Key Takeaways
- Canadian media spend contracted in August, down -9% YoY
- Digital rose +3% YoY, led by Video and Search as Traditional plunged -43% YoY, with Linear TV dropping sharply after last year’s Olympics boost
- Category performance was mixed as Automotive an CPG cut spend. Travel grew significantly as domestic tourism gained
Canadian media spend in August 2025 reflected a market adjusting to economic headwinds and shifting consumer sentiment. Digital formats such as video and search continued to attract steady investment, while traditional channels faced sharp pullbacks as advertisers tightened budgets and sought clearer returns. Beneath the topline trends, a series of macroeconomic pressures reshaped marketing priorities: a trade standoff with the United States pushed up import costs and weighed on exports, eroding margins for consumer and automotive brands. Inflation eased but remained uneven, and a weaker Canadian dollar made U.S.-priced goods and ad inventory more expensive, discouraging cross-border travel while spurring a rebound in domestic tourism.
Canadian media spend fell -9% YoY in August 2025, reversing a +7% YoY increase during the same month last year. Excluding Olympics-driven gains in Linear TV, total ad spend declined -5% YoY. For YTD, national media investment was down -2% YoY. Digital media continued to expand, posting a +3% annual increase, but the growth was overshadowed by a steep -43% YoY drop in Traditional channels, which had seen modest gains a year earlier. Of the twelve Product Category Groups, five increased their advertising outlays—Financial Services, Restaurants, Travel Services, Apparel & Accessories, and Wellness—while the remainder scaled back amid tighter marketing budgets.
Insights by Product Category Group
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