“Co-storytelling”: How US business magazine and media company Forbes plans to upset the journalism establishment… again November 20, 2016 City workers may be surprised to learn that it is rare, and even frowned upon in some areas, for journalists to familiarise themselves with the business-end of their trade. But, with revenues, profits and headcounts at publishing companies falling each year, editorial staff may increasingly find themselves having to familiarise themselves with how their companies [...]
Now Heathrow Airport’s trying to swoop in on the Christmas ad battle with this tear-jearker featuring two teddy bears November 17, 2016 First it was John Lewis that routinely took the crown for best Christmas ad. But in recent years other retailers have been upping the ante – from Sainsbury's to M&S to Waitrose's adorable robin. And now, not content with winning the battle over airport expansion (for now), Heathrow Airport has unveiled its very first Christmas ad [...]
BBC World Service launches 11 new language services with new government funding November 16, 2016 The BBC World Service has announced plans to expand with 11 new language services next year. The growth is being funded by a government pledge, announced last year, to pump £85m a year into enhancing BBC services into areas such as Russia, North Korea, the Middle East and Africa. Read more: Government launches hunt for [...]
Facebook and Google have finally taken some action on fake news November 15, 2016 Facebook and Google have both responded to a firestorm around the proliferation of fake news during the US Presidential race by promising to crackdown on advertising against such content. Google has said it will restrict advertising on pages "that misrepresent, misstate or conceal information about the publisher, the publisher's content, or the primary purpose of the [...]
Advertising expenditure forecast up despite Brexit uncertainty November 14, 2016 A WPP-owned group has upgraded its UK advertising growth forecasts for this year and next despite uncertainty around the UK’s Brexit vote. Expenditure is expected to grow 7.2 per cent in 2016, up from a previous estimate of 6.3 per cent. The same level of growth is forecast by GroupM for 2017, up from 5.8 per cent. [...]
John Lewis resists “Stop Funding Hate” calls to pull newspaper advertising November 14, 2016 John Lewis is resisting calls to pull advertising from newspapers over their editorial coverage. The retailer issued a statement as campaign group Stop Funding Hate steps up efforts to encourage companies not to advertise in the Daily Mail, Sun and Daily Express. Read more: Lego is "not planning any future promotional activity" in the Daily Mail [...]
Johnston Press confirms late-stage discussions to sell East Anglia papers November 14, 2016 Newspaper publisher Johnston Press has confirmed it is in late-stage discussions to sell a stable of newspapers in East Anglia to a rival group. Johnston Press, which bought the i newspaper earlier this year and also publishes the Scotsman and Yorkshire Post, is in the process of selling off some of its non-core titles. Read more: [...]
The Battle for Virality: How the advertising industry stole Christmas November 14, 2016 Consumer capitalism is like an annual balloon, pumping in steady increments throughout the year. It grows and grows, stretching and straining around November, taut before the Black Friday Pin; the pressure too much, one prick and the balloon explodes in a relentless cloud of Christmas advertising. But where has this volley come from? We can’t even [...]
The Waitrose Christmas advert is here: Move over Buster, there’s a plucky little Robin giving you all the feels November 13, 2016 The bouncing boxer dog of the John Lewis Christmas advert has a rival: a tiny Robin braving wild weather and perilous predators to return to a young girl's festive home. The Waitrose Christmas advert has been revealed, and while never quite matching up to the much-hyped John Lewis one before, this year that might just change with its [...]
Lego “not planning any future promotional activity” with Daily Mail amid protests at recent coverage November 12, 2016 Lego is “not planning any future promotional activity” with the Daily Mail, in an apparent protest at its editorial content. Stop Funding Hate, a group campaigning for companies like John Lewis and Waitrose to pull advertising from certain tabloid newspapers, has claimed the move by Lego as a victory. DMGT, the owner of the Daily Mail, [...]