10 Biggest Advertisers in the World

Their influence on your purchasing decisions is all around you, but do you really know who the biggest advertisers in the world are? The advertising industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, with no dry seasons. Industries are changing in step with technological development, and the need for good marketing evolves and grows ever bigger alongside that! The bigger and more complicated the market, the bigger the necessity for good advertising. Hence, it is not surprising that the automotive industry leads the way when it comes to advertising spending. According to Ad Age‘s annual report for the year 2016 (published in December 2017) on the World’s Largest Advertisers, 17 marketers that fall under the automotive category spent $51 billion on advertising in 2016. Personal care, together with household products, was the next big fish in the sea, with 13 marketers investing $48 billion in advertising.

Ad Age’s annual reports with figures for the years 2016 and 2017 are not freely available, so we had to rely on its report for the year 2015 when trying to find the biggest advertisers in the world.  Interestingly, the top five for the year 2015 are the same as the top five for the year 2016, so when it comes to the top advertisers, not much changes among the leaders from year to year. Presumably, the top advertisers in 2016 are the same top advertisers in 2017. And, who knows, maybe they will be the top advertisers in  2018, as well.

North America dominates the list with 46 companies among the 100 top advertising spenders, while Europe takes second place with 31 names, and third place goes to Asia, with 23 firms. Speaking of Asia, it comes as almost no surprise to notice that China’s most important online retailer, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE:BABA), had the fastest spending growth out of the top 100 companies, increasing its investments in advertising by 50% to $1.3 billion. China’s Tencent Holdings was also close, raising its ad expenditure by 48% to $1.4 billion. In spite of this fast-growing rate, these Chinese companies are still far from the top advertisers, who spend several times that amount on average.

And what about the agencies who earn the most from these big spenders? What are the largest advertising agencies in the world? According to World Atlas, they are WPP Group, with headquarters in London and $19 billion in worldwide revenue, and Omnicom Group, with headquarters in New York and $15.3 billion in revenue, making it first among the Top 10 Advertising Agencies in NYC.

And now, let’s start the countdown of the biggest advertisers in the world:

10. Daimler

We are start our list of the biggest advertisers in the world with the automotive industry, with a famous German multinational automotive corporation in tenth position. Among its most popular brands are Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Smart Automobile, and many more.

9. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)

We continue with the auto industry, where we have another automotive giant ranking in the top ten in ad spending. Headquartered in Detroit, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) counts Buick, Cadillac, GMC, and Chevrolet as some of the names that represent it. Billionaire David Einhorn’s Greenlight Capital is heavily invested in General Motors, holding a 21.16 million-share position valued at over $833 million on June 30.

8. Anheuser Busch Inbev NV (NYSE:BUD)

We’ll step out of the car for a moment to take a drink as eighth place among the 10 biggest advertisers in the world belongs to renowned brewing company Anheuser Busch Inbev NV (NYSE:BUD). Beck’s, Budweiser, and Corona are just a few of the drinks we often see on TV thanks to the company’s generous ad spending.

7. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)

Moving on to telecommunications, we have Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) in seventh position. This advertising giant is based in Philadelphia and was owned by 93 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey as of June 30.

6. Volkswagen

And we are driving again with famous brand Volkswagen being the sixth-largest advertiser in the world. Given the company’s disastrous emissions scandal, it will take a lot of careful advertising to win consumer trust back for this iconic brand.

5. L’Oréal

Total worldwide advertising spending in 2016: $8.3 billion

The countdown reach the top five beginning with famous beauty products giant company L’Oréal. The French company is headquartered in Clichy as is well known for its Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Diesel, Garnier, Maybelline, and other brands.

4. Unilever N.V. (ADR) (NYSE:UN)

Total worldwide advertising spending in 2016: $8.6 billion

Consumer goods giant Unilever N.V. (ADR) (NYSE:UN) ranks fourth among the biggest advertisers in the world. The Netherlands-based company, which sells food, beverages, and personal care products, owns famous brands like Dove, Rexona, Knorr, Domestos, and Cif.

3. Nestlé

Total worldwide advertising spending in 2016: $9.2 billion

Powerful Swiss food and drink company Nestle doesn’t shy away from good advertising. Not that it needs much, considering the taste of some of its products. Yes, you all know what are we talking about: mouth-drooling favorites like KitKat, Magi, Nescafe, Nestle ice cream, Orion, and much more.

2. Samsung Electronics Co.

Total worldwide advertising spending in 2016: $9.9 billion

On to the runner-up among the biggest marketers in the world, where we have something completely different – South Korean electronics giant Samsung, which we all know for its smartphones, tablets, TVs, appliances, and other devices.

1. Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG)

Total worldwide advertising spending in 2016: $10.5 billion

No surprise here, right? American consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) tops the list as the biggest advertiser in the world. Its popular brands that you’ve doubtless seen advertised many times before include Pampers, Tide, Always, Pantene, Mr.Clean, Braun, Gillette, Oral B, and Safeguard.

Disclosure: None