Display advertising will remain the dominant form of digital advertising in 2025. Today, its role is reinforced by first-party data, artificial intelligence and new technological capabilities. Advertisers are increasingly using enriched data, predictive analytics and AI tools to segment audiences, dynamically adapt creatives and optimise media budgets in real time. This combination allows display advertising to function as a precisely targeted, measurable and effective tactic within the modern digital media ecosystem.
Digital investment growth confirms its strength
Findings from the iPROM and Valicon survey, conducted between December 2024 and February 2025, confirm the continued steady growth of investment in digital advertising. Companies view digital as a key channel for marketing effectiveness. Display advertising – alongside social media advertising – remains at the heart of most advertisers’ strategies thanks to its precise targeting capabilities, real-time optimisation and the integration of first-party data.
The data shows that Slovenian companies will increase their investment in digital advertising by an average of 14% in 2025. The strongest growth comes from industries that have previously had a limited digital presence – construction, pharmaceuticals and real estate stand out with investments increasing by up to 41%. Display advertising remains leading digital advertising format, used by 93% of companies and accounting for the largest share of digital budgets on average—nearly a third, or 29%.
Display advertising at the forefront due to technological flexibility
Display advertising continues to hold its share of budgets mainly due to its technological flexibility, advanced data capabilities and the ability to be optimised in real time. It enables the integration of different data sources, supports diverse ad formats and allows content to be adapted dynamically to user behaviour. Artificial intelligence plays an increasingly important role in this context, powering automated ad customisation, driving real-time advertising campaign optimisation and helping to select the optimal digital media mix to achieve different campaign objectives.
This flexibility becomes even more valuable as companies are slowly reducing investments in digital content production (-3%) while increasing budgets for buying ad space (+12%). Using AI tools and data, advertisers can create multiple versions of messages with the same materials and automate the personalisation of ads to efficiently adapt to the user’s needs.
It is worth noting that display advertising, despite rising levels of automation and data-driven execution also retains room for creative achievements. It is the integration of advanced technological solutions with the thoughtful design and content of advertising messages that allows for multi-dimensional user engagement that goes beyond simple reach and visibility. Creative concepts, supported by behavioural analysis and a deep understanding of user preferences, allow for advertising content that is highly personalised, visually consistent and emotionally resonant. In this context, modern technology is not a substitute for creativity, but a tool that amplifies it.
Efficiency and data use as key criteria
According to a recent survey by iPROM and Valicon, high efficiency (98%), transparency (94%), advanced targeting (91%) and the ability to accurately measure performance (90%) are still the top reasons advertisers cite for investing in digital advertising. Of course, these advantages are constantly improving with the use of advanced advertising technology and the integration of various tools as well as the growing role of AI in advertising processes that boosts effectiveness.
Data, which is at the core of the entire digital media ecosystem, plays a crucial role. Advertisers recognize this and are looking to empower themselves with data by collecting and managing their own first-party data. This shift is becoming an increasingly important source of strategic advantage, as confirmed by the fact that 83% of surveyed companies use their own data as the basis for planning advertising activities.
Display advertising gets the biggest share of the media pie
Display advertising will remain a central pillar of digital advertising strategies of Slovenian companies in 2025, with an average of 23% of digital advertising budgets allocated to it. However, the results of the survey highlight the growing need to strategically diversify investments within the digital media mix. Display advertising is planned as an integral part of a broader digital media mix, in which social media, search marketing, content-driven efforts, influencer engagement and new forms such as conversational marketing and podcasts also play an important role.
The effectiveness of each channel depends heavily on its alignment with campaign goals, target audience characteristics and the stage of the customer journey. Rather than using all possible channels, it is therefore crucial for companies to identify those combinations that best support their specific marketing and media objectives and provide a relevant and consistent customer experience.
Investments in 2025 to be based on agile, data-driven advertising strategies
For advertisers, this calls for agile, data-driven adaptation of media strategies, continuous testing, accurate measurement and flexibility in reallocating budgets. The effectiveness of a channel is not an absolute category; it depends on how well it matches with the purpose of the campaign, the nature of the message and the behavioural patterns of the target audience. Display advertising looks set to remain a cornerstone, but its true value is the greatest when it is thoughtfully integrated into a meaningfully structured digital media mix.
I recommend that companies follow three principles when optimising investments for 2025 and planning budgets for 2026:
- Don’t rely on one channel, even if it has a history of delivering results.
- Invest in understanding and leveraging your own data
- Don’t stop testing even when things are working – the landscape evolves faster than the average advertising cycle.
At iPROM, we believe that future success belongs to the bold and the technologically and data empowered. We’re here to support you along the way. Contact me at andrej.ivanec@iprom.si.