Market comparison
US vs Singapore: agency markets compared
Budget is concentrating in social, video and commerce media, so agencies with genuine depth in those channels price accordingly. Most agencies are independent specialists, so buyers usually assemble two or three partners rather than one full-service group.
Market size and coverage
Advertising figures come from the named industry body or statistics agency in each market. They are published on different bases and in different currencies, so treat them as scale, not a ratio.
United States
Budgets quoted in USD where sourced.
- Internet advertising revenue
- Nearly $300bn (2025)
Up 13.9% year over year; social media up 32.6% to $117.7bn and digital video up 25.4% to $74bn.
Source: IAB / PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report, Full Year 2025
Listed agencies: 73 across 35 cities
Scored on our methodology: 62
Main cities: New York (10), Chicago (4), Nashville (4), Portland (4), San Diego (4), San Francisco (4)
Deepest specialties: Paid Media (24), Branding (19), Content Marketing (18), Digital Marketing (17), SEO (16)
Singapore
Budgets quoted in SGD where sourced.
- Digital advertising spend
- S$2.34bn (2023)
59.7% of total advertising spend in Singapore.
Listed agencies: 31 across 1 city
Scored on our methodology: 10
Main cities: Singapore (31)
Deepest specialties: Web Design (10), Branding (9), SEO (9), Ecommerce Marketing (8), Brand Strategy (7)
Rules that change the work
These differences usually matter more to a cross-border engagement than price does.
United States
- Federal Trade Commission enforcement of advertising claims and endorsement disclosure
- State attorneys general on consumer protection and subscription practices
- State privacy laws led by California's CCPA/CPRA, with a growing patchwork of state statutes
- CAN-SPAM for commercial email and the TCPA for calls and texts
Singapore
- Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore under CASE, administering the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice
- Personal Data Protection Act and its Do Not Call provisions
- Spam Control Act sender identification and unsubscribe requirements, with IMDA guidance on unsolicited communications
What we have published for each market
United States
- Top 10 Marketing and Branding Agencies in the United StatesLast researched September 9, 2026
- Hiring a Marketing or Branding Agency in the United States: A Buyer's GuideWhat the US agency market looks like in 2026, where capability clusters, how FTC endorsement rules, CAN-SPAM and state privacy laws affect campaigns, and how to build a shortlist you can defend.
Singapore
- Top 10 Marketing and Branding Agencies in SingaporeLast researched September 10, 2026
- Singapore Marketing and Branding Agency Market: A Buyer GuideHow the Singapore agency market works, what the rules require, and how to shortlist a branding, search, ecommerce or PR partner with evidence.
Choosing between US and Singapore
- Pick the market where the work is being sold, not where it is cheapest. Local media buying, language and consumer regulation are the hardest things to outsource across a border.
- For a cross-border engagement, agree the contract currency, who carries exchange-rate risk, where the work is performed and how personal data moves between the two jurisdictions before you sign.
- Ask both shortlists the same question: show one comparable project, the brief, what changed afterwards, and where those numbers came from.
- Check who actually runs the account. In both markets, the senior people in the pitch are frequently not the people delivering the work.