Ad Matters 15.03.2024

Events. Everywhere. All at once. This week. And more next week… and beyond.

My UKAEG colleagues, Aisling and Quianna, have been leading the charge for UK advertising at SXSW with an amazing trade mission, countless events and incredible social posts. Check out the footage of VCCP’s Julian Douglas on a motorbike with virtual production background on LinkedIn for a quick blast of activities in Austin, Texas.

Meanwhile my PGA colleague, Lisa, has been sending photos from the front row of Labour’s Creative Conference where Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have both, in their own ways, talked about the value of our UK advertising industry in terms of exports around the world.

On a personal note, it was lovely to see my Ad Net Zero US colleague, John Osborn, waving a copy of our new book from the SXSW stage. The Sustainable Advertising roadshow continues with Seb and I out speaking next week at events and webinars for the likes of Grace Blue, the Advertising Producers Association and VideoWeek.

More on those events and others below… hope to see you at one of them soon.

Onto our must reads/listens:

• Congrats to our many AA and Front Foot members who won at this week’s Agency of the Year Awards (Campaign).
• It is up to marketers to make a sustainable world a reality. More from us on Sustainable Advertising. (MarketingWeek)
• What’s new in this big year for elections? Google is reviewing the types of election-related questions users can ask AI. (BBC)
• An interesting episode of the Media Show covering top stories from the Princess of Wales to TikTok and The Telegraph. (Media Show)
• And for those avid followers of Pinterest Predicts, here’s their latest Agency Guide to making the most of their trends offering.

Our pick of recent ads:

• Our ad in the A this week is sustainability-themed with ‘Makes any bottle a bottle of Dettol‘ by McCann London.
• Amazon is shining the spotlight on women’s football with real players taking centre stage in ‘The Grit’ by Adam & Eve DDB for UEFA.
• An impactful one from Dove, exploring how exposure to adult skincare content affects young girls in ‘#TheFaceof10’ campaign by Ogilvy.
• BT shows its support for all types of businesses with the ‘We’ve got your back’ campaign by Adam & Eve DDB.
• ‘Feliz St Patrick’s Day’! Liqueur brand Kahlúa is seeking to usurp Guinness’ hold on St Patrick’s Day with its espresso martini campaign by Wieden & Kennedy London.

Events:

• Seeking insights into sustainability leadership? Join Seb Munden, myself, and the Grace Blue team for their ‘Future-Proof Your Brand, Attract Top Talent & Save the Planet’ webinar on March 18 from 12-1pm. Register for free here.
• VidoeWeek’s New Video Frontiers conference will be taking place on March 20 and 21, and we’re delighted to be media partners! Book your place here.
• Take an in-depth look at the latest burst of the ASA ad campaign by attending their webinar on March 21. RSVP by registering here.
• LEAD North speakers announced! Speakers include Councillor Bev Craig, Gamal Fahnbulleh, Sarah Jenkins, and Jonathan Warburton, amongst others. Join us on May 9 in Manchester and book your tickets here.

And finally, a shout-out to our friends all the way in New Zealand who have announced Ad Net Zero Aotearoa’s decarbonisation roadmap. Since launching last August, the Comms Council New Zealand has gathered some 45 industry supporters to drive its net zero goals. It’s heartening to see progress, not just here but around the world. Let’s keep pushing for more.