Global adspend to hit $1.34trn as AI goes gangbusters
Many in the marketing sector may still view the rise of AI as a threat but the technology is not…
Indepth
Fortune favours the brave but most brands are scared
The world’s most successful brands are turning uncertainty into a competitive advantage by “boldly going where no brand has gone…
Agency strategists move up food chain to the top table
Brand owners are increasingly turning to agency strategists to deliver bigger outcomes, as their influence grows even beyond marketing departments…
ICO staff stage protest over ‘toxic workplace culture’
The new Information Commission is facing major disruption on its first day of operation with members of the PCS union…
Don’t peak too early in your Xmas activity, charities told
Charities could miss out on vital pre-Christmas fundraising opportunities by overlooking the fact that UK festive giving peaks late, sharply,…
Human league: Word of mouth beats AI for brand loyalty
AI-driven search might be dominating the marketing playbook but consumers who discover new brands, products and services through word-of-mouth recommendations…
‘Drill, baby, drill’: Adland’s dirty fuel secret is exposed
Agency groups might talk a good game when it comes to their green credentials but secretly they continue to rake…
DMA: ‘UK must enforce GDPR before drawing up AI Bill’
Industry body the DMA calling for the Government to rethink its plans for a new AI Bill and a single…
Creator economy to top £1bn in 2026 as sector matures
Advertiser investment in UK creator partnerships is forecast to surpass £1bn for the first time in 2026, reaching £1.2bn, with…
New HFSS crackdown ‘could wipe out £1bn in adspend’
Government proposals to widen advertising restrictions on less healthy foods could put nearly half of the £2.4bn UK’s annual food…
Omnicom to shed another 15,000 staff in fresh squeeze
Omnicom is planning to slash its headcount by another 15,000 employees by the end of 2026, through a combination of…
‘It was mail wot won it’: Local poll mailings boost Reform
Nigel Farage might be struggling to shake off allegations that he is dishonest – in fact, 73% of Brits describe…
It’s not over till it’s over: Brits hunt last minute breaks
The school holidays might be drawing to a close but many Brits are still booking their summer getaways – despite…
Making waves: Radio soars as more Brits tune in online
More people than ever are listening to UK radio, with the latest Rajar figures for the second quarter of 2026…
Adspend continues to climb as mail shows its mettle
UK advertising investment increased by 9.3% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching a total of £11.7bn, with direct…
‘Double busy’ UK marketers stuck in ‘survival mode’
Three quarters of UK marketers claim the industry is stuck in “survival mode”, with nearly two thirds admitting they spend…
A nasty case of déjà vu as Royal Mail hikes prices again
Brand owners are facing yet another increase in direct mail costs, the second this year alone, after Royal Mail revealed…
DMA urges Govt to work with industry to drive AI boom
The DMA is urging Andy Burnham’s new-look Government to work closely with UK industry to develop a strong framework for…
Industry risks exodus of diverse and working class talent
The UK creative industry is risking a mass exodus of talent, especially among the under-represented diverse and working class groups…
Ad budgets rise again as brands play the long game
UK companies are staying resolute in their commitment to marketing spend, revising their budgets up to the second highest level…
Burnham faces health lobby fury over ad ban ‘failings’
Prime Minister in waiting Andy Burnham is facing a major challenge from health campaigners over the less healthy food and…
Combemale calls it a day after 24 years with the DMA
DMA director of policy and public affairs Chris Combemale, who served as chief executive from 2009 to 2024, is to…
Mail proves its strength with rise in digital engagement
Direct mail continues to prove its mettle in omnichannel marketing strategies by driving digital engagement, with new figures revealing the…
CIM launches rallying cry to tackle the ‘lost generation’
The marketing industry is being urged to help fill the UK’s “experience gap” to ensure young people are not locked…
MPs accuse Ofcom of failing to bring Royal Mail to book
Ofcom has failed to change Royal Mail’s “unacceptable” performance, is “not up to the job” of regulating the postal market…
Car crash data thief ordered to pay back over £355,880
A motor insurance worker who unlawfully accessed personal information about car crash claims has been slapped with a £355,880.10 confiscation…
Publicis swoops for data giant LiveRamp in $2.2bn deal
Publicis Groupe has agreed to buy US data-driven marketing giant LiveRamp in a $2.2bn deal, as the French agency group…
Car finance marketing sparks 100,000 complaints a day
The Information Commissioner’s Office has been inundated with complaints about unsolicited marketing activity for motor finance compensation claims, with 100,000…
Industry shows its mettle as adspend hits the top corner
The UK advertising market continues to be one of the powerhouses of the UK economy, recording a 6.4% year-on-year…
ICO finally publishes ‘soft opt-in’ guidance for charities
The Information Commissioner’s Office has finally published its full guidance on how charities can use the new data protection rules…
Royal Mail vows to invest £500m to improve services
Royal Mail has committed to invest over £500m in its operation to improve postal deliveries, claiming it will result in…
Marketing budgets on the rise as brands hold their nerve
UK companies appear to have shrugged off concerns over the war in the Middle East to revise their marketing budgets…
Omnicom to wield axe again in ‘structural demolition’
Omnicom has sent shockwaves through its agencies – as well as the wider advertising industry – with a major escalation…
£3.3bn in skills funding goes begging over Levy muddle
UK businesses, including those in the advertising and marketing industry, are missing out on billions of pounds in workforce development…
Call to protect freelancers, ‘the lifeblood of the industry’
With this week’s IPA Agency Census revealing major challenges in the sector – and increasing concerns over profitability – agencies…
Guidance ‘black hole’ sparks charity soft opt-in warning
Charity marketers have been warned to take a “softly, softly” approach to the new data protection rules which came into…
Ain’t no stopping us now: 2026 adspend to top £50bn
The global and domestic economy might be as fragile as Donald Trump’s ego, but UK advertising continues to smash through,…
ICO inaction exposed again as EU GDPR fines top €7bn
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office “softly, softly” approach has been exposed once more with a new report showing GDPR fines…
Budgets on life support as Trump gives firms the willies
Marketing budgets flatlined during Q4 as businesses exercised caution in the wake of ongoing economic uncertainty – especially over Donald…
Decision Marketing at 15: Cream always rises to the top
With adland seemingly going into mass mourning due to Omnicom “retiring” established advertising agency brands DDB, FCB and Mullen Lowe,…
Decision Marketing at 15: Direct mail the great survivor
Back in 2010, many were predicting that the humble mailshot would soon be “swimming with the fishes”, with digital’s promise…
MPs urged to investigate ICO ‘collapse in enforcement’
Pressure is mounting on Parliament to bring the Information Commissioner’s Office to account amid claims that MPs should launch a…
Youth revolt: ‘We’re no longer slaves to the algorithm’
Marketers’ relentless pursuit of digital optimisation is sparking a cultural revolt, as younger consumers – particularly Gen Z – increasingly…
Vast majority of GenAI initiatives remain stuck in pilots
Public Enemy’s anthemic Don’t Believe the Hype might be nearly 40 years old but it seems the sentiment could not…
Waitrose, Tesco, Sky, Liberty, Aldi: Winter wonderland
Yes, you guessed it, we are back on the festive advertising trail and it seems there is no stopping them…
M&S Food, Barbour, Matalan, Morrisons, Lidl: Jingle bells
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the telly for something that was not to do…
John Lewis, Coke, Boots, Shelter, Debenhams let it snow
Another day, another shower of festive ads has burst on to screens large and small across the UK, and even…
M&S, Argos, Asda, Sainsbury’s, TreasureTress…they’re off
The 2025 Christmas advertising battle has officially opened, naturally with retailers first out of the blocks. And, with only 53…
Up, up and away as 2025 adspend is set to hit £46bn
UK advertising spend is continuing to outperform the UK economy and is expected to increase by 7.3% to a total…
Forget the grapevine, science proves music boosts ads
Music might have been a mainstay in advertising for decades but a new scientific study claims to have finally revealed…