Swiss advertising clients are pessimistic for 2026
For the first time, the Swiss Association of Advertisers (SWA), in collaboration with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) and Ebiquity, conducted a survey on media budgets. The results show that only 28 percent of Swiss advertisers plan to spend more on media advertising in 2026. This makes Swiss advertisers significantly more cautious than the global average.
In September 2025, 538 companies worldwide and 36 well-known advertising clients in Switzerland took part in a survey conducted by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) and Ebiquity. The Swiss Advertising Client Association (SWA) also took part for the first time. The study now enables a direct comparison between global and national trends in media budgets for 2026.
Cautious media outlook for 2026
The results for Switzerland are significantly more pessimistic than the global average: slightly less than a third of advertisers (28%) plan to spend more money on media advertising in the coming year. A good third (36%) of those surveyed plan to spend the same amount or less on advertising. The global picture is different: 50 percent of those surveyed plan to spend more in 2026, 30 percent the same amount and only 20 percent less.
Performance before branding
While 43% of respondents see the mix of performance and branding remaining unchanged, 34% in Switzerland want to invest more in performance and only 23% want to invest more in branding. Globally, the pendulum is swinging slightly in the other direction: 32% want to invest more in branding and 28% more in performance. 40 percent want to leave the mix unchanged.
Digital still on trend
The following can hope for more budget growth, in this order: addressable/CTV, digital video, paid search, DOOH, influencer marketing, digital display, retail media and radio. The outlook is less positive for OOH, linear TV and print, whose shares of the media mix are expected to fall.
Integration of media and creation
In Switzerland, 42% of respondents want to integrate media and creation more closely, 6% want to separate them and 53% want to leave them unchanged. This trend towards integration is much more pronounced globally: 66% want to bring media and creation closer together, while 7% want to separate them and only 28% see no changes.
Agency remuneration and use of AI
While the remuneration models of media agencies are undergoing global upheaval, 76% of respondents in Switzerland want to stick with the current model. AI has arrived in the media business and is used in particular for media optimization (44%), media strategy and planning (39%), monitoring and measurement (33%), reporting (33%), governance and compliance (22%) and purchasing (19%).
Recommendations for Swiss advertising clients
The authors of the study recommend that Swiss advertisers adjust their media budgets in line with inflation and ROI expectations. In addition, more focus should be placed on branding in order to achieve sustainable growth and market share. Further recommendations include the optimization of video planning (Total TV) for maximum effectiveness, the development of creative media workflows for agility and relevance as well as the definition of key figures for results-oriented remuneration negotiations with agencies. A strategic approach to AI and transparency in the use of AI by agency partners are also considered important.
Members of the SWA can download the complete Media Budget Survey 2026 from the SWA office at [email protected] request
