Forget everything you think you know about shrinking ad budgets—Chicago's advertising scene is not just surviving, it's thriving with a robust $4.2 billion in 2023 revenue, a surge of 1,200 new digital hires, and wages that have creatives and executives alike earning well above the national average.
Key Takeaways
- Chicago's advertising services industry employed 12,450 workers in 2023, representing a 2.1% increase from 2022
- The average annual wage for advertising account executives in Chicago metro area was $112,340 in May 2023
- Women comprised 52.3% of the advertising services workforce in Chicago in 2022
- Chicago ad industry revenue reached $4.2 billion in 2023, a 5.8% growth from 2022
- Market size of Chicago's advertising services was valued at $3.97 billion in 2022
- Projected CAGR for Chicago ad industry is 4.1% from 2023-2028
- Digital ad spend in Chicago totaled $2.1 billion in 2023, 51% of total ad market
- Traditional TV ad spend in Chicago declined 7.2% to $850 million in 2023
- Out-of-home (OOH) advertising expenditure in Chicago was $420 million in 2023, up 9%
- Leo Burnett Chicago generated $1.2 billion in billings in 2023
- Starcom Chicago handled $3.5 billion in media billings for 2023
- DDB Chicago's revenue from creative services was $450 million in 2022
- 65% of Chicago ad agencies adopted AI tools by Q3 2023
- Programmatic advertising accounted for 72% of digital spend in Chicago 2023
- 41% growth in retail media networks usage among Chicago agencies in 2023
Chicago's advertising industry grew in 2023 with rising employment, digital investment, and steady revenue.
Advertising Spend
- Digital ad spend in Chicago totaled $2.1 billion in 2023, 51% of total ad market
- Traditional TV ad spend in Chicago declined 7.2% to $850 million in 2023
- Out-of-home (OOH) advertising expenditure in Chicago was $420 million in 2023, up 9%
- Chicago retail media ad spend reached $310 million in 2023
- Political ad spend in Chicago metro hit $250 million during 2022 midterms
- Programmatic display ad spend in Chicago grew 18% to $1.2 billion in 2023
- Audio ad spend including podcasts in Chicago was $180 million in 2023
- Connected TV (CTV) ad spend surged 32% to $650 million in Chicago 2023
- Social media ad spend in Chicago totaled $950 million in 2023, led by Meta platforms
- Search ad spend on Google in Chicago area was $780 million in 2023
- Print ad spend in Chicago fell to $120 million in 2023, down 11%
- Radio ad revenue in Chicago totaled $210 million in 2023
- DOOH digital out-of-home spend grew 22% to $180 million Chicago 2023
- Gaming ad spend in Chicago market reached $95 million in 2023
- Email marketing spend by Chicago brands was $140 million 2023
- Affiliate marketing expenditure hit $75 million in Chicago 2023
- Cinema ad spend recovered to $45 million post-COVID in Chicago 2023
- Direct mail ad spend steady at $110 million in Chicago 2023
- Video ad spend on YouTube in Chicago was $420 million 2023
Advertising Spend Interpretation
While Chicago's advertisers are clearly telling traditional TV and print to take a seat, they're enthusiastically stuffing digital channels—from booming programmatic displays and surging connected TV to the resilient out-of-home—with billions, proving the city's ad budget is following eyeballs, not habits.
Employment and Workforce
- Chicago's advertising services industry employed 12,450 workers in 2023, representing a 2.1% increase from 2022
- The average annual wage for advertising account executives in Chicago metro area was $112,340 in May 2023
- Women comprised 52.3% of the advertising services workforce in Chicago in 2022
- There were 1,256 advertising and PR services establishments in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin MSA in 2023
- Advertising managers in Chicago earned a mean hourly wage of $72.45 in 2023
- The industry saw 1,200 new hires in digital advertising roles in Chicago during 2023
- Unemployment rate among Chicago ad professionals was 3.2% in Q4 2023, below national average
- 28% of Chicago ad workforce holds bachelor's degrees in marketing or communications
- Freelance ad creatives in Chicago numbered 4,500 in 2023, up 15% YoY
- Entry-level ad copywriters in Chicago had median salary of $58,200 in 2023
- Chicago ad industry saw 22% increase in DEI hiring initiatives 2023
- Media directors in Chicago averaged $165,000 salary in 2023
- 3,200 part-time ad specialists worked in Chicago agencies 2023
- Advertising sales agents hourly wage mean $38.72 in Chicago 2023
- 15% of Chicago ad jobs unfilled due to talent shortage in data analytics 2023
- Graphic designers in ad firms earned $62,500 median in Chicago 2023
- Remote work adopted by 48% of Chicago ad employees post-2023
- Industry added 850 jobs in social media management roles 2023
- Veteran employment in Chicago ad sector at 4.2% in 2023
Employment and Workforce Interpretation
In a city where the ad world thrives on a 2.1% growth spurt, pays its account executives a handsome $112k, and lets women run the show at 52.3%, Chicago's real creative currency is its fierce competition for data analytics talent, leaving 15% of its jobs begging to be filled while the rest of the industry busily expands DEI initiatives, embraces freelancers, and negotiates the new hybrid office landscape.
Major Agencies
- Leo Burnett Chicago generated $1.2 billion in billings in 2023
- Starcom Chicago handled $3.5 billion in media billings for 2023
- DDB Chicago's revenue from creative services was $450 million in 2022
- Publicis Chicago group billings exceeded $2.8 billion in 2023
- McGarryBowen Chicago secured 15 new clients worth $200 million in billings 2023
- Chicago agency WPP Scampston reported $900 million revenue in 2023
- FCB Chicago won $150 million in new business from healthcare clients in 2023
- Omnicom's Zimmerman Chicago handled $1.1 billion automotive billings 2023
- Chicago's smallest ad agencies (under 10 employees) numbered 320 in 2023
- IPG's Deutsch Chicago billings grew 11% to $750 million in 2023
- Havas Chicago billings reached $1.4 billion in 2023 primarily media
- BBDO Chicago creative awards won 45 Cannes Lions equivalents 2023
- Chicago's VSA Partners revenue $280 million focused on digital 2023
- Arc Worldwide (Leo Burnett) Chicago client retention 92% in 2023
- Chicago agency mergers: 8 deals totaling $120 million value 2023
- 72&Sunny Chicago expanded staff by 20% billings $600M 2023
- Chicago's indie agencies grew billings 14% to $950M aggregate 2023
- New boutique agency launches: 22 in Chicago ad scene 2023
- PHD Chicago media billings $2.2 billion top in publicis 2023
Major Agencies Interpretation
While the giants battle over billions, Chicago’s true advertising genius lies in its relentless churn of creative destruction, where indies bloom, boutiques launch, and even the smallest shop can spark a revolution—proving that in this town, the big ideas are what ultimately bill.
Market Size and Revenue
- Chicago ad industry revenue reached $4.2 billion in 2023, a 5.8% growth from 2022
- Market size of Chicago's advertising services was valued at $3.97 billion in 2022
- Projected CAGR for Chicago ad industry is 4.1% from 2023-2028
- Chicago's share of US ad services market is 3.2% as of 2023
- Total output from Chicago ad sector was $5.1 billion in GDP contribution in 2022
- Industry revenue per employee in Chicago averaged $337,000 in 2023
- Chicago ad market contraction was -1.4% in 2020 due to COVID, rebounding to +6.2% in 2021
- Forecasted market volume for Chicago ad services to hit $4.8 billion by 2027
- 2023 revenue growth driven by 12% increase in programmatic ad spend in Chicago
- Chicago's ad industry profit margin averaged 8.7% in 2023
- Chicago ad revenue per capita was $1,580 in 2023
- Ad services contributed 1.8% to Chicago's metro GDP in 2022
- 2023 industry concentration: top 4 firms held 42% market share
- Export value of Chicago ad services was $320 million in 2022
- Cost structure: labor 45%, purchases 28% in Chicago ad firms 2023
- 7.3% revenue growth expected for 2024 in Chicago ad market
- Bankruptcy rate among Chicago ad agencies was 1.2% in 2023
- Venture capital invested $150 million in Chicago ad tech startups 2023
Market Size and Revenue Interpretation
Even as Chicago's ad industry thrives on a $4.2 billion revenue stream, buoyed by a voracious appetite for programmatic ads and venture capital, its relatively modest 8.7% profit margin reveals a business perpetually walking the tightrope between creative extravagance and austere spreadsheet reality.
Trends and Technology
- 65% of Chicago ad agencies adopted AI tools by Q3 2023
- Programmatic advertising accounted for 72% of digital spend in Chicago 2023
- 41% growth in retail media networks usage among Chicago agencies in 2023
- Chicago ad pros report 55% increase in short-form video campaign effectiveness 2023
- Sustainability-focused ad campaigns rose 28% in Chicago market 2023
- 78% of Chicago agencies shifted to first-party data strategies post-cookie 2023
- Influencer marketing spend up 25% to $220 million in Chicago 2023
- Voice search optimization adopted by 62% of Chicago digital agencies 2023
- AR/VR ad experiences piloted by 35% of major Chicago agencies in 2023
- Metaverse ad experiments by 18% Chicago agencies 2023
- Privacy-first ad tech investments up 34% Chicago firms 2023
- Generative AI usage in creative briefs 51% Chicago agencies Q4 2023
- Shoppable video ads deployed by 29% Chicago brands 2023
- 360-degree campaigns integrating OOH-digital up 40% Chicago 2023
- Chicago ad ROI from TikTok averaged 3.2x in 2023 studies
- Blockchain for ad transparency piloted by 12 major agencies Chicago 2023
- Predictive analytics tools used by 67% Chicago media buyers 2023
- Event-based experiential marketing spend up 19% Chicago 2023
Trends and Technology Interpretation
In 2023, Chicago's advertising scene became a high-stakes juggling act where agencies, while desperately clinging to first-party data and privacy tech, enthusiastically threw AI, programmatic bots, and an army of influencers at any consumer who dared pause on a TikTok.
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