This week: UK advertising in the media

Net Zero Culture Spotlight: Advertising Association CEO Stephen Woodford

Advertising Association CEO speaks to BusinessGreen’s editor-in-chief James Murray about what the public wants from businesses in the net zero transition.

The best marketing campaigns of 2021: Part 1

From Airbnb and Aldi to Boots and Deliveroo, the Marketing Week team chooses the first eight campaigns that make up our best of 2021.

Why Vodafone opted for purpose over sentiment this Christmas

A Q&A with Maria Koutsoudakis, head of brand at Vodafone UK, who tells Campaign why the telecoms giant seized the Christmas moment to ask people to donate their devices to the less fortunate.

As we return to the office, how can we keep hold of the benefits of WFH?

Achieving a balance between home and work was already a struggle for many. Then lockdown, the pandemic and WFH further blurred the lines delineating the two. It’s time to rebuild boundaries.

Getting back to the office is vital in order to stay creative

Soho, in central London, is my centre of creative gravity. I’ve been working and playing there since I was 16. By any measure it is a special place but it risks being undermined by the reluctance of some business leaders to return to city centres.

Government preference for Channel 4 privatisation ‘wrong approach’, warn peers

Wider proposals about the future of all public service broadcasting should have come first, said the House of Lords committee.

Does Fendi’s Times Square takeover prove creativity doesn’t matter?

Fashion brand Fendi last week bathed New York’s Times Square in a welcoming yellow glow in a full out-of-home (OOH) takeover. 45 digital billboards were adopted for a brief but powerful photo op. The Drum asks whether Fendi’s logo bombardment of the iconic site is creative – or not.

Coca-Cola heads back on the festive road with Christmas truck tour and iconic ad

The tour is starting in Scotland and is expected to travel to London.

How marketers are setting up teams for success in 2022

From upskilling existing teams and collaborating with other departments to exploring new ways of finding talent, marketers are working hard to ensure they have the right skills mix for what has been described as a “transition year”.

VCCP Launches Pan-European Campaign For Honda Motorcycles

The work is the first to run since the agency won the business at the end of 2020.

Anti-vaxxers make Tesco Xmas TV spot second-most-complained-about ad of all time

Supermarket’s ad – which does not appear to break any rules – is near breaking record set by “It’s Oscar time” by Paddy Power, which drew 5,525 complaints and was deemed to bring ‘advertising into disrepute’.

Tesco has a major new media offering for advertisers: here’s what you need to know

Tesco has revealed a swathe of new ways for brands to advertise to millions of its customers as it sets itself up as a media owner that can rival the reach of Sky, Channel 4 and Facebook.

WPP acquires cloud-based e-commerce firm as part of ‘accelerated growth’ plan

Acquisition to help agency group expand further into e-commerce and tech, to account for 40% of business by 2025.

Barb audience data will now include SVOD services Netflix, Amazon and Disney

TV audience measurer will track the viewing activity among its reporting panel homes.

BARB: Netflix’s Squid Game among UK’s most-watched shows in October

Netflix was the only streaming service to feature in the top 10 most-watched programmes on a TV set, BARB revealed today as it includes subscription video-on-demand alongside linear audiences for the first time.

The best marketing campaigns of 2021: Part 2

From Tesco and KFC to Weetabix and Moonpig, the Marketing Week team chooses the second set of eight campaigns that make up our best of 2021.

The purpose debate is raging but the value of context has been overlooked

Placement of advertising matters more than ever, The Guardian’s ad chief says.

Always-on advertising is no longer sustainable

Many advertising campaigns run on a permanent basis so that the brand is likely to be ‘front of mind’ for consumers. But this is profligate and increasingly unnecessary.

Qatar World Cup is advertising’s biggest ‘set-piece’ opportunity

Brands should start planning for Fifa’s first winter World Cup.

ITV ad urges people to listen to loved ones this Christmas

ITV’s star-studded Christmas film brings back its monumental mental health campaign, ‘Britain get talking’.

Aldi crowned this year’s most effective Christmas ad

Kevin the Carrot and Ebanana Scrooge have driven Aldi to the top of the Christmas rankings this year, as the supermarket continues its effectiveness streak.

RHS appoints Essence to reach and inspire millions of gardeners

WPP agency to handle media strategy and buying in initial three-year brief.

Should Agencies Care About The Metaverse?

You can’t have failed to notice the current interest in the metaverse so we asked a host of agencies what they really thought it means for the industry.

Fixing the Internet: a practical guide for advertisers

In the second part of Nick Manning’s thoughts on fixing the digital advertising landscape, he provides six recommendations for advertisers.

Govt rolls out ad blitz to mark Covid vaccine anniversary and push boosters

The campaign also includes Uber, Red Driving School and Neighbourhood Watch.

ASA says Tesco’s Christmas ad didn’t break rules despite anti-vaxxer backlash

The Christmas film had been under assessment after the ad watchdog received 5,009 complaints.

Everything is going to be alright…

The IPA’s director-general reflects on the industry’s progress during a very difficult year, marked by the crises of climate change and talent shortages.

WARC: Alphabet, Amazon and Meta will control half of global ad market by 2023

Just three companies – Alphabet, Amazon and Meta – will be worth half of the global advertising market by 2023, according to WARC forecasts.

Unilever’s CEO on the ‘new mode of leadership’

As the world adapts to new ways of working, Unilever boss Alan Jope says leaders today must learn to master their “inner game” before they can focus on driving business performance.

Am I greenwashing?

Lucy von Sturmer, founder of The Humblebrag on how craft, creativity and collaboration can help the industry tackle the climate crisis.

Saatchi & Saatchi Saves Christmas For Douglas The Fir Tree

The animation for deodorant brand Fussy paints a dark yet ultimately cheery picture of life for an unwanted Christmas tree