IAB Europe Releases Inaugural Attitudes to Digital Advertising Report, Revealing a Market in Transition

More than two-thirds of European digital advertising leaders expect investment or revenue to increase over the next 12 months

Report calls for clearer measurement frameworks and more unified approaches across digital advertising

Brussels, Belgium, 15th January, 2026 - IAB Europe has today released its inaugural Attitudes to Digital Advertising Report, offering a comprehensive snapshot of a European digital advertising ecosystem that is growing in scale and sophistication, while continuing to face structural and operational challenges.

Building on more than a decade of insights from the long-running Attitudes to Programmatic Advertising study, the new report expands its scope to reflect the reality of today’s market, spanning display, video, Connected TV (CTV), and digital audio. The findings show an industry that is maturing and diversifying, but where progress is uneven across channels, formats, and stakeholder groups.

The survey was developed by IAB Europe’s Advertising and Media Committee and received over 170 responses between October and November 2025. Participants included advertisers, agencies, ad tech companies, and publishers, representing pan-European and global-with-European-remit roles, as well as professionals operating across more than 25 individual markets.

The findings of the report highlight a digital advertising landscape that continues to expand and mature, but where progress is uneven and structural challenges persist. As investment grows and emerging channels accelerate, the need for greater standardisation, clearer measurement frameworks, and improved operational consistency becomes increasingly urgent across the ecosystem - priorities that sit at the heart of the work of IAB Europe’s Advertising & Media Committee.

Key Findings from the Report:

• Digital investment continues to rise, with steady growth expected
  More than two-thirds of respondents expect digital advertising investment or revenue to increase over the next 12 months, most commonly in the 1-25% range. Agencies are the most confident, followed by ad tech companies, while publishers remain cautious and advertisers show a polarised outlook.
  
• The report shows that programmatic maturity is strongest in display and video, where adoption is most advanced. However, CTV and audio lag behind, with higher levels of uncertainty driven by gaps in visibility and understanding. Cross‑channel activation also remains limited, with only 17% of respondents activating campaigns across channels - an area led primarily by agencies.
  
• When it comes to investment decisions, performance and efficiency continue to dominate, with 61% citing outcomes as their top driver, followed by operational (56%) and cost efficiencies (54%). Priorities differ across stakeholder groups, from advertisers’ focus on cost optimisation to ad tech’s emphasis on performance and scale.

• Despite positive momentum, media quality and operational complexity remain the biggest barriers to growth. More than half of respondents (52%) point to issues such as fraud, brand safety, viewability, and transparency as major obstacles, closely followed by challenges in measurement, data usage, and creative execution. Advertisers, in particular, highlight ongoing frustration with inconsistent performance measurement.
  
• The study also reveals significant variation in how channels are measured. CTV is assessed primarily through brand and audience metrics, reinforcing its role as a premium upper‑funnel environment. Display remains the most performance‑driven channel, while video blends brand and quality expectations. Audio continues to be the least measured format.
  
• Looking ahead, Connected TV (CTV) stands out as the strongest growth opportunity, identified by nearly seven in ten respondents as the top area for investment and innovation over the next year. AI and Retail & Commerce Media follow closely, signalling where the industry expects the most meaningful advancements.

Commenting on the findings of the report, IAB Europe’s Industry Development & Insights Director, Marie-Clare Puffett, said, “This report shows an industry that continues to grow, but where fragmentation is holding progress back. As investment increases and new channels scale, clearer measurement and more unified approaches will be essential. Addressing these challenges will require collaboration across the ecosystem to build trust, consistency, and long-term confidence in digital advertising.”

Wayne Tassie, Chair of IAB Europe’s Advertising & Media Committee, added, “Building on more than a decade of programmatic research, this expanded study captures the realities of today’s market, from growing investment in CTV and Retail Media to the accelerating impact of AI. By bringing together perspectives from across the ecosystem, it offers a clear and balanced view of where the industry stands, while reinforcing collaboration and supporting the continued growth and maturity of digital advertising across Europe.”

The findings of the report will inform and shape the ongoing work of IAB Europe’s Advertising and Media Committee, helping to guide future initiatives, best practices, and industry collaboration.

The full report can be downloaded from IAB Europe’s website here. 

To find out more about our work and how you can get involved, please get in touch with our Industry Development & Insights Director, Marie-Clare Puffett at puffett [at] iabeurope.eu.

For all press enquiries, please contact IAB Europe’s Marketing & Communications Director, Lauren Wakefield at wakefield [at] iabeurope.eu.