GroupM predicts that strong demand for digital advertising in 2016 will usher another year of strong advertising growth, pushing total UK advertising investment above £17bn. The new forecast raises the previous 2015 estimate by one point, and the 2016 estimate by two points. The UK is again the fastest-growing mature advertising market worldwide and is among the world’s fastest-growing markets overall.

If the forecast proves accurate, 2016 will mark the fifth straight year in which UK ad spending has outpaced the UK’s GDP growth.

“Digital technology and media platforms continue to expand the role media plays in marketing and as a result media investment is both growing and shifting,” said Nick Theakstone, CEO GroupM, UK.

“Digital advertising represents a tremendous opportunity for clients to create more targeted media campaigns that activate consumers, but it has also added enormous complexity and our group continues to solve this with strategy, innovation and investment. The year ahead is a promising one for growth of overall media investment as we work with clients to tap into empowering economic trends we see empowering UK. consumerism.”