and B2B Outlook reports to explore the latest findings in detail.
