Hooray, the evenings are getting lighter and there’s a warmth in the sun which has been missing these past few months. To celebrate, we’ve had a spring clean here at AA Towers and our great new office layout includes a new coffee lounge to sit and meet with members and colleagues.
Speaking of which, we were pleased to announce new leadership appointments to our Council and Front Foot network. Publicis Groupe’s Charlie Rudd takes the reins as the first-ever AA Vice President, supporting our President, Andria Vidler. We’ve also announced that OMD’s Natalie Bell is Chair of Front Foot, our senior leadership network comprising over 100 advertising businesses. As we mark our centenary year, we are keen to turbo-charge our work on responsible growth – Charlie and Natalie’s contributions will be vital to this ambition.
Monday saw the publication of our very first Success Stories case study in partnership with Times Media. It illustrates the role advertising plays in powering commercial success, featuring the Currys Beyond Techspectations brand platform by AMV BBDO, which helped the retailer secure a remarkable 23% share of UK electrical sales. Read the full case study here and get in touch with my colleague Polly if you have an economic growth story you’d like share.
Our final news story this week is a joint initiative with our advertising literacy programme, Media Smart. Ahead of the May elections, we’ve relaunched our ‘What’s the deal with political advertising?’ awareness campaign and accompanying guide. With research showing 84% of young people are worried about AI-generated political ads, this is a worthwhile resource for all young voters to check out.
Our must reads/ listens:
- As UK representatives, we’re pleased to see the Cannes Lions awarding jury announced ahead of the festival in June. (Cannes Lions)
- The new 2025 Annual Report shows how the ASA and CAP are meeting rapid change in online advertising. (ASA)
- The IPA Bellwether Report has revealed companies’ marketing spend intentions and financial confidence for Q1 2026. (LBB)
- The ASA has issued its first rulings based on the less healthy food rules this week. (Campaign)
- Thanks to the IAB UK’s podcast for having me speak about our Trusted Advertising book launch and how to harness the value of trust in your brand. (IAB UK)
Our pick of the ads:
- Our Ad in the A is Ogilvy UK’s ‘The Beauty Machine’ for Dove which reminds us that there should be no single face of beauty in the online world.
- Adam&eve\TBWA has turned fashion items into luxury litter trays for CATSAN.
- Guy & Co and VCCP Media have introduced their animated character Dave O’ Deer in ‘Calm Down, Dear’ for insurance provider, ensure.
- Sky has brought their TV characters’ costumes to life in ‘Together Like Never Before’ by Sky TV and Framestore.
Dates for your diary:
- Our Marketing Week ‘Talent Trailblazer Award’ returns to celebrate another year of projects that have helped attract new talent into the industry. It’s free to enter, and standard entry closes on 24 April. Find out more here.
- Our President Andria Vidler will be having a fireside chat with James Longhurst at Future of Brands on 29 April at 180 Strand. AA members can get a 30% discount by using the code AA30 via this link.
- The first entry deadline is approaching for the Campaign Ad Net Zero Awards, which celebrates the most impactful sustainability efforts across advertising, production, and media. Enter before 30 April here.
- CreatorFest 2026 on 14-15 July has a packed two-day agenda of networking and panels. Get 20% off your tickets using the code AA20OFF here.
And finally, our Front Foot network continues to grow. Today, we’re pleased to have Croud on board as our newest member.
