WPP sales return to growth as Cindy Rose’s turnaround gathers pace Media Advertising giant WPP returned to revenue growth in the third quarter as chief executive Cindy Rose’s turnaround plan began to show signs of progress, although its creative business continued to struggle. The London-listed group reported revenue of £3.27bn in the three months to September, up 0.5 per cent from a year earlier, following a prolonged [...]
Oliver CEO: I wouldn’t change anything about the City – embrace the wabi-sabi! Opinion Each week, we dig into the memory bank of the City's great and good. Today: Angela Tangas, global CEO of marketing agency Oliver.
‘Misleading’ Frasers ad banned amid feud with watchdog Retail The advertising watchdog has censured Frasers Group for running a “misleading” ad just days after its finance chief ramped up a bitter row with the regulator. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an online advert published by Sports Direct, which is owned by Frasers, for a Puma sports top which it said misled shoppers [...]
WPP slashes jobs as revenue continues to fall August 6, 2026 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 [...]
‘Scale is survival’: UK broadcasters race to merge as streaming giants squeeze revenues July 29, 2026 British broadcasters are turning to mergers as television revenues come under pressure from streaming services, YouTube and online ads, according to Ofcom. The media regulator’s annual Media Nations report found commercial broadcaster revenues fell from £4.98bn to £4.83bn in 2025, despite the wider TV and online video market growing seven per cent to £18.4bn. Growth [...]
Did this World Cup have too much of Sir David Beckham? July 18, 2026 Graham McKenna assesses whether David Beckham proves this World Cup had too much celebrity As the curtain starts to fall on another World Cup, a lot of conversation around this year’s tournament hasn’t been about the football itself, but the business surrounding it. The introduction of mandatory hydration breaks sparked plenty of debate, with many [...]
Rory Sutherland joins Adam Smith Institute as senior fellow July 13, 2026 Advertising executive Rory Sutherland has joined free-market think tank the Adam Smith Institute as a senior fellow, strengthening the organisation’s efforts to promote behavioural economics and free-market policy as the UK grapples with sluggish growth. Sutherland, vice chairman of advertising giant Ogilvy and one of Britain’s best-known marketing figures, will advise the Institute on how [...]
Adidas, Calvin Klein and Uniqlo ads banned for greenwashing June 24, 2026 Fashion giants Adidas, Calvin Klein and Uniqlo have been rapped as part of a major probe into corporate greenwashing in adverts. Each of the retailers has had online adverts banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for using the term “recycled” in a misleading way. The bans came as part of a major crackdown by [...]
Advertising at World Cup: Levi’s genius, hydration breaks and dodging rules June 23, 2026 This World Cup, now well under way, has been dominated not only by the action on the pitch but how much brands are spending off it. An estimated $10bn is being splurged by some of the world’s most recognisable organisations on adverts and campaigns, while some firms are milking the World Cup for free advertising [...]
Why 2026 World Cup is when AI becomes the interface between fans and football June 21, 2026 The 2026 World Cup is the first AI-shaped major sports event and will change football fandom forever. Jon Williams outlines what sponsors, broadcasters and brands need to do about it. Football, like the creative advertising business I work in, thinks the biggest gains from AI are operational – speed, efficiency, and more. They’re not. AI’s [...]