Median UK total marketing spend as a percentage of revenue in 2026: 7.8% — broadly in line with 2024–2025 norm. AI-related lines now account for ~19% of the median UK marketing budget.
Channel-mix shift since 2023: AI-driven media 11%→29%, classic paid media 24%→12%, lifecycle/CRM 6%→14%, traditional agency retainers 17%→11%, GEO/AI search optimisation new line at 4%.
Median UK 2026 total marketing spend per marketing employee: £127k. Leader cohort: £164k. Laggard cohort: £91k.
Sector benchmarks: Ecommerce / DTC 12.4% of revenue; SaaS / B2B Tech 11.6%; Financial services 6.4%; Industrial / manufacturing 3.9%.
Updated quarterly by Creative Marketing Research with full methodology.