Programmatic Dollars Are Fleeing—Email’s Holding the Door
For the first time, email is outperforming programmatic in both usage and spend.
That’s not a tweak in media plans. It’s a shift in confidence.
According to Digiday’s Q1 2025 survey, marketers are moving budgets away from programmatic display and putting more into email newsletter sponsorships.
And not just a little more, a lot more.
This is great news for every brand that’s already betting on the inbox.
The Numbers Are Clear
✔ Programmatic Use Is Falling: In Q1 2024, 77% of marketers were using programmatic site display ads. In Q1 2025, that dropped to 62%.
✔ Email Is Gaining Ground: Only 51% of marketers were using email newsletter ads in Q1 2024. That jumped to 64% in Q1 2025.
✔ Programmatic Budget Share Is Shrinking: In 2022, 100% of marketers said they were spending at least some of their budget on programmatic. In 2025, that number is down to 76%.
✔ Email Budgets Are Growing: In 2024, 20% of marketers said they increased their email newsletter budget year over year. In 2025, that number jumped to 30%.
Why the Shift Matters
Marketers aren’t just tinkering at the edges; they’re rethinking where trust, results, and brand safety actually live.
🔹 Programmatic Feels Risky: You can’t always control where your ad shows up or what’s next to you. That’s a brand safety problem.
🔹 Email Feels Personal: Newsletter ads don’t just reach people. They land in spaces the audience opted into, spaces they actually trust.
🔹 The Inbox Is Growing, Not Fading: While social platforms shuffle algorithms and ad tracking tighten, the inbox remains direct, stable, and high-performing.
Now’s the Time to Move
The shift away from programmatic is already underway. Budgets are moving. Behavior is shifting. Confidence is growing.
If your brand wants to get ahead, not play catch-up, email newsletter sponsorships are where you should be.
At Wellput, we connect brands with high-quality newsletters that earn attention, deliver trust, and keep your message in safe, direct channels.
