IPA Bellwether Q2 2025: Industry reactions

The latest IPA Bellwether revealed a bounce back in UK marketing budgets in the second quarter of the year after a decline in the first part of the year.

But whilst many will welcome the robust reading, as the comments we’ve garnered from around the adtech, advertising, creative, events and PR sectors reveal, the devil is in the detail….

Anders Lithner, CEO, Brand Metrics

“Pausing marketing to save money is like holding off buying new clothes. For quite some time, all you risk is being out of fashion.

“Eventually though, you risk freezing, since the clothes you have are turning into rags.

“This is what’s happening in the UK and elsewhere. Brands need to start making some noise again. Not investing in marketing has turned into a risk that is bigger than the risk of spending beyond one’s means.

“This is one of the trends that is clear from the IPA Bellwether report. The other is that the increase in spend is directed toward short-term tactical marketing rather than long-term strategic brand-building.

“Brand Metrics’ data supports this conclusion. Activity is on the rise, but the long-term efforts are growing slower than campaigns that are only looking for instant conversions.

“This is a natural consequence of the unpredictable state of the world. When will companies start investing in the long-term position of their brands again?

“The answer is as simple as it is unhelpful: they will do so when they can start making assumptions about where the world is going that stretch beyond the timeframe of a long-term brand narrative.

“The same goes for household consumption. The economy is back up. Sadly though, predictability is at a record low. This creates a window of opportunity for brands that are brave.

“We see signs of this in the Brand Metrics’ data. For the mainstream tide to turn, in marketing investments and in household consumption, predictability is the key.”

Suzanna Chaplin, CEO & co-Founder, esbconnect

“The latest Bellwether report shows brands are doubling down on direct marketing, with more money being spent on email and SMS, which has been teamed with sales promotion.

“While these channels can pack a heavy sales punch, brands should not abandon brand building – this maintains loyalty and price elasticity.

“These channels’ superpowers are the fact that they can bridge the gap into omnichannel marketing, so you should use them not just to sell, but also, to tell stories.

“So don’t kill your most valuable asset, your customer data sets – use them wisely. Brands using them wisely are seeing the opportunities in CRM-powered, AI-augmented, omnichannel journeys that go beyond advertising.

“Our top tips? Double down on email acquisition strategies, especially those tied to promotions, gated content, or product drops.

“Balance promotional efforts with brand-building, using email as a storytelling tool, not just to push sales..
“Leverage AI plus CRM to enhance targeting, segmentation, and automated journeys.

“Prepare for a bounce-back in ad spend in 2026 – use 2025 to refine attribution and test new formats so you can scale confidently.”