Bigger budgets mean better results, right? Not necessarily. Especially when you shift your focus to getting the most out of what you already have.
For years, marketing has chased more. More data. More tech. More tools. The promise of digital helped drive this pursuit, with greater precision and control. And for a while, it delivered. CMOs got bigger budgets, bigger teams, and seemingly boundless reach.
Now let’s contrast that with the past five years. Budgets are flat or reduced, customer journeys fragmented, attention diminished and teams are restructured around machines ‘Doing more with less’. Welcome to the new norm.
Yet in the face of this, digital media spend is still on the rise. Global ad spend is set to hit US$1.17 trillion in 2025, with social media growing nearly 15%. Plus, nearly nine in ten new dollars are flowing into online platforms that promise targeting, measurability and effectiveness.
Unfortunately, this impulse to spend isn’t paying off.
The Ebb of Efficiency
Despite all the promises of precision, over 60% of digital media spending is wasted through poor targeting, low viewability, fraud, and tech fragmentation (WARC). It’s not a failure of marketers. The systems are optimised for volume and novelty over clarity and rigour. Duplicated vendors, outdated data, and overlapping platforms quietly drain billions every year. All fuelled by myths that:
– More channels equal more growth.
– Digital is inherently efficient.
– Newer means better.
– Data alone solves everything.
None of this holds true, though. Not without context, strategy, and accountability.
What we’re ultimately left with is an industry optimised for activity, not effectiveness. Too often, the most important questions go unanswered. Is this media activity moving the needle? Is this driving brand and business growth?
At some point, bigger-picture planning got hijacked by the quest for quick wins. But there’s good news. The waste this creates can also be reclaimed.
Better use of what you already have
Rather than asking, ‘How do we get more budget?’ you should be asking, ‘How do we get more from what we’ve got?’ Hidden inefficiencies mask enormous untapped potential. Reclaiming even 5–10% of wasted media can unlock millions in lost growth. This isn’t cost-cutting, it’s growth-finding.
At AFFINITY, we’ve seen what happens when brands shift focus from more to meaningful. It’s the opportunity to turn inefficiency into insight, and insight into practices for business growth. 2026 must be the year marketers demand clarity, evidence, and measurable impact from every dollar spent.
Work In, Not On
The agencies that will matter most in the years to come aren’t just buying media; they’re interrogating it to discover ways to drive true growth.
They’ll work in their clients’ businesses, not just on them. They’ll ask uncomfortable questions about what drives growth, not just clicks. Hidden growth lives in partnership, not just in media buying.
The way forward is to help businesses identify where waste hides, connect creative and media into a united rhythm, and bring clarity to complexity.
Reclaiming wasted media isn’t about spending less. It’s about giving marketing leaders an evidence-backed view of what’s actually working and reinvesting into growth that’s measurable, meaningful, and sustainable.
Before asking for a bigger budget, ask if you’re getting more from the one you have. Because the difference between spending and scaling often comes down to having the right people in the room and having the fortitude for honest conversations.
