Advertising, PR, and related services continued their employment slump in April, shedding another 900 jobs—marking the fifth consecutive month of workforce contraction. Meanwhile, the broader U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs in April, exceeding forecasts and signaling resilience amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
Advertising, PR & Related Services
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the advertising sector shrank to 491,300 jobs in April (seasonally adjusted), 8,300 below its year-ago level. The industry has averaged a loss of 1,400 jobs per month since December 2024.
| Month | Net Job Change |
|---|---|
| Dec 2024 | -1,400 |
| Jan 2025 | -1,400 |
| Feb 2025 | -1,400 |
| Mar 2025 | -900 |
| Apr 2025 | -900 |
The decline aligns with waning consumer sentiment, which also dropped for the fourth month in a row in April.
Ad Agencies Hold Steady (for Now)
Ad agencies—comprising about 45% of ad sector jobs—held at 219,700 positions in March (non-seasonally adjusted). While April data isn’t yet available, the overall decline suggests agencies may soon reflect the broader market dip.
Media Sector Struggles Continues
Employment in the streaming and social media sector dropped to 218,200 jobs in March, a decline of 3,200 positions and the lowest level recorded since 2016. In contrast, the web portals and information services category saw a modest gain of 700 jobs, bringing the total to 153,700. However, that figure remains well below the sector’s peak of 162,100 jobs reached in late 2022.
U.S. Job Growth Remains Steady
The national unemployment rate held at 4.2% in April. April marked the 52nd consecutive month of job gains, with the private sector adding 167,000 jobs and the government contributing 10,000.
As advertising employment trends downward, April’s mixed signals reinforce the industry’s need to adapt amid persistent consumer and macroeconomic volatility. While job growth nationally remains robust, ad agencies and media companies continue to face headwinds.
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