Paid search overtakes TV in Germany's media mix
- Aug 13
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Germany's media mix is being reordered: paid search has overtaken TV in spend, retail media is surging and, for the first time, Google, Amazon and Meta together capture more than half of the country's ad investment.
A structural shift, not a blip
New market analysis reported by German trade press shows paid search overtaking television in ad spend, while retail media grows fast and AI-driven buying reshapes how budgets are allocated. It marks a genuine reordering of the German media landscape.
The concentration is just as striking: for the first time, more than half — around 51.6% — of German ad investment now flows to Google, Amazon and Meta, according to HORIZONT. The 'big three' platforms have become the centre of gravity for German advertising.
Why the shift is happening
Performance channels win budget because they are measurable, and AI-driven search and attention metrics are accelerating the flow of money toward platforms that promise accountability. Retail media adds a new pool of intent-rich inventory at the point of purchase.
Our read at Marketing Minute: measurability is magnetic, but a mix that tilts too far toward lower-funnel search and retail media risks starving the brand-building that creates future demand. Efficiency today can quietly borrow from growth tomorrow.
What marketers should do
Do not confuse a channel shift with a strategy. Follow the audience into search and retail media, but protect a meaningful share of budget for brand-building that keeps you top of mind before the search even happens.
With more than half of spend concentrated in three platforms, diversification and first-party data become strategic priorities. Over-reliance on any single gatekeeper is a commercial risk, not just a media one.
Quick FAQ
Has paid search really overtaken TV in Germany?
According to market analysis reported by German trade press, paid search has moved ahead of television in ad spend as retail media grows and AI reshapes budget allocation.
How much of German ad spend goes to Google, Amazon and Meta?
For the first time, more than half — around 51.6% — of German ad investment flows to Google, Amazon and Meta, per HORIZONT, underlining the platforms' dominance.
What should marketers do about the shift?
Follow audiences into search and retail media, but protect brand-building budget and invest in first-party data and diversification to avoid over-reliance on a few dominant platforms.
— Oliver Nikolla-Casado, International Markets Reporter at Marketing Minute
The takeaway: chasing measurable lower-funnel channels is rational, but starving brand-building and over-relying on three platforms trades future demand for present efficiency.
Is your media mix following the audience — or quietly abandoning the brand-building that creates it?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: W&V, HORIZONT, Meedia.
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Written by Oliver Nikolla-Casado, International Markets Reporter at Marketing Minute
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