COVID-19: latest industry news

We are following all industry updates surrounding the COVID-19 crisis and have been tracking developments and sentiment pieces on the impact that it is having on the market.

Below you can find links and summaries of the latest covid-19-related news from the industry as well as some further resources for your information. If you would like to know more, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Live blogs

Campaign Magazine is hosting a live Coronavirus blog, which is continuously updated with the latest industry coverage on the crisis. Check it out here.

The Drum magazine is hosting a Coronavirus page on its website which shows the latest marketing and advertising news including insights and opinions. Take a look here.

Digiday has a ‘Coronavirus fallout’ section on its website which contains all of its coverage on the virus to date. View it here.

Industry news

9 September

Sir John Hegarty muses over the importance of the office and how business will evolve over the coming years. Read more here.

7 September

Sharon Hegarty says that the ‘new normal’ is no longer new and discusses how marketers should adapt, including rethinking both their platforms and messaging. Read more here.

4 September

Dan O Connor discusses what 2020 has taught him about sudden change on human behaviour. Read more here.

2 September

Dean Williams, founder of Print-print, looks at the Covid-19 market trends that he has seen over the last few weeks as we ease out of lockdown. Read more here.

1 September

Chris Gallery, Partner at Mother, discusses how the agency is trying to bring more joy to the return to the office. Read more here.

27 August

Steve Hamsley looks at how marketers are negotiating a return to the office post-lockdown. Read more here.

24 August

Getty Images says visual storytelling is still key in establishing brand trust. Read more here.

21 August

Tanya Joseph says purpose will be central to rebuilding brands post Covid-19. Read more here.

20 August

Lucky Generals Chief Executive Katie Lee discusses safely navigating workplace FOMO here.

Cinema First, the industry body that promotes UK cinemagoing, has launched a national campaign hailing the return of the big-screen experience, following a rise in streaming-service subscriptions during the pandemic. Read more here.

19 August

Alex Mamorsky discusses the need for socially reactive design methods, as has become clear in the last several months. Read more here.

18 August

Nielsen looks at the top creative trends and lessons from the Covid-19 period. Read more here.

17 August

Momentum study finds shoppers won’t immediately return to the way things were. Read more here.

14 August

The Drum turns to some analysts and experts to assess the practical steps they can take in a downturn, wherever they are based. Read more here.

13 August

Dentsu Aegis Network’s organic revenue was down a fifth in Q2. Read more here.

11 August

Lee-Ann Johnstone takes a look at the next normal for marketing strategies and how they will adopt. Read more here.

Margaret Molloy discusses the skills used by global CMOs to navigate Covid-19. Read more here.

10 August 

Sarah Vizard discusses the results of a survey which revealed almost half of marketers plan budget cuts in the second half. Read more here.

Alistair MacCallum says that OOH is back, but not as we know it, and looks at how a medium recovers from a historic crisis. Read more here.

Evening Standard is to cut 33% of its 341-strong workforce, with 31 commercial jobs set to be dropped. Read more here.

5 August

This piece looks into what agencies are learning from reopening offices and how they are tackling the return. Read it here.

4 August

Healthcare is bright spot for Havas as Q2 organic revenue dives 18%. Read more here.

Read how brands are getting more bang for their advertising buck with cheaper media prices due to the crisis here.

3 August

Our President, Keith Weed, says that brands should come together to spread crucial public health messages, and the industry can play a key role in rebuilding consumer confidence and rebooting the economy. Read more here.

Elliott Haworth provides digital advertising tips in the face of Covid-19. Read them here.

29 July

Jessica Lovell talks culture out of a crisis and a renewed sense of community here.

28 July

Lockdown has been the mother of invention for those wanting to shift their marketing careers – or themselves – says Harry Lang here.

21 July

The Drum has taken a look back at the 10 most popular ads created under lockdown. Check them out here.

20 July

Campaign looks at the month in advertising – time to restart, rebuild and reset. Read more here.

Gideon Spanier says that this time is a low point, but there is hope for the future, and many are thinking differently and trying new things. Read more here.

16 July

Sarah Vizard says the Coronavirus pandemic has driven a record decline in marketing budgets. Read more here.

15 July

The Guardian has announced plans to cut 180 jobs, and revenues are expected to be down by more than £25m as effects of pandemic hit media industry. Read more here.

14 July

This piece in Campaign looks at the first-time TV advertisers that are taking part in Sky’s SME250 scheme. Read more here.

13 July

Nielsen data shows how consumers around the globe have begun behaving alike. Read more here.

10 July

Omar Oakes looks at the findings of a Credit Suisse report that says our industry will grow by 1% after the pandemic. Read more here.

Industry employees are anxious and unmotivated to return to office, a survey finds. Read more here.

8 July

Simon Gwynn discusses AAR’s latest New Business Pulse, saying that new-business appointments are falling as reviews are hit by delays. Read more here.

7 July

Read this piece in Campaign for more on the Government’s rescue package for the arts and our statement on this, Emarketer’s forecast for UK adspend in 2020 and more Covid-19 related news.

6 July

Arthur Sadoun, Chief Executive and Chairman of Publicis Groupe, issued his final Sunday message to Publicis staff yesterday and warned of ‘very tough days’ ahead as Publicis fights to return to growth. Read more here.

2 July

Jerry Daykin says that while technology such as Zoom and Teams connects us, it can never truly bring us together and leaders should bear in mind that we are missing real human interaction. Read more here.

30 June

Covid-19 has accelerated the need for agencies to change and this requires leadership that is high-functioning, high-performing and built on trust. Read more here.

James Clifton discusses the purpose of purpose in a post-pandemic world here.

23 June

Kathryn Jacob, Chief Executive of Pearl & Dean, discusses the reopening of cinemas and says we will value the experience even more after lockdown. Read more here.

Leanne Cutts, Global Head of Marketing at HSBC, says coronavirus is a real reset moment for marketing. Read more here.

22 June

Janet Hull says that Covid-19 does not need to stop us selling the best of UK business to the world. Read more here.

19 June

Brittaney Kiefer says Covid-19 is hindering access to creative industries for underrepresented groups. Read more here.

18 June

Dominic Mills talks exports and says it seems increasingly obvious the uK ad industry is going to have to diversify if it want to earn its keep. Read more here.

Audience and Data Strategy Consultant, Alessandro De Zanche, says media owners must work together to fight for the future of digital advertising here.

17 June

This piece in The Drum discusses how brands can plan in the face of uncertainty. Read more here.

The ad market is ‘surprisingly’ resilient despite 13% slump this year, says Sarah Vizard of Marketing Week here.

16 June

Our President Keith Weed says it is time to show people why advertising matters, and brands should be in preparation for recovery. Read more here.

This piece in Campaign looks at the month in advertising and says now is the time for brands to invest more in marketing. Read more here.

15 June

Simon Gwynn says that the strength of digital advertising will see UK market decline less than in other major European countries. Read more here.

12 June

Steve Looney discusses communicating through a crisis and the five themes most resonant during Covid-19. Read more here.

11 June

Marco Iannucci looks at brand marketing in a post-Covid world and says honesty, flexibility and compassion are going to be more important than ever. Read more here.

10 June

Courtney Wylie looks at six different ways that Covid-19 is changing businesses for the better. Check them out here.

9 June 

Charlotte Rogers says that Covid-19 and fears of a recession have pushed recruitment of graduates and apprentices far down the marketing agenda, but brands must not forget young talent if they want to adopt a high-performance mentality. Read more here.

8 June 

Christian Juhl says that media agencies are changing fast to make advertising work better and people, not machines, remain the key to understanding the changing market. Read more here.

5 June

Ad agency bosses discuss the role of office space in a post-lockdown future. Read it here.

3 June

Former WPP boss Martin Sorrell discusses Covid-19 and acceleration of digital during Campaign Connect here.

Citigroup predicts that the ad industry is heading for a ‘V-shaped’ recovery. Read more here.

This piece in Campaign looks how to ensure your business is recovery ready. Read it here.

2 June

Simon Duke, Technology Business Editor at The Times says that the advertising marketing will ‘rebound swiftly’ after pandemic cutbacks. Read more here.

This piece in Marketing Week looks at how brands can connect with global customers during a shutdown. Read it here.

1 June

This piece in Campaign looks at how things might be different as people drift back to work, and if these changes will be for the better. Read it here.

28 May

WARC says that the global adspend slump is expected to be less severe than the 2009 crash, and it will fall by 8.1% this year. Read more in Campaign here.

This piece in Digiday looks at what changes (and accelerates) in ad tech during a recession. Read it here.

In a piece featured in Mediatel Newsline, Gill Huber says flexibility, agility and relevance will be the key to post-lockdown ads. Read more here.

26 May

Paul Reynolds of MassiveMusic says that advertising will sound very different post-Covid-19 and that music will come out of bad times. Read more here.

Bob Wootton says it’s time to start again by reclaiming the great things Adland has lost. Read more here.

22 May

Publicis UK is looking to reopen its Chancery Lane office on 1 July with a capacity of 225 people. No one will be made to return for the rest of the year. Read more here.

21 May

Omnicom Group CEO unveils it’s ‘3-phase’ plan for office return. Check it out here.

19 May

Grace Kite says marketers should be planning for an economic bounceback, as economists predict a quick recovery. Read more on Marketing Week here.

18 May

Gideon Spanier states we must stay alert as coronavirus is reshaping commerce faster than we think. Read more here.

Dominic Mills, in his column in Mediatel, looks at the true role of advertising in helping get the economy back on track. Read more here.

15 May

Tammy Einav of adam&eveDDB and Tim Pearson of OMD UK have been working more closely since the virus crisis and have a blueprint for recovery. They say greater collaboration will help our industry in the fight for recovery. Read more here.

Tanya Joseph says brands have to make tough choices affecting customers and staff during this pandemic, but acting honourably and communicating honestly will preserve trust. Read more here.

13 May

According to fresh research from the World Federation of Advertisers, large global brands are to cut ad spend harder – and for longer – in response to the coronavirus pandemic – at least six months. Read more in The Drum here.

12 May

JP Hanson says that there are no one-size-fits- all answers for getting through the pandemic and each business has unique decisions to make. Read more here.

11 May

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of plans to ease lockdown, our Chief Executive Stephen Woodford wrote an op-ed for The Drum on how our industry can support the route out of lockdown. Read it here.

Gideon Spanier of Campaign says this painful time can be a catalyst for a new wave of creativity and focus on long-term values will help to guide us through uncertainty. Read more here.

6 May

With the ‘roadmap’ to moving out of lockdown being announced on Sunday, industry leaders comment on when adland should return to work. Read more here.

5 May

The digital advertising market appears to have settled into a holding pattern, but is not yet back to normal. Read more here.

New businesses down 30%, cementing the ugly truth of COVID-19’s economic impact on advertising. Read more here.

ITV is facing a downturn in ad revenue and looks at how they are battling to keep brands advertising. Read more here.

1 May

More than a quarter of agencies are planning redundancies and 3 in 10 business are also anticipating salary cuts of at least 30%. Read more here.

30 April

Mark Read, CEO, WPP has spoken to Campaign about how the industry needs to be cautious about the rate for recovery in the second half of 2020. Read more here.

28 April

Just 7% of brands ‘seize the opportunity’ to invest more in marketing during Covid-19, according to this piece in Marketing Week.

Betting and Gaming Council reports 10% drop in TV adspend from members during lockdown. Read more here.

27 April

Simon Gwynn of Campaign discusses UK ad market recovery and says adland predicts it won’t recover before 2021. Read more here.

This piece in The Drum looks at the potential of Covid-19 forcing adtech to reset as ‘media buckles under financial strain’. Read more here.

24 April

Unilever is reviewing its discretionary marketing spend, but is maintaining its level of brand and marketing investment. Read more here.

This piece in Mediatel News looks at TV advertising and how Covid-19 has impacted the UK market, saying regulated TV and its advertising is likely to emerge with an enhanced reputation from the current crisis. Read more here.

23 April

Jeremy Lee talks of how the ad industry is providing practical support as well as moral support through making visors and gowns. Read more here.

21 April

This piece in Campaign looks at the impact that the lockdown is having on new business now that we are getting to know clients over platforms like Zoom and the dynamics of agency/brand relationships are changing. Read more here.

This piece by Nick Manning via Mediatel Newslines looks at the post-crisis ‘to-do’ list to reset the online ad market. Read more here.

20 April

Agency financial chiefs expect a 20% income drop forecast in adland due to the coronavirus. Read more here.

JP Hanson takes on the ‘advertise through a recession’ argument. Read more here.

17 April

This piece in The Drum looks at how UK broadcasters are adapting now that ‘TV ad prices have fallen through the floor’ and how they are attracting record audiences while working from home.

16 April

Campaign have written a love letter to the advertising industry and the importance of our role in society, especially now. Read the letter here.

15 April

Mediatel assembled seven agency bosses to discuss its ongoing effects on the advertising and media markets – looking at both the immediate and long term. Read more here.

Omnicom has spoken to staff about job losses, pay cuts and furloughs, CEO tells staff. Read more here.

13 April

WFA have been compiling brand responses to COVID-19 from around the world which they hope will inspire other actions. Find out more here.

Arthur Sadoun, Chief Executive, Publicis talks about how he thinks marketers should respond and the future of Publicis. Read more here.

Campaign is looking at the threat of COVID-19 on traditions and the changes this could bring, with this article looking at Christmas ad spend. Read more here.

Publicis Groupe reports 3% fall in organic growth and introduces reduced hours, furloughing and some job cuts. Read more here.

9 April

This piece looks at the pressures that coronavirus has thrust on society and how it may alter the way we interact once it’s all over, particularly in the way we define and implement digital transformation. Read more here.

From furloughs to financing, this is Campaign’s guide to essential business advice on coping with coronavirus. Read more here.

8 April

This article looks at the recent increase in adspend in East Asia as an indication of a similar rebound to happen when the coronavirus pandemic subsides. Read more here.

7 April

The Drum looks at the economic fallout of the coronavirus, why management will be a marathon not a sprint and watching China on their road to recovery. Read more here.

This piece looks at the coping mechanisms for the current situation, as well as potential long-lasting impacts that Covid-19 is having on production interruption.  Read more here.

6 April

WPP’s Chief Executive Mark Read discusses the driving digital transformation within businesses and client. Read more here.

This piece looks at the long-term impact of coronavirus on advertising creativity, saying that it must rediscover human instincts. Read more here.

Havas Media Group’s Covid-19 Media Behaviours Report shows media consumption has continued to rise during the outbreak and reveals a greater need for connection amongst respondents. Read more on Little Black Book here.

This piece looks at how media research and the ‘backbone of industry decision making’ has been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, and what could change in the long-term. Read more here.

2 April

Management consultancy ID Comms has deemed the advertising industry “open for business” after a survey found that 57% of agency leaders maintain they are confident in responding to most pitch briefs, regardless of working from home amid Covid-19. Read more here.

1 April

This article includes a number of posts that have been shared on LinkedIn surrounding advertising and the Covid-19 crisis following a report by WARC that said the industry is already taking a hit and is likely to enter a recession. Read more here.

Newsworks, the body representing UK newspaper publishers, is estimating that digital brand safety measures around the keyword ‘coronavirus’ is going to cost the industry £50m in lost advertising revenue in the next three months. Read more here.

31 March

WPP has announced a wide range of cost-cutting and cash-saving measures amid Covid-19 such as cutting awards, reducing top salaries and freezing hiring, to cope with the severe financial fallout from the crisis. Read more here.

30 March

Marketing Week provides five interesting stats on consumer confidence, email and retail sales amid Covid-19 to prepare for the coming week and give insight to industry trends. Read more here.

Gideon Spanier says the UK ad market faces a drop of 50% in April,  with comment from our Chief Executive Stephen Woodford, who urges companies to seek advice on Government support. Read more here.

Magna, the centralised IPG Mediabrands resource has reported that global digital advertising is likely to slow down to single-digital growth this year compared to 20% per year in past years. Read more here.

27 March

This article looks at the coronavirus’s impact on marketing, ecommerce and advertising. This shows the increased YoY subscription growth of Netflix, the effect that less travel is having on ad spend, and the re-evaluated ad spend forecast in China. Read more here.

25 March

This piece looks at whether consumers think brands should stop advertising due to the coronavirus outbreak. It states that consumers believe staff welfare should be a company’s first priority and brands have a role to play in supporting governments and wider society through the crisis. Read more here.

23 March

Tracey Barber, CMO of Havas Creative Group, looks at some insights from China as life there returns back to some normality, saying, “it has become a goldmine of information on consumer behaviour and media consumption throughout the outbreak, stabilisation and recovery stages of the crisis”. Read more here.

This piece looks at what businesses can do from a marketing perspective to make sure they hit the ground running when this is all over, offering tips for an ‘advertising survival plan’. Read more here. 

20 March

This article looks at the effect that eMarket forecasts on ad spend as a result of the coronavirus. Continued growth, although at a slower rate than previously forecasted. Read more here. 

18 March

Econsultantcy looks at the way in which brands are delaying investment in digital investment which could pose serious problems on the increasing demand on digital services for companies to be able to work remotely. Read more here.

17 March

Marketing Week looks at what marketers need to do to think long-term about what is happening to the industry during this pandemic. The article focuses on the role of leadership and about thinking long-term not short-term. Read more here.

13 March

This is a document by IPSOS on coronavirus and behaviour change and what this means for brands. Read more here.

Further resources

Annabel McCaffrey of NABS offers advice on supporting your emotional and mental health and sustaining you’re wellbeing in a time of crisis. Read it here.

Campaign Magazine is also keeping tabs on all the good things that adland is doing amid the outbreak. For some positive stories, click here.

The Drum has also outlined six essential tips for working from home here.

Gwyn March, IPA CPD Consultant, gives her top tips for keeping your team motivated and running smoothly while working from home. Read more here.