Italy Digital Ad Spend Market Size & Forecast by Spend Value Across 100+ KPIs by Type of Advertising Channel, Format & Media, Platforms, Pricing Models, Industry, Digital Ecosystem, and Media Buying Method - Databook Q1 2026 Update

The digital ad spend market in Italy is expected to grow by 11.0% annually, reaching US$11.00 billion by 2026.

The digital ad spend market in the country has experienced robust growth during 2020-2025, achieving a CAGR of 9.4%. This upward trajectory is expected to continue, with the market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2026 to 2029. By the end of 2029, the digital ad spend market is projected to expand from its 2025 value of US$9.91 billion to approximately US$15.58 billion.

Key Trends & Drivers in Italy's Digital Ad Spend

Italy’s digital advertising market is undergoing structural evolution as shifts in media consumption, regulatory mandates, and expanding retail and platform integration reshape advertiser priorities. The sector is moving beyond basic channel allocation toward a more data-conscious, performance-oriented, and format-diversified model. Growth in retail media, programmatic infrastructure, privacy-first requirements, and multiscreen consumption is redefining how brands plan and activate campaigns. Advertisers that adopt compliant data practices, leverage emerging formats such as CTV and DOOH, and build deeper alignment with retailer and publisher ecosystems will be best positioned as the market continues to mature.

Retail Media Gains Traction Amid E-Commerce Expansion

Retail media is emerging as a preferred digital ad channel in Italy, driven by growing e-commerce penetration and the ability to reach high-intent shoppers at the point of purchase. Large retailers such as Amazon.it and Carrefour Italy have expanded their retail media offerings, allowing brands to target consumers within digital store environments.

• Italy’s e-commerce market continues to scale, with grocery, beauty, and electronics seeing stronger digital adoption. Retailers are monetizing digital shelf space, search results, and shopper data.
• FMCG brands are prioritizing retail media investments to optimize conversion rates and capitalize on closed-loop attribution.

Over the next 2-4 years, retail media in Italy is expected to become a foundational component of omnichannel strategies, prompting more retailers to build or partner on media networks and forcing agencies to realign budgets accordingly.

Privacy-Centric Strategies Reshape Ad Targeting and Measurement

Italy’s digital advertisers are adapting to a landscape defined by GDPR enforcement and the phasing out of third-party cookies. The shift is forcing advertisers and publishers to invest in first-party data, contextual targeting, and consent management platforms.

• Regulatory oversight by Italy’s data protection authority (Garante) has elevated compliance requirements across the ad ecosystem.
• Publishers and adtech firms are increasingly promoting privacy-safe identifiers and cookieless tracking alternatives.

This trend will intensify, with advertisers favoring partners that can guarantee data transparency, audience consent, and compliant measurement frameworks. Adtech firms capable of balancing personalization with privacy will capture a disproportionate share of performance-driven spend.

Programmatic Advertising Grows in Sophistication

Programmatic continues to expand in Italy, driven by improved supply-path transparency, better fraud detection, and more advanced audience segmentation tools. Italian advertisers are becoming more selective about programmatic partners and demand-side platforms (DSPs).

• Media agencies are consolidating DSP usage and working directly with SSPs to streamline campaign execution and reduce costs.
• Brand safety tools, viewability guarantees, and real-time analytics are being embedded into programmatic workflows.

The next few years will see growth in programmatic CTV, digital audio, and digital out-of-home (DOOH), with performance marketers experimenting with dynamic creative and AI-driven optimization.

Video and Connected TV Capture Growing Share of Budgets

Video advertising, particularly on connected TV (CTV), is gaining momentum as Italian audiences shift from linear to on-demand formats. Platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, and local broadcasters' streaming services are capturing increased ad interest.

• Advertisers are tapping into CTV to reach cord-cutters and digitally native households.
• Broadcasters are offering programmatic video inventory, bundled with data insights and targeting layers.

As inventory availability increases and measurement becomes more standardized, CTV is expected to become a core part of video ad strategies across sectors including automotive, telecom, and financial services.

Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Integrates into Multi-Channel Mix

Digital out-of-home is becoming increasingly programmatic and location-targeted in Italy, especially in urban centers. With enhanced attribution capabilities, DOOH is gaining interest as part of omnichannel campaigns.

• Major OOH operators are digitizing inventory across metro stations, airports, and retail zones.
• Advertisers are using mobile location data to link DOOH exposure with footfall and store visits.

In the coming years, DOOH will see deeper integration with mobile and video campaigns, with real-time triggers and dynamic creative tailored to contextual factors such as weather, traffic, and local events.

Competitive Landscape: Digital Advertising Sector

Italy’s digital advertising market is undergoing structural adjustment as global platforms sustain broad influence while domestic publishers and emerging adtech firms strengthen their positions. Tightening privacy regulation and shifts in media consumption are moving competition beyond scale toward differentiation based on compliance, data quality, and technical integration. Local players are expanding proprietary data assets, enhancing cross-format delivery, and deepening ecosystem partnerships, gradually reshaping competitive dynamics. In this environment, organisations that align regulatory adherence with robust audience intelligence and integrated execution capabilities will be best placed to navigate Italy’s increasingly fragmented and performance-driven digital landscape.

Global Platform Dominance Meets Local Differentiation

• Global players such as Google, Meta, and Amazon retain the lion’s share of digital ad investments in Italy, particularly in search, social, and e-commerce-linked advertising. These platforms offer unmatched scale and performance infrastructure, attracting both small and large advertisers.
• At the same time, Italian publishers and media groups such as RCS MediaGroup are expanding digital ad capabilities, offering premium inventory across news, lifestyle, and sports content. Their advantage lies in local relevance, contextual quality, and brand-safe environments. Italian advertisers are increasingly blending global reach with local content alignment.

Programmatic Firms and Adtech Startups Intensify Fragmentation

• An emerging layer of Italian adtech and programmatic companies is adding competitive pressure to traditional agencies and global tech providers. These players focus on audience segmentation, real-time bidding, and customizable campaign solutions tailored for Italian SMEs and regional brands.
• Many of these firms are capitalizing on the demand for transparent supply chains, GDPR-compliant targeting, and localized campaign insights. As advertisers seek flexibility beyond global platforms, these vendors are carving out niches in video, mobile, and DOOH formats.

Media Conglomerates Reinvent Digital Offerings

• Italian media groups are modernizing their ad inventory by integrating programmatic access, branded content studios, and native advertising formats. Broadcast and print incumbents are leveraging digital extensions to stay relevant, often partnering with adtech firms to deliver addressable and measurable inventory.
• Additionally, out-of-home operators are digitizing display infrastructure in urban hubs, driving growth in DOOH. The intersection of legacy media reach and digital targeting is a focal point for hybrid campaigns.

Recent Strategic Moves & Partnerships Shape Market Dynamics

• While large-scale M&A activity remains muted, strategic partnerships are defining the competitive playbook. Collaborations between retailers and media networks, publishers and DSPs, or broadcasters and programmatic vendors are increasing.
• Retailers exploring retail media monetization are forming ad partnerships, and local adtech firms are entering joint ventures to scale platform capabilities. These moves enable ecosystem participants to counterbalance global dominance and offer alternative value propositions.

Regulatory Enforcement Sets a Higher Bar for Participation

• Italy’s enforcement of GDPR and consumer protection standards has reshaped how adtech and media firms operate. Entities must ensure data processing transparency, user consent traceability, and cross-channel compliance.
• This environment benefits players with robust compliance systems and deters those unable to meet operational and legal thresholds. Advertisers are prioritizing partners with demonstrable adherence to privacy and safety frameworks.

Future Competitive Outlook: Specialization and Compliance-Driven Differentiation:

Italy’s digital ad sector is expected to see further specialization. Global platforms will retain scale leadership, but growth will likely favor local firms that can offer compliance-ready, context-rich, and format-diverse ad solutions.
Niche firms focused on DOOH, programmatic video, or GDPR-resilient targeting will find room to scale. Retail media and CTV will become core battlegrounds. Regulatory scrutiny will remain high, rewarding players who invest in infrastructure, transparency, and consumer trust.

This report provides a detailed data-centric analysis of the digital ad spend industry in Italy, offering comprehensive coverage of both ad spend and digital ad spend markets. It covers more than 100+ KPIs, including spend value by segments, and market shares.

The report offers in-depth segmentation across the ad spend market, covering spend distribution by channel (television, print, radio, outdoor, and digital) and detailed breakdowns within digital ad spend, including search, ecommerce, news and media, social platforms, gaming environments, and other digital destinations. It further categorizes digital ad spend by formats such as video, display, influencer marketing, email, and audio, alongside device platforms and pricing models. Additional analysis captures industry-level allocation patterns and the structure of the digital ad spend market across walled gardens and the open web, as well as distinctions between programmatic and direct media buying. Collectively, these datasets provide a comprehensive and quantifiable view of market size, spend behavior, and the structural dynamics shaping digital ad spend.

The research methodology is based on industry best practices. Its unbiased analysis leverages a proprietary analytics platform to offer a detailed view of emerging business and investment market opportunities.

Report Scope

This report provides a detailed data-centric analysis of the digital ad spend industry in Italy, with comprehensive coverage across both ad spend and digital ad spend markets. Below is a summary of key market segments:

Italy Ad Spend Market Size and Growth Dynamics

• Spend Value

Italy Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Advertising Channel

• Television Advertising
• Print Advertising
• Radio Advertising
• Outdoor Advertising
• Digital Advertising
• Other

Italy Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Television Advertising

• Linear TV Advertising
• Connected TV / OTT Video Advertising

Italy Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Radio Advertising

• Traditional Radio Advertising
• Digital Audio / Podcast Advertising

Italy Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Outdoor Advertising

• Traditional OOH Advertising
• Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Advertising

Italy Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Digital Advertising

• Spend Value

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market by Segmentation

• Search Engine Sites
• Ecommerce Sites
• News & Media Sites
• Social Media
• Gaming Platforms
• Forums & Classifieds
• Others

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Social Media

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Gaming Platforms

• Around Games Environment Ad Spend
• In Game Environment Ad Spend
• In Game Immersive Ad Spend
• Exclusive Advertising Games Spend

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Format & Media

• Video
• Display
• Email
• Influencer Marketing
• Blogging and Podcasting

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Platform

• Mobile
• Desktop and Laptop

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Pricing Model

• Cost Per Mile (CPM)
• Cost Per Click (CPC)
• Performance Based Advertising
• Others

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market Segmentation by Industry

• Technology
• Travel & Hospitality
• FMCG
• Automotive
• Media & Entertainment
• Telecommunications
• Retail & Consumer Goods
• Business and Financial Services
• Pharmaceutical and Healthcare
• Public Sector
• Construction and Real estate
• Education
• Home Appliances and Furniture
• Other Industries

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market by Digital Ecosystem

• Walled Gardens
• Open Web / Independent Publishers

Italy Digital Ad Spend Market by Media Buying Method

• Programmatic Advertising
• Direct Advertising

Reasons to Buy

• Comprehensive Market Intelligence: Gain an integrated view of the full advertising landscape, covering both traditional channels (television, print, radio, outdoor) and the rapidly expanding digital advertising ecosystem. Track essential spend metrics, including channel-wise allocation, digital share evolution, and growth patterns across formats and platforms.
• Granular Coverage of Digital Advertising: Explore detailed segmentation across search engines, ecommerce platforms, news and media publishers, social networks, gaming environments, forums, classifieds, and other digital destinations. Social media and gaming are further broken down by individual platforms and ad environments, enabling precise assessment of digital inventory performance.
• Segment-Wise Insights and Cross-Analysis: Evaluate advertising trends across formats (video, display, email, influencer marketing, blogging/podcasting), device platforms (mobile vs. desktop/laptop), pricing models (CPM, CPC, performance-based), industries, and digital ecosystems (walled gardens vs. open web). Cross-segmentation supports deeper understanding of how advertisers allocate budgets across channels, formats, and audiences.
• Advertiser and Audience Behaviour Analytics: Understand how brands across sectors such as retail, BFSI, FMCG, technology, automotive, media, healthcare, education, and others, distribute their digital budgets. Assess audience engagement patterns and platform choices, providing actionable insights into reach, attention, and return on spend.
• Digital Infrastructure and Ecosystem Readiness: Assess the maturity of the enabling digital ecosystem, CTV/OTT expansion, and programmatic infrastructure, all of which shape the evolution of digital advertising models and automated buying practices.
• Data-Driven Forecasts and KPI Benchmarking: Access a comprehensive dataset of 100+ KPIs with historical and forecast data through 2029, offering visibility into channel evolution, digital acceleration, format-level momentum, and emerging opportunities in programmatic buying, retail media, gaming, and CTV/OTT.
• Decision-Ready Databook Format: Delivered in a structured, data-centric format, the Databook supports seamless integration into marketing strategies, budget planning frameworks, investment cases, and competitive benchmarking. It equips agencies, advertisers, platforms, publishers, and policymakers with evidence-based insights to guide strategic decisions.