The Advertising Association promotes the role and rights of responsible advertising and its value to people, society, businesses and the economy. We represent UK advertisers, agencies, media owners and tech companies on behalf of the entire industry, acting as the connection between industry professionals and the politicians and policy-makers.

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The Advertising Association focuses on major industry and policy areas that have huge ramifications on UK advertising. This section contains our work around public health, gambling advertising, data and e-privacy, trust, the digital economy and more.

Credos is the advertising industry’s independent think tank. It produces research, evidence and reports into the impact and effectiveness of and public and political response to advertising on behalf of UK advertisers in order to enable the industry to make informed decisions.

Front Foot is our industry’s member network of over 90 businesses across UK advertising. It aims to promote the role of responsible advertising and its value to people, society and the economy through a coalition of senior leaders from advertisers, agencies and media owners.

We run a number of events throughout the year, from our annual LEAD summit to the Media Business Course and regular breakfast briefings for our members. We are also the official UK representative for the world’s biggest festival of creativity – Cannes Lions.

This Week: UK Advertising in the Media 24.02.23

/ February 24th 2023
Industry News

Gideon Spanier: It’s pitch perfect for ad agencies as clients look to build brands

Government-backed campaign promotes UK adland ahead of SXSW trade mission

Activity promotes UK’s creative, media, tech and experiences expertise.

Putting The Boots Man On The Front Foot: Pete Markey

The Boots CMO is making the case for trusted, inclusive, sustainable advertising.

All In Announces First Wave of Speakers for May’s Inclusion Summit

Summit will take place on 11th May at London’s QEII Centre and will also be streamed online

Pitch Update: Sainsbury’s, National Rail, Ovo, Center Parcs, National Lottery and more

Campaign rounds up the latest pitch news.

Will more agencies walk away from repitches?

After the break-ups between Adam & Eve/DDB and John Lewis Partnership as well as between Wieden & Kennedy and Sainsbury’s, industry leaders have mixed views about whether this denotes a wider trend.

The Long And The Short Of It Celebrates 10 Years. Are Its Lessons Still Relevant?

Following a decade since the seminal book was released, we question its significance with the industry today.

It’s finally happening: dumb data is doomed

Media buyers and advertisers seem more emboldened to finally ask the right questions over data as tech giants struggle and agencies find their voices, writes the editor.

‘Rudely interrupted’: How should marketers handle the industry’s ageism problem?

With this year’s Career and Salary Survey revealing the bulk of marketers are under 45, what’s happening to shape the industry in this way?

How Nestlé is using AI to set creative rules for its 15,000 marketers

The food and beverage giant’s chief marketing officer has led an overhaul of its creative process after investing in artificial intelligence tool.

Work Of The Week

The best creative, curated.

New Commercial Arts Introduces ‘Irresistible Nights In’ With Habitat And Channel 4

This campaign sees the launch of a 12-month multi-platform partnership between Habitat and Channel 4.

Pete Markey appointed as AA’s Front Foot chair

Markey replaces Mark Evans, the former Direct Line marketing chief.

Boots CMO on how he plans to ‘reaffirm’ its perception as a healthcare brand

High street beauty retailer to “reaffirm” its role as a healthcare provider with major TV campaign.

Havas Media Group UK appoints CTO and COO

The promotions follow a string of acquisitions last year.

Dentsu chiefs: Wage inflation has peaked and hiring is ‘easier’ since tech slowdown

‘Automation-first’ mindset will increase profitability, agency group says.

ITV joins Saatchi & Saatchi as founding partner of Upriser

ITV will partner Kensington Aldridge Academy as part of the programme.

Acast shifts strategy to ‘expanding ad sales’

The Conversation: Bin The Safety Dance And Say Hello To Fluent Devices

Instead of relying on resurrecting old pop culture, create some of your own

NHS England “Ribbon dancer” by M&C Saatchi London

NHS England is encouraging people to complete the bowel cancer screening test.

Government-backed campaign promotes UK adland ahead of SXSW trade mission

Activity promotes UK’s creative, media, tech and experiences expertise.

Digital attribution is dead! Les Binet tells us why marketers need econometrics in 2023

The Drum columnist Samuel Scott recently fell down a rabbit hole and into the world of econometrics with effectiveness expert Les Binet. Here he explains what marketers need to know as digital attribution degrades.

BT’s head of brand marketing to join Ovo Energy

Ovo is currently reviewing its creative account out of Lucky Generals.

WPP to restructure Kinetic as MacCallum exits as CEO

This French train ad says going green is easier than you think

Ouigo, France’s affordable train network has set off in 2023 with a campaign promoting more sustainable travel.

Media in the dock over ‘carnival of hysteria’ surrounding Nicola Bulley

It is imperative that IPSO launches its own inquiry into the press coverage of the disappearance and death of Nicola Bulley.

Marketing salaries, SME budgets, social commerce: 5 interesting stats to start your week

We arm you with all the numbers you need to tackle the week ahead.

Barclaycard Business Launches Campaign Through Droga5 London

The work highlights how a good payment system for a business makes life better for the business and everyone connected to it.

‘Crisis has hardened our spirits’: Ukrainian agency Bickerstaff on business amid war

The week before Russian soldiers began their assault on Kyiv, The Drum spoke to Bickerstaff’s creatives about an innovative fashion campaign they’d made. A year later, they share how the team and the business have held together in the face of war.

Ad of the Day: inside Don’t Panic’s poignantly captured film of war-torn Ukraine

The shoot took place over three days in various locations to highlight the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the devastation that has occurred over the past year.

Turkeys are not just for Christmas

As the industry puts the pandemic behind it, it’s time to bring back Turkey of the Week.

Lack of control over frequency capping worries Lloyds

Bank’s marketer Vicky Handley was speaking at Campaign’s TV Advertising Summit.

‘It’s fundamental’: WPP chief on how AI has revolutionised advertising

Mark Read says artificial intelligence is helping firm win clients keen to tap into technology’s potential.

Sir Martin Sorrell: ‘Impact of AI underplayed’ and ‘a danger signal for holding groups’

Sorrell was speaking at Campaign’s TV Advertising Summit.

WPP rounds out resilient growth picture for holding companies

Consumer confidence makes ‘surprising rebound’ from historic lows

GfK’s Joe Staton says the improvement is “welcome news”, following nine straight months of rock bottom confidence scores.

Save the Children and Aardman mark one-year anniversary of Ukraine

The charity and animation studio have collaborated to create a film that demonstrates the experience of refugee children.