Advertising in Ireland - statistics & facts

Numerous Irish brands have been lucky to experience the power of great advertising. In 1994, for example, Guinness sparked a national dance craze and caused an old mambo tune to top the music charts after showing actor Joe McKinney dance to it in the iconic "Anticipation" spot. In the 30 years that followed, the Irish advertising industry has produced many more memorable campaigns, but what stands out most prominently is the sector's continuous growth and unmistakable digital transformation. Data showed that advertising spending in Ireland stood at around 1.12 billion euros in 2021. While this figure only constituted a small fraction of total advertising investments in Europe, it still signaled a rapid recovery from the pandemic-related dip of 2020.

With or without traditional ad formats?

Traditional media faces trying times in Ireland and across many other European markets as the advertising industry keeps shifting online. That said, two analog formats maintain their claim to fame, namely television and radio. In 2021, TV ad spend in Ireland stood at an estimated 260 million euros, which marked an increase of nearly 12 percent compared to 2019. Spending on radio is also expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 2022, with roughly 112 million euros set to flow towards radio commercials that year. But not all legacy media will be able to bounce back from the pandemic, and most offline formats are projected to see an ongoing decline in advertising earnings. Interestingly, this downward trend does not necessarily reflect how consumers feel about the trustworthiness of offline media. A recent survey on Irish consumer trust in advertising revealed that a majority of respondents trusted newspaper ads, whereas ads seen in online videos or on social media were deemed the most unreliable.

Nothing compares to digital advertising

Digital channels have become the primary driver of growth for the Irish advertising sector, and more businesses are embracing digital tools and platforms as part of their marketing strategies each year. In 2021, digital ad spend in Ireland saw double-digit growth and reached an all-time high of over 800 million euros. Even though this figure could not compare with the expenditures of other mature markets, a more thorough picture emerges when considering Ireland's size and population: Based on the latest calculations, Ireland ranks among the top 10 European digital ad spenders per capita. Additionally, the amount invested in digital ad campaigns in 2021 accounted for more than half of all advertising spending in the country. This share will likely increase in the future as the demand for online content continues to rise. In the meantime, many of the world's leading tech giants are setting up shop in Dublin and making "Silicon Docks" the hub of their European operations.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Jan 6, 2023

Key insights

Advertising spending in Europe
139.35bn USD
Advertising spending in Ireland
1.12bn EUR
Revenue of advertising agencies in Ireland
782.6m EUR
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Advertising spending in Ireland from 2019 to 2022 (in million euros)

Advertising

Ad spend in Ireland 2019-2022

Digital advertising spending in Ireland from 2018 to 2022 (in million euros)

Online Advertising

Digital ad spend in Ireland 2018-2022

TV advertising spending in Ireland from 2019 to 2022 (in million euro)

Traditional advertising

TV ad spend in Ireland 2019-2022

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