Well. There’s quite a bit to write about this week. We held our industry summit, LEAD, yesterday and it was fantastic to see so many people from our industry in attendance. I’ll be honest, it’s a tough brief, fitting the industry’s agenda into four hours of content. Months of work went into this one, with a real team effort to try and feature the topics and discussions that our members most want to see covered. There’s a comprehensive write-up here and we’ll be sharing more reflections from LEAD next week.
The importance of trust in advertising was regularly discussed right at the heart of the event, and it gave us the opportunity to share more about the new book, which came out earlier this week. We’ve captured some of the highlights from the book launch below too.
As my co-author, James, said at LEAD, if you want to talk trust, we’re here and ready to join any conversations you might be having about how and why trust in advertising matters so much.
Our must-reads:
- The Best Practice Guide for Responsible Use of Generative AI in Advertising is now live, giving practical recommendations for advertising practitioners. (Media Leader)
- Times Media and the Advertising Association are forming a partnership to create ‘Advertising Pays: The Success Files’, showcasing brilliant stories of advertising powering growth. (Newsworks)
- Credos has released new trust research showing that trust in advertising has reached a five-year high. (Campaign)
- Bauer Media Outdoor has rebranded Amscreen into Bauer Media Outdoor Technic as it furthers its mission in accelerating innovation and sustainable OOH infrastructure. (LBB)
- Congratulations to Greg Quinton, Lolly Thomson and Chaka Sobhani who will be representing the UK among the Cannes Lions 2026 Jury Presidents. (Campaign)
Our pick of the ads:
- Our Ad in the A is Leo UK’s ‘All Flavour, No Mess’ for McDonald’s to relaunch their flavoursome wraps.
- Adam&eveTBWA have unleashed the horror of the ‘slurp’ in ‘Nothing Satisfies Like Pot Noodle’ in cinemas for Pot Noodle.
- BBH are encouraging everyone to ‘Get your money moving’for Monzo.
- Ogilvy have shown the stress free feeling of no caffeine or sugar in ‘Relaunch’for the new Coke Zero by Coca Cola.
Trusted Advertising – the latest:
- James and I described how advertisers can harness the value of trust in The Media Leader podcast.
- Why does public trust in advertising need protecting? James answered this important question in Campaign.
- As featured on the JCDecaux podcast, we explained why trust is one of the most valuable assets a brand can build.
Dates for your diary:
- Safer Internet Day is taking place on 10 February. Find out more here.
- Join Kantar’s webinar on 11 Februaryfor insights from the latest Sustainability Sector Index and practical guidance on what good sustainable marketing looks like. Register here.
- On 25 February at 11am we will co-host a webinar with the ASA to reveal the results of the latest wave of the ASA campaign – and its impact on awareness and trust in the ASA and the ad industry as a whole. Click hereto register now.
- Enter our UK Young Lions Competition and win the chance to represent the UK in the Global Young Lions Competition, part of Cannes Lions.Register here by 27 February to take part.
- Early bird tickets are selling fast for our Media Business Course, taking place from 7-10 July. Learn about the art and craft of media planning from the best in the business. Book your place here.
And finally… Lord Vaizey provided an entertaining moment or two at LEAD yesterday, particularly his anecdote about a moment in 2016 when he received a call from Number 10 Downing Street that Prime Minster Theresa May wanted to speak to him… He said that while “1% of your brain says she’s ringing you to tell you you’re the Chancellor of the Exchequer,” the other 99% knows you are about to be fired.”
As the longest-serving Culture Minister in history to date, he explained that he was trying to take the call from the PM while driving into his constituency in Oxfordshire.
“I realised that I had lost my mobile phone signal. So, it took the Prime Minister 20 minutes to get through to me and fire me, and I reflected that I had spent 20 minutes longer in my job than she intended, because I was so hopeless at increasing mobile phone coverage in the UK!”
