Jetlagged, half-functional, and crumbling through Frankfurt Airport, I grabbed a free copy of the Financial Times (yes, European airports still offer IRL newspapers). I stumbled across an article about McKinsey’s ‘Next Big Arenas of Competition’.

By 2040, global digital ad spend will explode to $2.1-2.9 trillion – up from $1 trillion today.

That means in 15 years, Meta, Google, Amazon and others will see the value of the budgets flowing through their ad platforms double or even treble.

In the future, what will the five biggest revenue ‘arenas’ be?

Translation: Digital marketers will be playing on a much bigger field.

Since 1999, through every market cycle, I’ve realized one thing: I actually don’t stress about recessions. Why? Because digital ad spend has always kept on rising.

I NEVER have to worry about job security.

In my time, I’ve worked for brands, agencies, and startups.

My most painful experience? A dot-com era rocket that torched $100 million trying to kill Skype with a product called ooVoo. Ever heard of it? Eeeexactly.

The lesson for me? No amount of hustle or genius will save me if I’m playing the wrong game. ooVoo wasn’t just bad – it was 20 years too early.

I’ve watched smart, relentless people spin their wheels in dying industries – publishing, real estate – grinding in markets that have tapped out.

I like Ikigai, the Japanese concept for ‘reason for being’:

AND…

Digital marketing IS needed. WILL BE needed. WILL NEVER NOT BE needed.

Understanding of how digital ad budgets have to be optimized for performance mattered in 1999 when I started. It matters today.

And it WILL STILL matter in 2040, with global ad spend projected to triple.

With a skillset that will always be needed, our relevance isn’t in question.

The only question is: Will we create enough Value in the context of our careers to thrive and be exceptional?

Want to ride the unstoppable wave of digital growth?

Here’s how in four steps:

Step 1: Get Uncomfortable.
Stop playing small. Where do you really want to be in five years? What role? What industry? How much will you earn? Most people stay stuck because they don't dream big enough – or worse, don’t feel worthy of dreaming big at all.

Step 2: Develop a New Skill.
Clarity comes from action. Say your goals out loud – to your partner, friends, co-workers. Speaking your ambitions out loud transforms vague ideas into commitments. Words create accountability.

Step 3: Create More Value Today.
Yes, it’s scary to publicly share your aspirations. My five-year goal? I want to make a lasting impact on my team, clients, and industry. To build that legacy, I need to stay ahead of industry shifts, keep learning, and keep showing up.

Step 4: Set Yourself Up for Bigger Roles.
It’s okay not to know exactly how you’ll reach your target. Clarity comes from movement. Small, consistent actions compound. The mistake? Waiting until you have the perfect plan before you start.

(Btw, the above 4 steps follow my Return on Marketing Career (RoMC) framework - to learn about RoMC, read this post.)

Should US marketers who want to maximize their career trajectory be going global? Yes, US ad budgets alone are projected to be 25% to 75% bigger over the next 15 years. And ad budgets OUTSIDE of the US, will be 170% to 300% bigger over the same period. That means global budgets will be growing between six and 12 times faster than US ones.

But that doesn’t mean ignoring the US.

Because even though global ad investments will grow faster than US ad investments, the world is so fragmented that no other one market or country will likely exceed the size of the US market by 2040.

Is digital marketing projected to own an even bigger share of the overall advertising pie by 2040?

Yes, the US is already a relatively mature digital ad market.

Yes, digital advertising will continue to get an even bigger share of the overall spend, as budgets move away from offline advertising:

If you’d like to discuss your career journey with me one-to-one, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or message me on LinkedIn.

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