Amazon becomes largest advertiser in history

Cinzia Petio

An overview of Amazon's advertising spend between 2009 and 2021.

Amazon's advertising and promotional costs equalled $16.9bn in 2021, according to the latest company reports, meaning the company has likely become the largest advertiser in history.

The company's ad investment grew by 55% in 2021 from the previous year, which is a $6bn increase and the quickest rise in 10 years. This is quicker than the overall level of growth in advertising last year, which rose by 23.8%, and more than twice as quick as the growth seen in the broader retail category (+20.6%).

Procter & Gamble, a key challenger for the title of...

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