WPP snaps up data science firm Sandtable as it doubles down on tech March 5, 2020 WPP today said it has acquired data science company Sandtable as the ailing advertising giant looks to shift its focus to tech. The holding group said it had acquired the London-based firm through its Group M media division. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Sandtable, which was founded in 2009, specialises in behavioural analytics, [...]
Coronavirus: ITV shares fall as travel firms pull advertising March 5, 2020 Coronavirus has hurt 2020 demand for ITV advertising as travel operators stopped booking ads with the broadcaster, but it has posted better than expected earnings for 2019. MGM and Universal’s decision yesterday to delay the release of the next James Bond movie, No Time To Die, from April to November due to the coronavirus outbreak, [...]
Exclusive: Downing Street set to parachute Bernard Jenkin into key committee role March 4, 2020 Number 10 is set to appoint veteran backbencher Bernard Jenkin to head up the key Liaison Committee, City A.M. understands, in a controversial departure from parliamentary convention. The Liaison Committee, the only committee with the power to call the Prime Minister to face questions, is made up of the chairs of parliament’s other select committees [...]
Covid-19: Northern Ireland records two new cases as UK total hits 87 March 4, 2020 Two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, which brings the total number of UK cases to 87. The Public Health Agency said that one test result is confirmed positive and two further results are “presumptive positive” It said it is “continuing to work with partners across the UK including Public Health [...]
Spitting Image to return after 24 years following Britbox commission March 4, 2020 Spitting Image will return to UK screens 24 years after it was taken off air, as streaming service Britbox named the hit puppet show as its first original commission. The Bafta award-winning TV show, which first appeared in 1984, has earmarked a string of contemporary targets for its satire, including the Duke and Duchess of [...]
From Yes We Can to Feel The Bern — American politics is a masterclass in messaging March 4, 2020 US politics is a fascinating watch, especially if you’re interested in branding, communications, and the successes and failures of connecting with audiences. And for those that follow it through this lens, right now is prime-time viewing. As Democrats vote on their candidate to take on Donald Trump in November, the political battlegrounds in the US [...]
Premier League broadcasting: What does Amazon’s initial success with Prime Video mean for the market? March 3, 2020 Amazon broadcast its first live football matches in December, showing 20 Premier League games to subscribers on its Prime Video platform. The decision to make a first foray into the sector was a brave, albeit relatively small, one for the US retail giant. Now that the dust has settled, it looks increasingly like an intelligent [...]
WPP shares rise as it bags bumper Intel account March 3, 2020 Shares in WPP rose more than three per cent this morning after Intel selected one of the ad giant’s companies as its global creative agency of record. VMLY&R is set to take the lion’s share of Intel’s global creative account, which is estimated at $1.4bn (£1.1bn), according to industry sources. The deal, which is thought [...]
Sky confirms Disney Plus deal as it ramps up streaming war chest March 3, 2020 Sky today confirmed it has signed a multi-year deal with Disney Plus to make the nascent streaming service available to its pay-TV customers. The deal means Disney Plus will be fully-integrated on Sky Q, while Now TV subscribers will be able to access the service in the coming months. Disney Plus, which launches in the [...]
Coronavirus concerns see hand sanitiser sales leap 255 per cent March 3, 2020 Coronavirus fears saw sales of hand sanitiser spike 255 per cent in February, according to supermarket data released today. Sakes of liquid soaps also rose seven per cent as shoppers hit the shelves as the number of coronavirus cases outside China rose sharply last month, research firm Kantar said. Sales of household cleaners jumped 10 [...]