Dear prime minister, back us to be your growth engine
If Andy Burnham is serious about driving “good growth in every postcode”, then the marketing and research sectors have a vital role to play.
· Marketing WeekOpinion
By Jane Frost 18 Sep 2026 7:05 am
Parliament has returned from recess, and for our newly-led government, the real graft starts.
The chancellor has less than two months until he stands before parliament to deliver his autumn budget and set out clearly how the government will deliver the “good growth in every postcode” his boss has been promising.
Parliament has returned from recess, and for our newly-led government, the real graft starts.
The chancellor has less than two months until he stands before parliament to deliver his autumn budget and set out clearly how the government will deliver the “good growth in every postcode” his boss has been promising.
Speculation has already begun around potential tax rises and spending priorities, but more fundamentally the government will need to decide which sectors it backs as the real engines of growth over the next few years.
Starmer’s government had included both the creative sectors and professional services in its industrial strategy for Britain, but in his first weeks in Number 10, Burnham has centred on driving reindustrialisation to boost regional economies and provide opportunities for young people.
While “hard hats” and technical roles may well have a bigger part to play moving forward, he mustn’t overlook marketing and its associated sectors as powerful drivers of economic prosperity. There is work for our sector to do to prove that we’re part of the answer to the UK’s sluggish economy.
Catalysts for the economy
Britain’s creative services sectors are an international success story, and an area where we continue to punch well above our weight.
The spending on UK marketing and advertising is expected to top £50bn for the first time by the end of this year. That’s by far and away the largest in Europe and, internationally, third only behind the US and China. In 2024, our sectors added £109bn to the economy, accounting for over 4% of UK GVA.
It’s the same picture when you look at different sub-sectors too. For instance, MRS’ recent Business of Evidence report estimates that the British research and evidence sector delivers £18.7bn in gross value added to the economy each year.
Stretched thin? That’s when evidence matters mostMuch of this is down to the fantastic globally recognised creative, advertising, digital and research agencies based in the UK that employ thousands of talented people and deliver considerable tax revenues to the exchequer.
But collectively we also act as catalysts for growth across the wider economy. Research and insights teams enable companies to identify trends and how to engage consumers, while marketers help businesses put that into practice, take their message to audiences, and generate profits. Our services are relied on by businesses of all varieties – from financial services and retail to engineering and manufacturing.
We must ensure we’re evidencing the economic and commercial impact of our work clearly and publicly.
Building careers across the country
This year’s Marketing Week Careers & Salary highlighted that, for better or worse, marketing skews towards young people.
While this presents its own challenges for retention, progression and representation, the government should recognise the vast opportunities the creative industries provide for people to start and build a successful career.
With over 16% of young people currently out of work, the highest rate since the aftermath of the financial crisis, it’s important to throw our backing behind all sectors that are willing to give youth a chance.
Importantly, the sector is showing signs that it’s beginning to break free from its traditionally London-centric reputation. We already have centres of excellence across the home nations, but there’s an opportunity now for flourishing hubs for creative services across England, such as Leeds, Bristol and Manchester, to become excellent posters of Burnham’s devolution drive.
Evidence is everything
If government is serious about delivering “good growth in every postcode”, then it must understand the people living in those postcodes. That means making decisions based on evidence, not instincts or vibes.
Policy designed around assumptions can quickly create unintended consequences, particularly for communities at the margins who often already face barriers to opportunity. In debates around zero-hours contracts, for example, well-intentioned proposals could inadvertently make it harder for some underrepresented groups to access the flexible work they need to stay in employment.
Research and insight have a vital role to play here in helping government understand how people in different communities live, work and spend. Without that understanding, policies designed to support communities risk missing the very people they are meant to help and damaging industries and the economy in the process.
That being said, we also need to practise what we preach. Consecutive IPA Bellwether reports have shown marketing teams spending less on research, even as other parts of business are leaning more heavily on evidence to guide decisions.
‘Sweating the information harder’: How AI is making its mark on market researchThat should ring alarm bells. If marketing wants to keep its strategic influence, it cannot afford to treat insight as a discretionary cost. It should invest in the evidence that gives it authority and guides better decisions.
Burnham should recognise the power and potential of the creative industries. He will have seen it in his time as culture secretary and undoubtedly in his nine years leading Greater Manchester.
But we cannot assume the wide-reaching value of the creative industries will be obvious or front of mind. The government’s recent emphasis has clearly been on traditional, physical industries, rather than professional services that help businesses across the economy.
We must keep banging the drum – loudly, publicly and backed by evidence – for our sectors’ place as engines of growth across the country.
Jane Frost CBE is the chief executive of the Market Research Society (MRS)