Shrove Tuesday 2016: Fire insurance claim costs almost double on Pancake Day, and new world record for tallest pancake tower set February 9, 2016 For some people, trying to nail the perfect pancake flip is more than just a cause of frustration – it's a costly fire hazard. According to statistics from home insurance provider Policy Expert, in 2015, claims for fire damage rocketed up to £11,546 on Shrove Tuesday, compared to just £6,543 on an average day for the rest of [...]
Profiting from creative tension: MediaCom’s Josh Krichefski talks Coca-Cola, DNA and short-form video February 8, 2016 "People in advertising have always worked long hours, but I don’t think that is necessary to deliver great work,” says Josh Krichefski, MediaCom UK’s new chief executive. “You won’t get a promotion here for working late,” he adds. Last year, the agency launched a programme called Project Blend to allow employees to talk with their [...]
Super Bowl 50: How much does it cost to run an advert at the Super Bowl? This is how much the likes of Chrysler, Bud Light and Jaguar pay for just a moment of screentime alongside Beyonce February 7, 2016 Advertisers are known for splashing the cash but, when it comes to astronomical invoices for just a moment of fame, there's no event quite like the Super Bowl, which this year sees the Carolina Panthers take on the Denver Broncos. But what can marketers expect for their dosh if they've chosen to lay out a pretty penny for a [...]
Top Gear: “Joey from Friends” actor Matt LeBlanc joins as presenter alongside Chris Evans February 4, 2016 Matt Le Blanc, the actor renowned for playing Friends character Joey Tribbiani, will join Chris Evans as a presenter on a revamped Top Gear. The self-described "car nut" has joined the production of the new show which is set to add other stars to its presenting teams in the coming weeks. Read more: Chris Evans is [...]
Super Bowl 50 2016: Watch the best Super Bowl TV adverts of all time in this top 10 chart February 3, 2016 The Super Bowl is nearly upon us and that means one thing – the world's biggest brands putting a lot of time, effort, and especially money, into creating the most hilarious/talked about/touching/viral (delete as appropriate) advert. The new round of ads are starting to be revealed, but they have some stiff competition from previous successes [...]
The six second sweet spot: Opera Mediaworks’ Mark Slade on WAP and Walter White February 1, 2016 Consumers may be spending more and more time on their mobiles, but the advertising industry has had a hard time convincing brands to follow them there. Now, things could be looking up. By the end of 2016, eMarketer estimates that mobile advertising will account for half of the £8.94bn spent on digital marketing in the [...]
Rupert Murdoch slams “posh boys” in Downing Street over Google tax deal January 27, 2016 Media mogul Rupert Murdoch took to Twitter today to blast politicians in the UK and the US for giving Google an easy way out of questions over its tax arrangements. Google recently reached a £130m deal with HMRC over corporation tax claims covering a 10-year period. However, Murdoch referred to the payment as a "token amount", handed over [...]
Channel 4’s new chairman named as Charles Gurassa by Ofcom to replace Lord Burns as privatisation question mark hangs January 26, 2016 Charles Gurassa, the deputy chairman of EasyJet has been named the new chairman of Channel 4, succeeding Lord Burns. “I am delighted that we have appointed a chairman of Charles’ calibre to Channel 4. He brings with him a wealth of experience built up across a broad range of sectors," said Ofcom chairman Dame Patricia Hodge. The [...]
Guardian reveals cost-cutting plans: Membership focus to help break even as Kings Cross move considered January 25, 2016 The Guardian has revealed it plans to cut costs by 20 per cent over the next three years in a bid to break even and could even consider leaving its plush Kings Cross headquarters. The media group which publishes The Guardian and The Observer hopes to break even by 2018/19 by reducing operating costs which currently stand at £268m a year. [...]
Virtual reality: The next frontier. Visualise’s Henry Stuart on motion sickness and the Swayze Effect January 25, 2016 This is the year, so we are told, that virtual reality (VR) takes off. Hotly anticipated headsets from Oculus and Playstation are due for release later in 2016 and will finally bring VR into people’s homes. “We’re hugely excited,” says Henry Stuart, co-founder and chief executive of VR production company Visualise, which has produced around 60 [...]