Performance and staff numbers decline across global agency groups in 2024, as restructures continue
An analysis of key trends from the performance of global holding companies through 2024.
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M&C Saatchi tightens processes to cope with high-level departures amid restructure
Staff resignations have included Steve Martin and Jamie Wynne-Morgan from M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment.
M&C Saatchi to consider US acquisitions to bulk up creative network
A new leadership team will address the group’s underweight presence in the world’s biggest ad market.
Lego rolls out overhauled brand identity
Design elements of the rebrand are inspired by comic books.
M&C Saatchi reveals strategy shift after revenues drop
Holding company to target regional clients with more integrated offer.
Iris hires global chief people officer
Benita Meswania joins from We Are Social owner Plus Company.
‘Golden era’ of subscription streaming growth may be over, says YouGov
Market researcher in UK finds growing proportion of consumers thinking of cancelling.
Global agency groups 2023 report card: Restructuring, freelance cuts and AI plans as growth gets harder
Last year some global agency groups found the going tougher than expected but others came through and are still on their planned courses.
Suzuki parts ways with Iris amid creative and CRM review
Japanese car brand is working with The Observatory.
RocketMill snapped up by US independent agency
Deal for 200-strong UK digital agency brings US media challenger to Europe.
Adidas creates clothing for Roblox avatars
Brand launches shops in virtual world and partners with creator Rush Bogin.
YouTube and TikTok lead marketers’ plans for 2024
Migration to digital channels – except X and Snapchat – to continue, Warc finds.
Apple tells children’s story to illustrate new feature
Real user appears in Taika Waititi-directed film.
X-rated Musk burns bridges with concerned advertisers: ‘Go F yourself’
Ad chief Linda Yaccarino attempts to clean up after public tirade.
Friends share joy in Amazon’s Beatles-soundtracked Christmas ad
Gentle in-house spot set to ‘In My Life’ to run in the UK, US and Europe.
Jellyfish founder Rob Pierre steps down after 18 years
‘It’s the right time for me to step away and focus on other ambitions.’
Is the media agency model moving towards outcome-based payment?
In a progressively splintered media landscape, brands are seeking a simpler, holistic and results-based service from their agencies. But is that too much to ask for from overstretched teams? Performance Marketing World spoke to both sides to ask if the future of brand-agency relations will be performance based.
Mars Petcare brings in first global marketing chief since 2019
Najoh Tita-Reid to join Logitech as chief brand and experience officer.
Dentsu sets out 10 media trends with momentum for 2024
Broad themes of research report are generative AI, platform monetisation and brands’ social impact.
Havas organic growth accelerates to 6.3% in Q2
All regions performing well as parent company praises ad group’s direction.
UK govt unveils online ad taskforce to tackle harms and protect children
Adland veteran Mark Lund will help lead the taskforce.
M&C Saatchi timeline: from takeover target to MacLennan exit
How two years of uncertainty unfolded at the holding group.
S4 stutters as clients pull back in May and June
Content practice continues to experience weakness.
Majority of creatives worried by impact of generative AI
Study finds technology regarded as viable substitute for human creativity.
Uncommon creates series connecting refugees with YouTube creators
‘We were here’ emerges from a partnership between YouTube and the United Nations.
Publicis’ Working With Cancer campaign wins Lions Health Grand Prix for Good
‘Not only a brilliantly creative idea, but a globally impactful one,’ jury president says.
Second WFA global census shows no improvement on inclusion
Follow-up to 2021 survey indicates lack of progress despite increased awareness of issues.
M&C Saatchi shares drop 9% on downbeat trading update
Group optimistic despite weakness in advertising and media revenues.
Two-way shootout for HSBC global media review
Major bank pits familiar faces against each other.
Twitter’s Linda Yaccarino appointment impresses ad industry though some raise doubts
Adland leaders view Elon Musk’s move as proof the platform wants to win brands back.
Vice Media to keep operating amid sale process
Publisher files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and secures one buyer.
Ads still cast more men than women despite diversity push
A large-scale face-recognition study in the UK finds 60% of people in video ads last year were male.
Martin Sorrell's bonus drops after MediaMonks owner misses targets
S4 Capital pays out lower bonuses after top execs fall short on integration, profit and diversity.
WPP delivers 2.9% organic growth in ‘positive start’ to year
Holding group says it remains on track for 3-5% growth over 2023.
Havas organic revenue growth slows to 1.1%
French group’s first quarter noticeably behind Publicis and Omnicom.
IPA Council divided on AI threat to ad industry
Debate featured deep-fake versions of Paul Bainsfair and Julian Douglas.
Toilet roll dance seeks to inspire bowel cancer action
Your next poo could save your life, NHS England says.
Agencies line up for Stoli vodka business
Global creative review understood to have reached shortlist stage.
Mike Newell directs eight-minute Macallan whisky spot starring Emily Mortimer
Heritage film conceived and produced by brand’s in-house creative director.
UK brands and marketers take a stand on climate disinformation
Group urges social network CEOs to crack down on content and ads making ‘deceptive statements’.
Unicef brand campaign puts children at the centre
Creative carries the message that 'The C stands for children'.
‘Carbon neutral’ and ‘net zero’ to come under ASA microscope in UK
The British ad watchdog to update guidance around making environmental claims.
HSBC greenwashing ad ban is example to other banks, UK ad watchdog warns
Ads promoting green projects must not mislead on banks’ overall climate impact.
Domino’s serenades jobseekers with football chants
Recruitment spot illustrates camaraderie with singing staff.
Kate Moss launches beauty and wellness brand Cosmoss
The move invites comparisons to Gwyneth Paltrow venture Goop.
M&C Saatchi and the brutal complexity of (being) bought
Why the hold-up in the takeover process and where are things now? Campaign explains.
Rival threatens to knock out Next 15 bid for M&C Saatchi
AdvancedAdvT now says it will vote against Next 15’s offer – as things stand.
Meta backs drag style to showcase metaverse tech
Three aspiring designers to use VR to create looks for three drag acts.
WPP upgrades forecasts after mammoth hiring spree
Coca-Cola win helped deliver organic revenue growth of 8.9% in the first six months.
Sir Martin Sorrell recruits ex-WPP colleague to tackle S4 Capital tangle
Misfiring MediaMonks owner also appoints chief operating officer.
'It's home': how brands are reacting to England's Euro 2022 victory
England’s Lionesses grab the spotlight after historic Euro 2022 win.
Jellyfish in sale talks with The Brandtech Group
Exclusive negotiations in progress between performance agency and martech group.
JCDecaux on track for 7% organic growth in Q3
China lockdowns partly offset strong recovery from pandemic.
S4 Capital shares plunge on new profit warning as staff costs spiral
Sir Martin Sorrell’s marketing group slices over £30m off EBITDA forecast and plans cost reductions.
Samsung running ad cleared in UK amid ‘victim blaming’ concerns
Showing a woman running alone at night did not encourage ‘unsafe practice’ ASA says, rejecting 27 complaints.
Talon Outdoor secures new backer as it plans global expansion
Outdoor media buyer pursuing growth and acquisitions after climbing out of pandemic doldrums.
Now M&C Saatchi gets punchy with ‘double whammy’ defence against Vin Murria’s AdvT
Agency draws on its 1992 poster for the UK's Conservative Party.
Starbucks pulls brand out of Russia
The American coffee giant follows McDonald’s in exit following business suspension.
M&C Saatchi extends stand-off with suitor for another month
Latest ‘put up or shut up deadline’ passes with no new offer from Vin Murria.
Uniqlo U-turns on staying open in Russia
Japanese clothing brand to suspend operations after initial resistance.
Facebook loses users as 18-year growth streak ends
Parent company Meta under pressure from Apple and TikTok.
Arthur and Maurice ham it up in Publicis Christmas film
French duo have been inserted into famous films and TV from The Joker to Squid Game to promote new Work Your World initiative.
Mediabrands sweeps up Dyson global media planning and buying
Account, worth $600 million, will transfer from Mindshare in Q1 2022.
Consumers ‘will want to know environmental impact of ads’, research claims
Dentsu and Microsoft Advertising urge brands to communicate sustainability measures.
AKQA acquires BrewDog branding agency Made Thought to boost design offer
WPP agency has created a new design group to house Made Thought and two other design agencies it has majority stakes in.
Cannes Lions confirms physical return in 2022
Back to the South of France, on 20-24 June.
Publicis Groupe promotes Magnus Djaba to global chief client officer
UK creative agency leader moves up to global role with management committee position.
Havas recovery continues with return to growth in sight
Q1 revenues dropped 0.8% on an organic basis.
John Hegarty: Agency craft is in decline
Writing skills are "deplorable" and the best work in the last 18 months came from the in-house team at Oatly, according to the 'H' in BBH.
John Hegarty invests in freelance matchmaking service Genie
BBH co-founder says AI interface that matches briefs to creatives is "the answer" to the ad industry's need to "access the growing freelance workforce with speed and effectiveness".
Ferrero unwraps global media review
Nearly 100 markets believed to be up for grabs.
Ikea names agency veteran Linus Karlsson as chief creative officer
Former McCann creative boss to work across marketing and product development.
UM unveils ‘Futureproof’ positioning
IPG media agency to prize speed, diversity and ethics.
15-year old Boohoo acquires 208-year old Debenhams, as Asos closes in on Topshop
Debenhams brand to be relaunched, but not in bricks-and-mortar form.
Could coronavirus tip the global ad market into recession?
Uncertainty is in the air.
WPP introduces new agency brand Black Ops
Shop is working with SK-II.
Airbnb to sponsor Olympics and Paralympics to 2028
Accommodation business becomes top-tier partner alongside likes of Coca-Cola and Visa.
Google acquires wearable tech brand Fitbit for $2.1bn
Search giant eyes opportunity of 'Made by Google' wearables.
Kraft Heinz to shake up media spend and cut product launches
New CEO to back flagship brands in turnaround.
Huawei's global brand chief on cultural challenges at the Chinese tech giant
Andrew Garrihy spoke about 'how to reinvent an Eastern brand for the West', but said Huawei's culture was just as much of a learning curve for him.
MediaMonks expands with $150m acquisition of US digital agency Firewood
Silicon Valley shop favours embedded service for clients including Google, Facebook and Salesforce.
Martin Sorrell: Group M alone is worth as much as WPP's stock market value
Former WPP chief seeks to justify retaining his shares in ad giant.
Instagram adds alerts to ecommerce trial
Brand followers can get reminder when new products go on sale.
Red Cross creates choose-your-own Twitter adventure
Twitter users get to step into the shoes of a Red Cross negotiator.
Cinema predicted to outpace global ad market
China accounts for 47% of global cinema adspend.
Women's World Cup spots score terribly on branding and sales measures
Public found the ads involving and emotional but weren't sure which brands they were for.
Haagen-Dazs awards global creative to Forsman & Bodenfors
Business moves from Saatchi & Saatchi, which did not repitch.
Red Bull and Heineken: F1 marketing overhaul is starting to pay off
Beer brand praises sport's new 'accessibility' after end of Bernie Ecclestone era.
Lexus marketer: In-housing boosts creativity through 'corridor conversations'
Brand communications manager Emma Lane says she is sold on in-housing after two years.
Sorrell: I'm going back to the 1990s
S4 Capital is reuniting digital creative and media services, the former WPP chief tells Advertising Week Europe.
Omnicom wary of 'wounded competitors' but delivers 2.6% organic growth
Investors reassured by steady results following Publicis shock.
Twitter reports 23% rise in ad revenue, first full-year profit
Social network to keep adding to US and international sales teams.
Brian Wieser joins GroupM to lead business intelligence
The prominent media and advertising analyst moves to the agency world after eight years at Pivotal Research.
Publicis Groupe to hold company-wide leadership get-togethers
Company also rolls out online courses to all staff.
Bloomberg Media clocks up 16% annual revenue growth
CEO Justin Smith expecting double-digit growth again in 2019.
Diageo CMO presses agencies to speed up hiring of female creative chiefs
'The pace of substantive change has been too slow', agencies told.
Intel hands $300m global media to Dentsu Aegis
Chip giant consolidates media activity with ‘Team Intel’, a bespoke offering uniting talent from Carat, Merkle and Amnet.
WPP merges Y&R and VML under Jon Cook
VML global chief executive Jon Cook has been handed the same role at the new agency being created by WPP through the merger of Y&R and VML.
Snapchat links visual search to Amazon listings
New function is claimed to recognise barcodes as well as products themselves.
Mindshare hires Carat's James Harris as global chief strategy officer
Harris leaves Carat after three years.