S4 Capital: Revenue down and debt up at Sir Martin Sorrell’s ad giant September 19, 2024 Sir Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital’s post-pandemic struggles have carried through into its latest results, which revealed a sharp decline in revenue and ballooning debt. The London-listed media holding group, which ad guru Sorrell founded after a sudden exit from WPP in 2018, saw its net revenue reduce by 15.6 per cent from £445.5m to £375.1m [...]
M&C Saatchi: ‘Significant improvement’ in profitability as problems ease September 18, 2024 Ad agency M&C Saatchi said that cost-saving measures had contributed to a much-improved performance in the first half of the year, adding that it was “excited” about the future. The company told markets this morning that revenue grew by six per cent in the six months to 30 June, with 12.9 per cent growth in [...]
Transport for London selects Global and JCDecaux to run ad estate September 10, 2024 Transport for London (TfL) has selected Global and JCDeacux to run its lucrative advertising estate, following a hotly-contested tendering process. Global continues its stint managing advertising sites on the Tube, London Overground, DLR, Tram and across the Elizabeth Line. JCDecaux, the French multinational ad corporation, will manage advertising at more than 4,700 bus shelters across [...]
PwC: UK media market set to overtake Germany as largest in Europe August 14, 2024 The UK is on track to dethrone Germany as Europe’s largest entertainment and media market next year, driven by a surge in internet advertising and a resurgence in cinema and live music, according to new PwC data. Despite a sluggish recovery from a flat 2023, the UK’s entertainment and media sector is forecast to exceed [...]
Huel and Zoe adverts featuring Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett banned August 14, 2024 Adverts featuring Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett for nutrition brands Zoe and Huel have been banned after it was ruled they failed to disclose their commercial relationship with the celebrity entrepreneur. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has said the adverts, which were seen on Facebook in February, “omitted material information” about their links to Bartlett. [...]
Work from home culture may damage the future of sport branding August 13, 2024 Has the phenomenon of working from home damaged the way sports brands can reach their audiences? Joe Langsworthy investigates. Sport in 2024 has never been more accessible. Yet watching our favourite pastimes live in stadiums, arenas and other venues remains out of reach to millions. Recently, Sir Lewis Hamilton condemned the rising prices of tickets [...]
Advertisers plot move to Tiktok after losing faith in Elon Musk’s X August 12, 2024 Advertisers are increasingly redirecting their marketing budgets towards Tiktok as trust in Elon Musk’s platform X continues to dwindle. Some 77 per cent of marketers plan to boost their ad spend on Tiktok in 2024, reflecting the platform’s growing corporate appeal, according to new data from market research firm Kantar. By contrast, only 14 per [...]
The fight for B Corp’s soul August 6, 2024 Last month, the French media giant Havas was stripped of its B Corp certifications after signing a global media buying contract with Shell. Ali Lyon explores what the decision means for the industry
The Debate: Should B Corps cut ties with fossil fuel companies? July 25, 2024 City A.M.’s weekly feature takes the fiercest water-cooler debates and pits two candidates head to head before delivering The Judge’s ultimate verdict. The Debate: Should B Corps cut ties with fossil fuel companies? Is it delusional to pretend that fossil fuel companies meet the B Corp standards, or is it unrealistic to shun companies like [...]
Havas London stripped of B Corp status after Shell investigation July 18, 2024 Top advertising agency Havas London has been stripped of its B Corp status after an official investigation found the work its sister agency does with Shell was a "breach of the B Corp community's values".