Bailey demands crackdown on ‘downright criminal’ social media fraud Tech Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has called on social media giants to take greater responsibility for online fraud, warning that the spread of scams and AI-generated content risks undermining trust in the financial system. Speaking at the International Monetary Fund’s annual meetings in Bangkok on Wednesday, Bailey criticised tech platforms for facing little accountability [...]
WPP slashes jobs as revenue continues to fall Media Embattled advertiser WPP slashed jobs in the first half of the year as its revenue continued to fall. The London-listed media group cut another 1,267 employees in the first half, around 1.3 per cent of its total staffing. Across the 12 months to June, WPP has now slashed its total workforce by 6.4 per cent [...]
WPP shares plunge after turnaround plan targets £500m of savings Media WPP has promised to make £500m of cost savings by the end of 2028 as part of a root-and-branch turnaround plan after suffering a halving of profit. The FTSE 250 firm’s new boss Cindy Rose told reporters she had already “identified multiple initiatives” to deliver on its ambitious savings commitment to help turn around a [...]
Youtube bets on AI ads as viewing habits evolve October 5, 2025 Youtube has become a near-ubiquitous presence in UK homes, with 47.9m adults now using the platform across devices. Ipsos data shows the average viewer spends 78 minutes a day watching its content, with the platform leading in so-called ‘connected TV’ viewing ahead of traditional broadcasters and other streaming services. For brands, this scale is attractive: [...]
Strongbow and Jägermeister social media ads banned for promoting irresponsible drinking September 10, 2025 Social media posts by Strongbow and Jägermeister have been banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog for suggesting that alcohol takes priority in life and social settings. Two Jägermeister ads on social media and one Instagram skit promoting a can of strawberry Strongbow – which is owned by Heineken – have been banned by the Advertising [...]
Advertisers have a new audience to sell to: AI models August 12, 2025 For generations, advertisers have obsessed over how best to win the hearts and minds of consumers. But with people increasingly turning to their large language model of choice for product recommendations, the industry has a new audience to get its head around: artificial intelligence, writes Ali Lyon. David Ogilvy had four golden rules to help [...]
WPP shares dive after sales slump July 9, 2025 Shares in advertising giant WPP plummeted by over 13 per cent on Wednesday morning after the company said sales would take a hit in the second quarter after it lost several key accounts. The FTSE 100 firm said on Wednesday revenue for the first half was expected to decline between 4.2 and 4.5 per cent. [...]
Zoe advert featuring Steven Bartlett banned for being ‘misleading’ May 21, 2025 An advert featuring Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett for nutrition brand Zoe has been banned after being ruled to be misleading. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found against the Facebook advert for Zoe’s Daily30+ supplement which the brand claimed contained “just real food” and “no ultra-processed” ingredients. The watchdog said the advert, which included [...]
Brits spend £5bn to avoid ads on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Spotify May 19, 2025 Brits are spending a staggering £5bn a year just to avoid ads on leading streaming services, according to a new report. In a bid to keep binge-watching and playlist-streaming interruption-free, a new Finder report found that over 31m UK adults now pay for premium, ad free subscriptions across Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney +, and Spotify. [...]
From porridge to pizza: Junk food ban will have ‘inevitable impact on growth’ – advertisers warn December 3, 2024 A pre-watershed ban on advertising junk food will have an “inevitable impact” on the UK’s “wider economic growth”, an advertising industry body has warned. The government claims the new policy, which will come into force from October 2025, will prevent an estimated 20,000 cases of childhood obesity. Legislation published on Tuesday afternoon reveals the broad [...]