HK ad spending climbs 5% YOY in Q2 2026

Hong Kong's advertising expenditure reached HK$8.77 billion in the second quarter of 2026, marking a 5% year-on-year (YoY) increase and reflecting sustained expansion in the local advertising market, according to admanGo’s latest report.

Supported by recovering domestic consumer sentiment and steady growth in visitor arrivals, local ad spend maintained upward momentum throughout the quarter.

Despite global economic uncertainties and Middle East geopolitical tensions driving up energy costs, local media investment remained resilient. Monthly ad spend grew by 5% YoY in April and 2% in May, before surging 9% in June - fuelled largely by marketing surrounding the FIFA World Cup.

The results indicate that brands chose to capitalise on major global sporting moments rather than scale back marketing budgets in response to macroeconomic headwinds.

Across media channels, social media retained its position as Hong Kong's top advertising medium by expenditure in the second quarter, followed by television, mobile, search engine marketing, and outdoor advertising.

Among traditional media, magazine advertising posted the strongest performance, surging 22% year-on-year—the highest growth rate across all measured media types.

All top seven advertising sectors recorded year-on-year growth during the quarter, demonstrating broad-based business confidence across key industries. The banking and investment services sector led overall spending with a 19% increase, supported by double-digit budget expansions from major institutions such as HSBC Group, which grew 15%, and Hang Seng Bank, which climbed 52%.

Pharmaceuticals and healthcare ranked second overall with a 12% rise in ad spend, driven in part by a 72% surge from Chinese Pharm. Meanwhile, toiletries and household held third place with a 1% increase, led by steady spending from Procter & Gamble.

The insurance sector posted the most dramatic climb, jumping from 13th to 8th place overall with a 56% increase in ad spend, making it the fastest-growing category among the top 10 industries.

Within this sector, AIA Group recorded a notable 234% year-on-year surge in advertising investment, achieving the highest growth rate among all individual advertiser groups. Other key categories within the top 10 that recorded positive trajectories included retail, cosmetics and skincare, and beverages.

The solid second-quarter performance extends the positive momentum observed earlier in the year, following a 12% year-on-year increase across January and February, when ad spend reached HK$5.6 billion, continuing an upward trajectory that originally began in late 2025.

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