Ascential step away from print advertising exposure helps media company grow August 1, 2016 Ascential, the business-to-business media company that floated in London this year, has reported a 13.5 per cent revenue growth in the first half of the year. The figures Turnover on a reported basis was £202.5m, up from £178.4m in the first half of 2015. The company’s adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), [...]
Trinity Mirror boss: New Day failed because consumers didn’t want what they said they wanted August 1, 2016 Trinity Mirror’s New Day newspaper – launched this year and closed after less than three months – failed because consumers did not want what they said they wanted, according to the publisher’s chief executive. Asked why the daily title did not succeed, Simon Fox told City A.M.: “I think because, at the end of the day, what [...]
No Brexit blues for Dave, Del Boy or Rodney: Business as usual for UKTV after referendum August 1, 2016 It’s “business as usual” for UKTV, the owner of TV channels Dave and Gold, after the UK’s Brexit vote. The company has today reported that it is “outpacing the British broadcast market”, with a record share of commercial impacts (SOCI), claiming 9.74 per cent, and “significant growth” of audience share and on-demand viewing in the first half [...]
Mobile momentum: Why advertising on handheld devices will allow Google and Facebook to sustain their remarkable growth August 1, 2016 If there was any lingering doubt about the potential of mobile advertising, it was put paid to last week. Advertising’s two behemoths, Google and Facebook, beat analysts’ expectations for growth in the second quarter, thanks largely to the rise of mobile advertising. In its statement, Google’s parent company Alphabet said that not only were companies continuing [...]
Branding and buyouts: Brand Union’s Toby Southgate on corporate takeovers, Tesco’s farms and Tesla’s higher purpose August 1, 2016 Perceptions of brands change over time,” says Toby Southgate, worldwide chief executive of Brand Union. “And building them takes a long time. It’s not about the final push over the line.” A consultative arm of WPP, Brand Union specialises in brand strategy, and has shaped the identity of some of the world’s biggest names, including Vodafone, Absolut [...]
David McCourt explains why micro-working is vital, and why he’s so disappointed by Trump and Clinton August 1, 2016 Do you mind always having to up sticks?” I ask David McCourt, founder, chairman and chief executive of telecoms and media investment firm Granahan McCourt, in regard to his likely move to London later this year. “No,” he replies. “I was only in the house my kids grew up in for 14 days last year; I’m [...]
Winter is coming for Game of Thrones as HBO reveals final season July 31, 2016 It's time to say goodbye to John Snow for real this time… on the small screen, at least. The show of the century, Game of Thrones, is officially coming to an end, its maker HBO has said. There will be just two more seasons of the hit show which has been a cash cow (or should that [...]
This top ad boss has been suspended after sharing his dodgy views on gender July 31, 2016 One of the UK's top advertising bosses has been told to take a "leave of absence" after making some dodgy claims about gender diversity in advertising that incurred the derision of some of the most powerful women in the industry. The chairman of Saatchi and Saatchi Worldwide Kevin Roberts, who also has the title "head coach" for its [...]
Pearson’s share price tumbles after former FT publisher reports 11 per cent revenue fall July 29, 2016 The former publisher of the Financial Times and Economist, which has transformed itself into primarily an education business, today reported an 11 per cent fall in revenues for the first half of the year. Pearson’s share price fell around six per cent to 913.5p after it reported the results on Friday morning and at the time [...]
Northern newspaper to stop publishing – after just five weeks July 28, 2016 Publishing group Cumbrian Newspapers (CN) is shutting down its most recently launched title after just five weeks in print, after failing to sell enough copies. CN launched 24 – The North's National on 20 June, a Monday to Friday publication with a cover price of 40p and the aim of "giving readers a national newspaper [...]