UK, 20 October, 2025: New research from Experian, the global data and technology company, reveals how agencies are embracing third-party data, AI, and curated strategies to drive a new era in media buying. This shift comes amid a rapidly evolving industry landscape, shaped by tightening privacy regulations, changing consumer behaviour, and the steady decline of third-party cookies.
The study – Media Buying in Transition: What Agencies Must Do Next – shows that 81% of agencies are concerned that relying solely on an advertiser’s own first-party data limits their ability to scale and reach audiences effectively.
In response, more than eight in ten (85%) are looking to reinvigorate third-party data strategies to deliver the breadth, relevance, and impact needed for smarter planning, activation, and measurement. When selecting partners to support this shift, data quality is the top priority, with 83% citing it as the most important factor when choosing a third-party provider.
Curation is also gaining momentum as a strategic response, blending privacy-safe audience and publisher signals to deliver both relevancy and scale. Nearly nine in ten (89%) agencies identify it as a key driver of future media buying. Among those already using curated approaches, 70% report seeing tangible benefits in ROI, performance, and relevance.
Beyond data strategies, agencies are also investing in the tools and frameworks shaping the next phase of media buying. AI is already firmly embedded, with 93% of agencies using it for creative planning, and 85% expecting it to soon drive the majority of planning decisions. However, adoption varies by size with 79% of large agencies use AI for bidding, while only 35% of smaller agencies have followed suit.
Colin Grieves, Managing Director of Experian Marketing Services, Experian UK&I, said, “We’re seeing a clear shift in how agencies approach media buying. There’s a growing confidence in the potential of AI and curation, paired with a renewed focus on data quality and trusted signals. Together, these are now absolutely critical for driving performance and success.
“As the limitations of advertiser first-party data become more apparent, agencies are turning to smarter, privacy-conscious third-party strategies to regain that scale and precision. Curation is playing a key role here, helping to connect high-quality data with premium publisher inventory in more efficient and measurable ways. What we will find is that agencies that embrace these changes now will be best positioned to lead as the pace of transformation continues to accelerate.”
Experian Marketing Services supports agencies through this transition with pioneering insights and identity capabilities. With a powerful blend of signal agnostic identity resolution and world-class consumer insights, agencies can gain the precision to target effectively, the scale to build curated audiences, and the intelligence to measure impact. This will allow them to plan and deliver with confidence in a complex and fast evolving ecosystem.
Download the full Media Buying in Transition: What Agencies Must Do Next report to explore the complete findings and recommendations.
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Methodology
Research was conducted by Insight Avenue with over 200 media planning and buying professionals in the UK and Ireland between May and June 2025.
About Experian
Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and software. We also assist millions of people to realise their financial goals and help them to save time and money.
We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments.
We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and innovate. As a FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 25,200 people across 32 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.