The World Federation of Advertisers’ latest Outlook report has been released, providing an industry-wide view on how media advertising prices are expected to evolve globally in the coming year. As a contributor to the report, the7stars has provided additional commentary to accompany the WFA’s inflation figures.
The data suggest that 2027 will be something of a ‘market reset’ for the industry. In contrast to previous years when select channels have experienced rapid inflation, the coming year is set to be a low-volatility, steady growth environment.
Some of the highest-growing channels in recent years will continue to grow and evolve. These include Digital Retail Media, forecast to experience inflation of 5%, as it continues to scale with more retailers developing sophisticated ad networks. While this will lead to a greater distribution of spend, it will also bring enhanced competition for premium environments as more brands enter the Retail Media fray.
Digital channels will continue to drive overall growth, with Digital Video and Social each forecast to increase by 3%. However, this growth is now more mature and predictable than in recent years, as an abundance of supply limits potential inflation in CPMs.
On the linear side, while the presence of the Men’s FIFA World Cup in 2026 is creating a clear upswing in demand, with 15% inflation forecast this is expected to be a temporary spike, with Linear TV pricing set to normalise to +8% in 2027. While viewership across linear channels is in decline, these channels continue to make up a core component of many advertisers’ strategies, as part of a balanced media plan, with potential to reach audiences in high-attention formats.
As linear TV experiences some volatility, VOD pricing continues to grow at a steady rate of +2% across both Broadcaster and Subscription streaming formats. As viewership shifts to advertising-supported streaming, the market continues to mature, increasing inventory while keeping demand for access to the most premium content high.
This is reflective of a programming environment where audiences are presented with greater choices than ever before, yet select programming continues to deliver viewership peaks. Successfully building a media strategy that maximises these premium opportunities while also reaching audiences across contextually relevant content will be key for brands in this space.
Meanwhile, as in recent years, Print is predicted to continue recent declines as audiences shift attention elsewhere, with -2% inflation this year, primarily to online news and video formats. While this is placing increased pressure on publications to meet demand, premium titles show continued resilience and there remain ways to engage audiences within such environments.
Overall, the WFA forecast paints a reassuring, structurally driven picture of market change, with inflation trends closely aligned to CPI averages and fewer major spikes and troughs expected. While digital dominance is now fully established, most channels continue to experience modest growth, and none can be said to be truly ‘dying’. This should create opportunities for advertisers: more ways to reach audiences than ever before while safeguarding access to premium, high-impact placements.
