Chloe Kelly and the Lionesses are marketing gold. Brands take note July 31, 2025 In a world gripped by political instability and economic uncertainty, the Lionesses offer something powerful: focus, momentum, and cultural relevance. Sunday’s nail-biting Euro 2025 win wasn’t just a sporting triumph. It was a commercial line in the sand. The Lionesses aren’t a moment – they’re a movement. And for brands, the message is clear: the [...]
‘Irresponsible’ M&S ad gets banned for promoting ‘unhealthily thin’ models July 23, 2025 The UK’s advertising watchdog has upheld a complaint that Marks and Spencers used an “unhealthily thin” model to advertise clothes on its app. In its ruling on the M&S ad, the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) said the model “appeared unhealthily thin” and concluded that the ad was “irresponsible.” “The pose of the model and the [...]
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. [...]
Women’s Euro 2025 ads: Why ITV scores but BBC, Visa and Sports Direct miss July 5, 2025 It feels like there’s an unnecessary crux in women’s football as the Lionesses begin their title defence at the Euros. After the success of the last edition, the domestic game has gone gangbusters, with Arsenal selling out the Emirates for regular league games, an independent body being set up to run the WSL, and many [...]
UK’s competition watchdog sets its sights on Google search June 24, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog has proposed designating Google with ‘strategic market status’ after an investigation earlier this year revealed market issues. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had “heard concerns” that Google’s search advertising costs are higher “than would be expected” in a “more competitive market”. It will also look into the transparency [...]
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. [...]
UK has one Europe’s biggest nanny states May 15, 2025 The UK has one of the biggest nanny states in Europe, a new study has found. The report from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the European Policy Information Centre, titled the Nanny State Index 2025, said that the UK has the 7th biggest nanny state in Europe. Edited by Dr Christopher Snowdon, head [...]
Sir Martin Sorrell: Clients ‘cautious’ as S4 Capital’s income tumbles May 8, 2025 S4 Capital, Sir Martin Sorrell’s advertising giant, recorded a sharp drop in revenue in its first-quarter trading update as geopolitical tensions weighed. The firm posted a 11.4 per cent slump in net revenue to £148.3m, which it said reflected the “continuing technology client caution” and headwinds from one “key client”. Takings from marketing services reduced [...]
Are we witnessing the slow death of advertising holding companies? May 5, 2025 The feted founder of AKQA, Ajaz Ahmed, has launched a new agency that promises to take on the “slow, bureaucratic” ad groups that since the pandemic have have been labouring under stagnant revenues and falling share prices. Ali Lyon asks: “Are those holding companies on borrowed time?” Ajaz Ahmed is not a man to shy [...]