ad spend
The money paid to media owners and platforms for advertising, separate from agency fees and production costs.
Definition
Ad spend is the budget that goes into buying placements: search clicks, social impressions, broadcast slots and so on. It is distinct from fees paid to the agency for strategy and management, and from creative production. Clarifying which budget covers what avoids confusion. Ask who holds the ad accounts and pays platforms, how spend is reported, and how unspent budget is handled at month end. Set an approval rule for budget moves between channels, so the agency can react quickly without surprising you at the end of the month.
In a sentence
The monthly ad spend was paid directly to the platforms by the client.
Reports separated ad spend from agency fees.
